“Agriculture and Commerce,” Is The Official State Motto Of Tennessee. It Was Officially adopted in 1987 by Public Chapter 402 by the 95th General Assembly. The Tennessee State Motto is one of the youngest state mottoes of all USA states. The State Motto Of Tennessee is taken from wordings featured on the 1801 great seal of Tennessee. The National Motto Of Tennessee “Agriculture and Commerce” is also symbolically represented on the seal. On the seal of Tennessee, there is pictured a plow, a sheaf, and cotton stalk which all contribute to represent the state values attributed agriculture. Commerce is symbolized by the riverboat. The Tennessee State Motto is similar to Georgia state mottos.
Tennessee State Nicknames
- “The Volunteer State”
This is one of the most well-liked nicknames of Tennessee as is refers to honor and courage. This Tennessee state nickname refers to the War of 1812 when thousands of brave Tennessean men volunteered to Governor Blount’s call for enlistment.
- “The Mother of Southwestern Statesmen”
This is another nickname with the essence of pride. It refers to the Tennesseans’ efforts in influencing and shaping the national government. Many national offices have been held by Tennesseans, in fact, three presidents called Tennessee their home: Andrew Jackson (7th), James K. Polk (11th), and Andrew Johnson (17th).
- “The Big Bend State”
The Big Bend Nickname is a reference to the Indian name for the Tennessee River.
- “The Lion’s Den State”
“The Lion’s Den State” is proposed by .C. Thomas but no explanation of the background is provided about this nickname.
- “The Hog and Hominy State”
This nickname refers back to a particular time period from 1830 to 1840. In this time period, Tennessee produced large quantities of corn and pork. The nickname is not popular and not much use today.