When did Tennesee become a state?

Tennessee became a state on June 1, 1796, 20 years after the United States proclaimed its independence. Tennessee was the 16th state added to the United States, following the 13 original colonies, Vermont and Kentucky. The land was previously part of North Carolina and part of the U.S. Southwest Territory.

The state of Tennessee was formed out of territory owned by the United States through an act of the federal government. The state's constitution defined the boundaries of the new state while leaving room for the state to grow through land acquisition past the Mississippi or through trades with other states. The state's boundaries have changed since its original statehood.