Kentucky and Tennessee Compared

Mr. Beat compares and contrasts Kentucky and Tennessee, the two long and narrow southern states that actually are more different than they are alike. Wait a second, is Kentucky really a "southern" state?

Produced by Matt Beat. All images/video by Matt Beat, found in the public domain, or used under fair use guidelines.

Music by Dyalla.

Creative commons photo credits:
Kevin Oliver
Corey Heitz
Farragutful
Doc Searls
Peter Fitzgerald
Pollinator
David Ohmer
Mobilus In Mobili
Daniel Schwen
Dave Bunnell
Zzzuucx

Sources/further reading:

Kentucky and Tennessee

The two bordering, kind of long and narrow states, right here in these United States

Both are in the American South, although Kentucky feels more like a mix of the Midwest and the South. I’d argue it has more in common with Indiana than Tennessee.

There’s quite a college sports rivalry between the University of Kentucky Wildcats and University of Tennessee Volunteers that goes back 127 years. But apparently the rivalry goes beyond sports. The two states even used to have a border dispute.

So yeah, let’s jump into the history of both states first. Eh?

Humans have lived in the area for thousands of years. At the time of European arrival, the two dominant American Indian tribes in modern-day Tennessee and Kentucky were the Chickasaw and the Cherokee, although the Shawnee were also dominant in modern-day Kentucky. Europeans made it to what is now Tennessee first. During the 1500s, three different Spanish expeditions passed through there, the first being the Hernando de Soto expedition in 1540. It wasn’t until at least 133 years later that Europeans first arrived in what is today Kentucky. Several French expeditions traveled to it via the Mississippi River. The English first came to what is now both states in the 1670s, and it’d be them that came out in the greatest numbers compared to other European groups over the next 100 years.

By the time of the American Revolution, there were English settlements out that way. In modern-day Tennessee, the Watauga Association kind of did their own thing until North Carolina took over it. Daniel Boone was famously one of the first settlers of European descent to regularly check out both Tennessee and Kentucky, eventually living in Kentucky. He helped build a couple trails so other pioneers could do the same. The more famous one, the Wilderness Road, cut through the Cumberland Gap near the Kentucky-Tennessee border. In 1774, Harrod’s Town, named after James Harrod, became the first permanent English settlement in Kentucky.

#kentucky #tennessee #geography

[iammrbeat]

So I went back and figured out what went wrong. My program autocorrected "Frankfort" to "Frankfurt, " as in Frankfurt, Germany. Sorry Frankfort folks.
Also, another mistake: It's the "Middle Tennessee" district, not "Central Tennessee."
So which is better? Tennessee or Kentucky? What did I leave out? Which states should I compare next?

[caffeinatedlinux]

I lived in Kentucky for 12 years before moving to Lawrence. When it comes to sports I'd say UK vs UofL is a much bigger deal than UK vs UT.

[pdmayton]

I'm a Tennessean, and I love Tennessee, but I have no hate for Kentucky. Probably the state most like Tennessee with the possible exception of North Carolina. Love both of our neighbors.

[jean-pauljouet]

You should have mentioned how both states have the two largest cargo hubs in the US, the UPS World Port in Louisville and the FedEx Express Global Hub in Memphis

[clarajohnson]

Born in Memphis, raised in Nashville, and living in Knoxville. :) I love this state EXCEPT GOOD GRIEF STOP MOVING HERE WE ARE FULL

[rexmundi]

As somebody who isn't from the USA, I feel like I'm learning way more about the states from this channel than I ever have before. Well done. Mr. Beat!

[rentalguy]

As a native East Tennessean, if you say Apple-A-Shuh, I'll throw and Apple-at-cha...

[nx]

I’m from south eastern KY, and it definitely feels like a true southern state to me. We have much more in common with Tennessee than Indiana.

[texasyojimbo]

It's Middle Tennessee damnit not Central Tennessee.

[ChillinwithLandD]

Every time someone says “Loo-ee-ville”, a Kentuckian sheds a tear. Two options people: “lul vul” or “loo i [as in hip] vul”. #NkyFTW

[Shredow]

Croatia vs Serbia 2 weeks ago, Kentucky vs Tennessee today.
Me, a Serbian American living in Tennessee:

[TheSlipperyNUwUdle]

As someone from Louisville, I wasn’t even aware we had a rivalry with Tennessee. lol but I don’t like sports

[jacobrobinson]

Native to Kentucky but love visiting Tennessee. Tennessee is like Kentucky’s younger more popular brother. And fun fact the Cincinnati Airport is located in Florence Kentucky

[BeerAndNachos]

As a tennessean I would like to politely ask that everyone stop moving to Tennessee? Please?

[ElFra]

I'm glad KY is more rural and has less people. I'll stay here in KY thank you.

[This_Guy]

I’ve been living in KY all my life. I’ll be the first to tell you UK vs. UofL is more heated than anything between KY and TN

[brock]

Don't compare us to Indiana that's disrespectful

[nateonmission]

I’m from East TN, graduated from MTSU, and now live in Louisville, KY.
So, I loved this video.

[justinpigg]

There is more ppl in KY they are just up in the mountains and haven't been counted

[theduke]

I grew up on the Tennessee Kentucky border, and it'll always be home to me. And while I'm from Kentucky, if you get lucky enough to find a place that works for you, live and work in Tennessee but shop for groceries and goods in Kentucky. Tennessee has no state income tax and very low property tax, but they have very high sales tax, while Kentucky has no sales tax on groceries and a 6 percent sales tax on normal goods compared to 11 percent in Tennessee.