"An act for the establishment of Washington College in honor to the Illustrious President of the United States at Salem in Washington County." The act is handwritten and is five pages in length. The resolution passed at Knoxville on July 10,...
This constitution is the "Houston Constitution," rejected by Franklin's Second Constitutional Convention of 1785 in Greeneville. Constitutional committee member and major contributor Rev. Samuel Houston had these pamphlets printed to argue the...
Facsimile letter to Governor John Sevier from Representatives William Blount and William Cocke giving the status of Tennessee's admission as a state. The letter explains problems encountered during the admission process, such as political...
Governor John Sevier's address to the Tennessee General Assembly as transcribed by Daniel Smith. Sevier debriefs members about the outcome of Tennessee's appeal for admission. At this time, he also summons the members to attend the first session...
Journal documenting the 1779-1780 river voyage of Col. John Donelson and others, including women, children, and African Americans. The travelers sought to establish the first permanent settlement west of the Appalachians. Handwritten in ink on...
State government; Constitutions; Constitutional conventions; Law & legal affairs; Slavery; Freedmen; Suffrage; Lotteries
This first revision of the Tennessee Constitution addressed a variety of problems present in the original 1796 Constitution. Pages are handwritten on oversize paper and are laminated.
The document is a four page, unnumbered handwritten document found in "Acts of the Southwest Territory." It is dated September 27, 1794 and signed by Governor William Blount and Secretary David Wilson.