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