"This chronicle of the formation of Tennessee from indigenous settlements to the closing of the frontier in 1840 begins with an account of the prehistoric frontier and its millenia-long habitation by Native Americans. This prelude leads to a detailed account of Tennessee's historic period, which begins with the incursion of Hernando de Soto's Spanish army in 1540. John R. Finger follows two narratives of the creation and closing of the frontier.

The first starts with the early interaction of Native Americans and Euro-Americans and ends when the latter effectively gained the upper hand. The last land cession by the Cherokees in the late 1830s and the resulting movement of the tribal majority westward along the Trail of Tears were the final, decisive events of this story. The second narrative describes the period of economic development that continued until the emergence of a market economy.

Although from the very first, Euro-Americans participated in a worldwide fur and deerskin trade, and farmers and town dwellers were linked with markets in distant cities, it was during this period that most farmers moved beyond subsistence production and became dependent on regional, national, or international markets.".

"Two major themes emerge from Tennessee Frontiers: first, that of opportunity - the belief held by frontier people that North America offered unique opportunities for social and economic and advancement; and second, that of tension - between local autonomy and central authority, which was marked by the resistance of frontier people to outside controls, and between and among groups of whites and Indians.

Distinctions of class and gender separated frontier elites from "lesser" whites, and the struggle for control divided the elites themselves. Similarly, native society was riddled by factional disputes over the proper course of action regarding relations with other tribes or with whites. Though the Indians "lost" in fundamental ways, they proved resiliant, adopting a variety of strategies that delayed defeat and enabled them to retain, in modified form, their own identity.".

"Along the way, the author introduces the famous names of Tennessee's frontier history: Attakullakulla, Nancy Ward, Daniel Boone, John Sevier, Davy Crockett, Andrew Jackson, and John Ross, among others. Their presence reminds us that this is the story of real people dealing with real problems and possibilities in often difficult circumstances."--BOOK JACKET.