| Although inhabited by Native Americans | | | | Confederates. |
| in prehistoric times, when explorers and | | | | After the war, the Ku Klux Klan was |
| settlers began entering Kentucky in the | | | | quite active in Kentucky. Between 1867 |
| mid-1700s, there were no permanent | | | | and 1881, the Frankfort Weekly |
| Native American settlements in the | | | | Commonwealth newspaper reported 115 |
| region. Instead, the country was used as | | | | incidents of shooting, lynching, and |
| hunting grounds by Shawnees from the | | | | whipping of blacks. |
| north and Cherokees from the south. The | | | | Reconstruction also saw the |
| first documented exploration of the area | | | | establishment of movements favoring |
| that would become Kentucky was made in | | | | equal citizenship for blacks and women's |
| 1750 by a scouting party led by Dr. | | | | suffrage. Laura Clay, daughter of noted |
| Thomas Walker. Much of what is now | | | | abolitionist Cassius Clay, was an active |
| Kentucky was purchased from Native | | | | leader in the suffrage movement. |
| Americans in the treaties of Fort | | | | Kentucky's hemp industry declined as |
| Stanwix (1768) and Sycamore Shoals | | | | manila became the world's primary source |
| (1775). | | | | of rope fiber. This lead to an increase |
| Thereafter, Kentucky grew rapidly as the | | | | in tobacco production, which was already |
| first settlements west of the | | | | the largest cash crop of Kentucky. |
| Appalachian Mountains were founded, with | | | | Assassination of Governor William Goebel |
| settlers (primarily from Virginia, North | | | | The election of William S. Taylor as |
| Carolina, and Pennsylvania) entering the | | | | Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky |
| region via the Cumberland Gap and the | | | | on the Republican Party ticket in 1899 |
| Ohio River. The most famous of these | | | | was an unexpected turn of events. To |
| early explorers and settlers was Daniel | | | | date, this is the closest gubernatorial |
| Boone, traditionally considered one of | | | | election in Kentucky history. Supporters |
| the founders of the state. Shawnees | | | | of William Goebel, his Democratic Party |
| north of the Ohio River, however, were | | | | opponent, contested the election. |
| unhappy about the settlement of | | | | The Kentucky Senate formed a special |
| Kentucky, and allied themselves with the | | | | Committee of Inquiry packed with |
| British in the American Revolutionary | | | | Democratic members. It was apparent to |
| War (1775–1783). | | | | Taylor's adherents that the committee |
| During this period, the settlers | | | | would decide in favor of Goebel, and on |
| introduced agriculture to the area. | | | | January 19, 1900, a force of more than |
| Tobacco, corn, and hemp were the major | | | | 1,500 armed civilians took possession of |
| crops of Kentucky, and the hunter | | | | the Capitol. For more than two weeks the |
| gatherer aspects of Native American and | | | | United States watched as the |
| settler life became less pronounced. | | | | Commonwealth of Kentucky slid towards |
| Kentucky during the American Revolution | | | | civil war. Martial law was declared and |
| Kentucky's second largest city, and | | | | the Kentucky militia was activated. |
| former capital Lexington, is named for | | | | On January 30, 1900, Goebel, accompanied |
| Lexington, Massachusetts, site of one of | | | | by two bodyguards, was shot by a sniper |
| the first battles of the Revolution. A | | | | as he approached the Capital. Though |
| fort was built there during the last | | | | mortally wounded, Goebel was sworn in as |
| year of the war for defense against the | | | | Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky |
| English and their Native American | | | | the next day. Goebel died on February 3, |
| allies. Kentucky was a battleground | | | | 1900 from his wounds. |
| during the war; the Battle of Blue | | | | For nearly four months after Governor |
| Licks, one of the last major battles of | | | | Goebel's death, Kentucky had two |
| the Revolution, was fought in Kentucky. | | | | officials functioning as the |
| Due to escalating violence, by 1776 | | | | commonwealth's chief executive; Taylor, |
| there were fewer than 200 settlers in | | | | who insisted he was the governor, and J. |
| Kentucky. | | | | C. W. Beckham, running mate of Governor |
| Militia officers | | | | Goebel, who was sworn in when the latter |
| After Kentucky County was created on | | | | died. |
| December 6, 1776, the county militia was | | | | Governor Beckham requested federal aid |
| organized as follows:[1] | | | | in determining who Kentucky's chief |
| David Robinson - county lieutenant | | | | executive was. The U.S. Supreme Court |
| John Bowman - colonel | | | | finally reached a decision on May 26, |
| Anthony Bledsoe - lieutenant colonel | | | | 1900, upholding the Commission's ruling |
| George Rogers Clark - major | | | | that Goebel was in fact Kentucky's |
| John Todd - captain | | | | governor, and his lieutenant governor |
| Benjamin Logan - captain | | | | (Beckham) had followed Kentucky's line |
| Daniel Boone - captain | | | | of succession and was now Governor of |
| James Harrod - captain | | | | the Commonwealth of Kentucky. |
| In November, 1780, Virginia divided | | | | Immediately following the court's |
| Kentucky County into three counties: | | | | decision, Taylor fled to the State of |
| Fayette, Jefferson, and Lincoln. Militia | | | | Indiana and was later indicted as one of |
