Watauga Association facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Watauga Association
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DAR monument in Elizabethton, Tennessee, recalling the establishment of the Watauga Association
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Location of the Watauga settlement on modern map of Tennessee
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| Articles of the Watauga Association | 1772–April 1775 |
| Seat | Sycamore Shoals |
| Government | |
| • Type | Semi-autonomous colony |
| • Body | five-member court |
The Watauga Association was a special government created in 1772. It was formed by early settlers living near the Watauga River in what is now Elizabethton, Tennessee. This group of settlers governed themselves.
Even though it only lasted a few years, the Watauga Association was very important. It helped set up the rules for what later became the state of Tennessee. It also influenced other early governments in the Appalachian region.
In November 1776, North Carolina took over the Watauga settlement area. It was then called the Washington District. A year later, in November 1777, it became Washington County, North Carolina. This area now includes parts of Washington County and Carter County in northeast Tennessee.
Historians often say the Watauga Association was the first time American colonists tried to form their own democratic government. In 1774, Virginia's governor, Lord Dunmore, called it a "dangerous example." He said it showed Americans creating a government "independent of his majesty's authority."
President Theodore Roosevelt later wrote that the Watauga settlers were the "first men of American birth to establish a free and independent community." The settlers' agreement, called the Articles of the Watauga Association, has never been found. However, other documents suggest the settlers still saw themselves as British subjects, even when the American Revolution began.
Contents
How the Watauga Association Started
European settlers began moving into the Watauga, Nolichucky, and Holston river valleys in the late 1760s and early 1770s. Most came from Virginia. Some were also Regulators fleeing North Carolina after a battle.
These settlers thought the Watauga and Nolichucky valleys were part of Virginia. They believed this land was given to Virginia by the Cherokee in the 1770 Treaty of Lochaber. But a survey by Colonel John Donelson showed these lands still belonged to the Cherokee.
Settling on land west of the colonial borders was against the Royal Proclamation of 1763. So, the Watauga and Nolichucky settlers were told to leave.
Forming Their Own Government
In May 1772, the Watauga and Nolichucky settlers made a deal directly with the Cherokee. They leased the land for 10 years. Since they were outside the control of any colony, they created the Watauga Association. This was to provide basic government services for themselves.
The British Crown said this lease and a later land purchase in 1775 were illegal. A young Cherokee chief named Dragging Canoe strongly opposed these deals.
When the American Revolutionary War began in April 1775, the settlers changed their government. They called themselves the "Washington District." They were loyal to the "united colonies." They formed a Committee of Safety to govern the district. This marked the end of the Watauga Association.
In the spring of 1776, the Washington District Committee of Safety asked Virginia to take over their district. Virginia said no. So, the Committee sent a similar request to the North Carolina Assembly on July 5, 1776.
In November of that year, North Carolina agreed. They officially took over the area. The Washington District became Washington County, North Carolina, in November 1777.
The Cherokee, who were allies with the British, attacked the settlements in July 1776. But they were defeated. In 1777, the Cherokee signed the Treaty of Long Island. This treaty gave control of the Watauga and Nolichucky valleys to the American colonies.
How the Watauga Association Worked
We don't have a copy of the Articles of the Watauga Association. Most of what we know comes from other documents. The main one is the 1776 Petition of the Inhabitants of the Washington District. This is often called the "Watauga Petition."
According to this Petition, the Articles were based on Virginia's laws. All the settlers agreed to them. The main reason for the Watauga Association was to stop the area from becoming a hideout for people who owed money or criminals. It also helped with "public business" like recording land deeds and wills.
Other records show that the Articles set up a five-member court. The members of this court were elected by the settlers. The Wataugans also built a courthouse and a jail at Sycamore Shoals.
Historians don't fully agree on who the first five court members were. But most agree they included John Carter, James Robertson, Charles Robertson, and Zachariah Isbell. The fifth member was probably Jacob Brown. Later court members included Andrew Greer, John Roddye, and John Sevier.
Watauga and Military Actions
Watauga militiamen (citizen soldiers) fought in many battles on the frontier and during the American Revolution. A group of 20 Wataugans fought in the Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774. This was during Lord Dunmore's War. Another group helped defend Boonesborough and Harrodsburg later on.
The Washington District Committee of Safety was formed in 1775. Its members included John Carter, Zachariah Isbell, Jacob Brown, John Sevier, James Smith, James and Charles Robertson, William Bean, John Jones, George Russell, and Robert Lucas.
This Committee got weapons. They also oversaw the building of Fort Watauga. This fort was at present-day Elizabethton, Tennessee. They stopped one part of the Cherokee invasion in July 1776. Wataugans also took part in expeditions against the Overhill Cherokee towns in late 1776.
Even when the Cherokee threat was high in 1776, the Wataugans sent help. A company of riflemen, led by Felix Walker, went to help defend Charleston in South Carolina. In August 1780, a small group led by Colonel Isaac Shelby fought in the American Patriot victory at the Battle of Musgrove Mill. This was near present-day Clinton, South Carolina.
In late September 1780, the Overmountain Men gathered at Sycamore Shoals. This group of frontier militia crossed the Appalachian Mountains. They defeated an army of British loyalists at the Battle of Kings Mountain. This group included 240 Wataugans led by Colonels John Sevier and Isaac Shelby. After the battle, Sevier led another expedition against the Cherokee. He destroyed the Chickamauga Cherokee villages near modern Chattanooga.
At least one Wataugan, William Tatham, was present at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781.
The Watauga Association's Legacy
The Articles of the Watauga Association likely influenced the Cumberland Compact. This agreement was written in 1780. The main connection between the two was James Robertson. He led a group of colonists to the Nashville area in 1779.
The Clarksville Compact, written for the Clarksville settlement in 1785, might also have been inspired by the Watauga Association. It even adopted Virginia's laws, even though Clarksville was in North Carolina. In the mid-1780s, some former Wataugans, especially John Sevier, helped create the State of Franklin. This state eventually failed.
Many historians in the 1800s and early 1900s saw the Watauga Association as the first democratic government formed by American colonists. Historian Andrew C. McLaughlin wrote that it was amazing how easily these frontiersmen formed their own government.
Another historian, Claude Van Tyne, said the Wataugans were like the Pilgrim Fathers. They had no formal laws and institutions, so they made them. In his book The Winning of the West, Theodore Roosevelt said the Watauga settlers showed what the new nation would do. They tamed the wilderness, fought off enemies, and successfully governed themselves.
More recent historians point out that while the Watauga Association was one of the first governments west of the Appalachians, it was not meant to be completely separate from the English colonies.
See also
In Spanish: Asociación Watauga para niños
