Have you ever heard of the 14th almost state, Franklin? During the building years of the United States in the late 18th century, Franklin was proposed to be the 14th state added. The area of Franklin was supposed to be the upper east area of Tennessee.
After the Revolutionary War North Carolina legislators discussed giving some land to the federal government. The people who inhabited those areas started to discuss plans of self-government. By December of 1784, they had declared themselves the “state of Franklin.” This however had not been recognized by the states due to slow communication between people at the December Conference and the people of the “state of Franklin.” The land that had been given during that time was taken back. This left the people of Franklin without any land to call a state.
But why was the state going to be named Franklin? Originally the state was to be called Frankland, they even had a slogan, “The land of free men.” In the end, they decided to change the name to Franklin. First, in Benjamin Franklin’s honor, they proposed the name. Second, the leaders wanting to add Franklin as a state saw the name Franklin was gaining more traction in the courts. They decided this name would give them a better chance of getting their so-called state to become a reality.
So, why did the state of Franklin eventually fail? The state of Franklin operated like any other state during its time, but it did have its problems. Some of these included a lack of military, tax-free living, and the lack of economic infrastructure. Because of this, the North Carolina government began to give incentives to the people living in the Franklin land to move back to their former government. They also offered to waive all taxes they hadn’t paid during their time living in Franklin. This was all under the notion that Franklin would dissolve letting the people leave the “state.” The state as a whole refused this offer, but it wasn’t long after that many citizens and leaders had moved away.
Questions:
What would you name a state if you could?
Would it be named after you, why or why not?
Do you think Franklin should have stayed as a state?
Sources:
https://www.deseret.com/23922454/history-of-the-state-of-franklin/
https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-state-franklin
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/true-story-short-lived-state-franklin-180964541/
Replies
I would also name a state I was allowed to name after something important, but I agree with you I would not want the state to be named after me.
I don't want to name a state and not name a state after me. It should be the same name and not change it so other people won't be confused. It's kinda be hard on making a new state in my opinion and it takes a lot of time and effort.
Why would you not want to name a state?
I would not want to name a state after myself either. It would take a lot of time and effort to form a new state, then when you add all the rules and regulations I can't imagine how long it must have taken.
I don't know what I would name a state but it would definetly not be after me. The state of Franklin probably would have never worked becuase they didn't charge any taxes and so they didn't have enough money for the state's startup.
What is one thing you would have changed to help Franklin have stayed a state?
The tax issue was something I don't think the people of that time had thought of. But as time would have gone on I'm not sure that the state would have worked out.
I have no idea what I would name a state if I had the opportunity. That's a lot of responsibility and should be a shared decision. Also, I wouldn't name it after me if I had the choice. I would name it after something or someone important and meaningful.
Who do you think should have the power to name a state?
I like that you said it should be a shared decision. If you are naming a state it is going to be a big deal and something people will remember for a long time. I would probably also name it after someone or something important like the people then named it Franklin.
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