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