| officers of these counties included: | | | | the conspirators in the assassination of |
| Fayette County | | | | Governor Goebel. Attempts to extradite |
| John Todd - county lieutenant and | | | | him failed, and Taylor remained in |
| colonel (killed at Blue Licks in 1782) | | | | Indiana until he died. |
| Daniel Boone - lieutenant colonel | | | | The early twentieth century |
| Jefferson County | | | | The coal industry made dramatic progress |
| John Floyd - county lieutenant and | | | | between the turn of the century and the |
| colonel (killed 1783) | | | | first World War. Many Kentuckians made |
| Lincoln County | | | | the change from subsistence farming to |
| Benjamin Logan - county lieutenant and | | | | coal mining, particularly in the |
| colonel | | | | Appalachian region. Many Kentuckians |
| Stephen Trigg - lieutenant colonel | | | | also left the state for manufacturing |
| (killed at Blue Licks in 1782) | | | | and industrial centers in the Midwest. |
| In January 1781, Governor Thomas | | | | German immigrants also populated |
| Jefferson appointed George Rogers Clark | | | | northern Kentucky extensively during |
| as brigadier general, a special position | | | | this time period; this situation led to |
| created for an expedition against | | | | much conflict as the war progressed and |
| Detroit, which never materialized. As a | | | | anti-German sentiment increased. |
| general, Clark was the highest ranking | | | | World War I |
| militia officer in Kentucky and | | | | Like the rest of the country, Kentucky |
| supervised the work of the three | | | | experienced dramatic inflation during |
| Kentucky county colonels.[2] | | | | the war years. Much infrastructure was |
| Separation from Virginia | | | | created; roads had to be greatly |
| Several factors contributed to the | | | | improved to accommodate the increasing |
| desire of the residents of Kentucky | | | | popularity of the automobile. The war |
| County to separate from Virginia. First, | | | | also led to the clear cutting of |
| traveling to the state capital was long | | | | thousands of acres of Kentucky timber. |
| and dangerous. Second, offensive use of | | | | The tobacco and whiskey industries had |
| local militia against Native Americans | | | | boom years during the teens, although |
| required authorization from the Governor | | | | prohibition seriously harmed the economy |
| of Virginia. Last, Virginia refused to | | | | when the Eighteenth Amendment took |
| recognize the importance of trade along | | | | effect. Prohibition led to widespread |
| the Mississippi River to Kentucky's | | | | bootlegging that continued on into the |
| economy. Trade with the Spanish colony | | | | middle of the century. |
| of New Orleans, which controlled the | | | | The Great Depression |
| mouth of the Mississippi, was | | | | Like the rest of the country and much of |
| forbidden.[3] | | | | the world, Kentucky faced great |
| The magnitude of these problems | | | | difficulty with the arrival of the Great |
| increased with the population of | | | | Depression in the late 1920s. There was |
| Kentucky County, leading Colonel | | | | widespread unemployment and little |
| Benjamin Logan to call a constitutional | | | | economic growth. On the other hand, New |
| convention in Danville in 1784. Over the | | | | Deal programs greatly improved the |
| next six years, nine more conventions | | | | educational system in the state and led |
| were held. During one, General James | | | | to the construction and improvement of a |
| Wilkinson proposed secession from both | | | | great deal of infrastructure. The |
| Virginia and the United States to become | | | | creation of roads, construction of |
| a ward of Spain, but the idea was | | | | telephone lines, and rural |
| defeated. Finally, on June 1, 1792 the | | | | electrification were significant |
| United States Congress accepted the | | | | developments for the state. The creation |
| Kentucky Constitution and admitted it as | | | | of the Kentucky Dam and its |
| the 15th state.[3] | | | | hydroelectric power plant greatly |
| The antebellum period | | | | improved the lives of Western |
| In late 1811 and early 1812, Western | | | | Kentuckians. Both the Cumberland River |
| Kentucky was heavily damaged by a series | | | | and the Mississippi River saw extensive |
| of earthquakes referred to as the New | | | | improvements in navigability and flood |
| Madrid earthquake, the largest recorded | | | | control. |
| earthquake in the contiguous United | | | | The 1937 flood |
| States. These earthquakes caused the | | | | Beginning in January 1937, the Ohio |
| Mississippi River to change course, thus | | | | River was in various flood stages for |
| creating the Kentucky Bend. | | | | three months. The flood led to river |
| Civil War period | | | | fires when oil tanks in Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Both Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis | | | | were destroyed in the flood. In |
| were born in Kentucky.Kentucky was a | | | | Kentucky, one-third of Kenton and |
| border state during the American Civil | | | | Campbell counties were submerged. |
| War.[4] Although frequently erroneously | | | | Paducah, Owensboro, and other Purchase |
| described as never having seceded, the | | | | area cities were devastated. Damages |
| state did pass an Ordinance of Secession | | | | from the flood (nationwide) totaled 20 |
| on November 20, 1861 at the Russellville | | | | million dollars without adjusting for |
