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Tennessee's land is divided into three big regions: East, Middle, and West. East Tennessee has the tall Smoky Mountains and the Great Valley. Middle Tennessee has a low, fertile basin surrounded by hills. West Tennessee is flat land near the Mississippi River. This variety helps explain why people live and farm differently across the state.
Farming and forestry are big industries here. The state has about 62,500 farms, and soybeans, corn, and cattle are top products. Cotton is also important and is one of the state's biggest exports. Forests cover nearly half the state, and many people work in logging and wood products.
Historically, Tennessee became the 16th state in 1796. It earned the nickname "The Volunteer State" because many people volunteered to fight in wars. Tennessee was the last state to leave the Union before the Civil War, but it was the first Southern state to come back after the war.
The state also played a key role in music, with Nashville known for country music and Memphis for the blues.
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