History Documentary hosted by David Louis Ball, published by PBS in 2011 - English narration
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Historical Documentary Traces the Story of a Forgotten Post-Revolutionary War Secession.
THE MYSTERIOUS LOST STATE OF FRANKLIN chronicles the creation and demise of a pivotal yet oft-forgotten post-Revolutionary War rebellion and attempted secession.
Due to tax burdens, the state of North Carolina ceded its western land to the U.S. government. Feeling abandoned, some of the citizens of this ceded territory began their own government and called themselves the State of Franklin, after esteemed statesman Benjamin Franklin. Even after North Carolina rescinded this cession, the State of Franklin continued to struggle for four chaotic years. Finally, Franklin ended in violence and a failed bid to become the country's 14th state.
Two ambitious men fueled this conflict. John Sevier, the governor of Franklin, was a controversial Revolutionary War hero and ruthless land speculator who was obsessed with westward expansion. Colonel John Tipton, a patriot and landowner, turned against the chaos of the Franklin movement. He vowed to bring an end to the fledgling state and to return the land to North Carolina. Eventually, the area once known as the State of Franklin would become part of Upper East Tennessee, with John Sevier returning triumphantly as the first governor of Tennessee. Filmed at several historic locations in East Tennessee, THE MYSTERIOUS LOST STATE OF FRANKLIN is told through scholarly interviews and re-enactments filmed against a backdrop of lush Tennessee scenery.
THE MYSTERIOUS LOST STATE OF FRANKLIN "emphasizes the importance of civic education by highlighting how governments work and how the State of Franklin influenced the U.S. Constitution," says Gordon Belt, president of the Society of Tennessee Archivists. "The State of Franklin very nearly became the 14th of the United States, but fell just two votes short of ratification in Congress. Yet, the State of Franklin's four-year rebellion laid the foundation for the way in which we would build our nation in the years that followed. Article IV, Section III of the U.S. Constitution specifically addresses the formation of new states from territories claimed by existing states. It was the State of Franklin rebellion that led to the inclusion of this clause in the U.S. Constitution."
THE MYSTERIOUS LOST STATE OF FRANKLIN scholarly interviews include:
Kevin Barksdale, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of American history at Marshall University. He is the author of The Lost State of Franklin: American's First Secession.
John R. Finger, Ph.D., is emeritus professor of history at the University of Tennessee. He is the author of Tennessee Frontiers - Three Regions in Transition. He is a specialist regarding post-American Revolution life and knowledgeable about John Sevier.
Michael Toomey, Ph.D., is an associate professor of history at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. He is a specialist in frontier life, especially post-American Revolution. His interview with Scott Simon, "The State of Franklin," aired on National Public Radio's Weekend Edition.
Stephen Brumwell, Ph.D., is the author of several books about British military history and is an expert on Colonial and Revolutionary America; 18th-century Britain; and military history c. 1400-1850.
Penny McLaughlin, Ed.S., has been executive director of the Tipton-Haynes State Historic Site in Johnson City, Tennessee, since 1991. She is a specialist regarding the history of Colonel John Tipton.
Written and Directed by Buck Kahler ; Produced by Nolichucky Pictures, LLC