| Convention[5], becoming the last state | | | | inflation. It led to extensive flood |
| to secede from the Union. The | | | | prevention efforts in the Purchase area, |
| "Confederate capitol" was located in | | | | including the distinctive flood wall at |
| Bowling Green[6] and was represented by | | | | Paducah. |
| the central star on the Confederate | | | | World War II |
| battle flag.[7] The delegates to the | | | | For Kentucky, World War II, signified |
| Russellville Convention failed to | | | | increased importance of industry and |
| displace the legitimate government in | | | | decreased importance of agriculture for |
| Frankfort however[8], and Kentucky | | | | the state's economy. The war led to |
| officially remained "neutral" throughout | | | | expansion of Fort Knox as well as the |
| the war due to Union sympathies of many | | | | creation of an ordnance plant in |
| of the Commonwealth's citizens. Even | | | | Louisville. Louisville became the |
| today, however, Confederate Memorial Day | | | | world's largest source of artificial |
| is observed by some in Kentucky on | | | | rubber. Shipyards at Jeffersonville and |
| Jefferson Davis' birthday, June 3.[9] | | | | elsewhere was a tremendous amount of |
| While remaining loyal to the Union, | | | | work. Louisville's Ford manufacturing |
| Kentucky was a border state during the | | | | center produced almost 100,000 Jeeps |
| American Civil War. The state was | | | | during the war. The war also lead to a |
| officially neutral until a new | | | | greater demand for higher education, as |
| legislature took office on August 5, | | | | technical skills were more in demand |
| 1861 with strong Union sympathies. The | | | | both during the war and afterwards. |
| majority of the Commonwealth's citizens | | | | Notable Kentuckians during the war |
| also had strong Union sympathies. On | | | | Husband Kimmel of Henderson County |
| September 4, 1861, Confederate General | | | | commanded the Pacific Fleet. Sixty-six |
| Leonidas Polk broke Kentucky's | | | | men from Harrodsburg were on the Bataan |
| neutrality by invading Columbus, | | | | Death March. Edgar Erskine Hume of |
| Kentucky. As a result of the Confederate | | | | Frankfort served as the military |
| invasion, Union General Ulysses S. Grant | | | | governor of Rome after its capture. |
| entered Paducah, Kentucky. On September | | | | Kentucky native Franklin Sousley was |
| 7, 1861, the Kentucky State Legislature, | | | | depicted in the photograph showing the |
| angered by the Confederate invasion, | | | | raising of the flag at Iwo Jima. |
| ordered the Union flag to be raised over | | | | Harrodsburg resident John Sadler |
| the state capitol in Frankfort, | | | | witnessed the atomic bombing of Nagasaki |
| declaring its allegiance with the Union. | | | | as a prisoner of war. Seven Kentuckians |
| In November of 1861, during the | | | | received the Medal of Honor. 7,917 |
| Russellville Convention, Southern | | | | Kentuckians died during the war; 306,364 |
| sympathizers attempted to establish an | | | | served. |
| alternative state government with the | | | | Rose Will Monroe, one of the models for |
| goal of secession but failed to displace | | | | "Rosie the Riveter," was a native of |
| the legitimate government in Frankfort. | | | | Pulaski County. |
| On August 13, 1862, Confederate General | | | | After the war |
| Edmund Kirby Smith's Army of East | | | | In the years afterward, the Interstate |
| Tennessee invaded Kentucky and on August | | | | Highway System helped connect even the |
| 28, 1862, Confederate General Braxton | | | | most remote areas of Kentucky to one |
| Bragg's Army of Mississippi entered | | | | another. |
| Kentucky beginning the Kentucky | | | | Agriculture, though still important, was |
| Campaign. Bragg's retreat following the | | | | supplanted in many areas by industry. By |
| Battle of Perryville left the state | | | | 1970, Kentucky had more urban residents |
| under the control of the Union Army for | | | | than rural residents. Tobacco production |
| the remainder of the war. | | | | remains an important part of the state |
| Reconstruction | | | | economy, but has continually decreased |
| Because Kentucky was a slave state, it | | | | over the years. Marijuana is now the |
| was subject to military occupation | | | | state's largest cash crop. Though its |
| during the Reconstruction Period. It was | | | | cultivation is illegal, it is prominent |
| subject to the Freedmen's Bureau and a | | | | in rural areas and is seen by some as an |
| congressional investigation into the | | | | extension of the bootlegging culture |
| propriety of its elected officials. | | | | that was once pervasive in the region. |
| During the election of 1866, | | | | Marijuana is widely grown in the hilly |
| ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment | | | | areas of Eastern Kentucky, where it is |
| was a major political issue. Kentucky | | | | difficult for law enforcement to find |
| eventually rejected the Thirteenth, | | | | and eradicate; however, it is cultivated |
| Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments. | | | | statewide. A 1997 study by NORML |
| Democrats prevailed in the election, and | | | | estimated that Kentucky produced over |
| one of their first acts was to repeal | | | | 800,000 marijuana plants annually, with |
| the Expatriation Act of 1862, thus | | | | a value to growers of over $1.3 billion |
| restoring the citizenship of | | | | |