
What was the first settlement in Kentucky?
Boonesborough was established there in 1775. Settlement was rapid during the 1770s, though the prophecies of a Cherokee chieftain, Dragging-Canoe, that Boone and other white settlers would find Kentucky “a dark and bloody land” were in large part fulfilled.
How did Kentucky become a colony?
The Indians sent fast-moving raiding parties into Kentucky from their villages north of the Ohio River. They burned homes and crops, slaughtered livestock, and killed or kidnapped settlers. The opening of Kentucky to settlement happened at about the same time that the American Revolution began. Kentucky became a battlefield in that war.
What happened in Kentucky in the 19th century?
The first half of the 19th century was one of the most eventful in the state’s history. Kentucky took a lead in the War of 1812, much of which was fought in the adjacent Northwest Territory against combined British and native forces.
What was the first settlement in the United States?
First Settlement. The British remained in place near the Canadian border and continued to support the Indians in their opposition to American growth between the Appalachians and the Mississippi River. The new United States government sent several expeditions, which included many Kentucky militiamen, against the Indians.

How did Kentucky come to be settled?
Exploration and settlement French and Spanish explorers first came to Kentucky via the rivers of the Mississippi basin in the 17th century, and traders from the eastern colonies entered the region during the early 18th century, primarily by way of the Ohio River and Cumberland Gap.
Which event helped open Kentucky to new settlement?
Westward Movement The opening of the Wilderness Road enabled the founding of the first settlements in Kentucky, including Transylvania Colony–which became Boonesboro–Harrod's Town and Benjamin Logan's.
When was the first settlement in Kentucky?
17741769 - Daniel Boone and John Finley first saw the far distant Bluegrass atop Pilot Knob, now in Powell County. The recorded date is June 7, 1769. 1774 - James Harrod constructed the first permanent settlement in Kentucky at Fort Harrod.
Why did settlers come to Kentucky?
The land of Kentucky was mostly used as hunting grounds for tribes such as the Cherokee, the Delaware, and the Shawnee. Although British settlers were looking for new land to the west, few had ventured into Kentucky because it was so difficult to cross the Appalachian Mountains. In 1750, explorer Dr.
Who saved Kentucky settlements during Revolutionary War?
1776 was a significant date in the growth of the Kentucky Militia in that George Rogers Clark, with others, represented Fincastle County before the Virginia Assembly. Due to the efforts of these men, 500 pounds of gunpowder were granted for the young Militia to use in defending its settlement against the Indians.
When did Boone explore Kentucky?
In the fall of 1767, Boone took a short excursion through the Cumberland Gap to Kentucky. On May 1, 1769, he headed back to Kentucky on a longer trip, helping to open a trail for future pioneers.
Who were the first people to settle in Kentucky?
In 1774, James Harrod constructed the first permanent settlement in Kentucky at Fort Harrod, the site of present-day Harrodsburg. Boonesboro was established in 1775, and many other settlements were created soon after.
What was Kentucky originally called?
KentuckeOn December 31, 1776, by an act of the Virginia General Assembly, the portion of Fincastle County west of the Appalachians extending to the Mississippi River, previously known as Kentucky (or Kentucke) territory, was split off into its own county of Kentucky.
What is Kentucky known for?
Kentucky is known for its horse racing heritage. The state is home to some of the most famous horse farms in the world. Many of the greatest racehorses in history were born and raised in Kentucky. The Kentucky Derby, held annually in Louisville, is one of the most prestigious horse races in the world.
Who colonized Kentucky?
In 1774, Harrod's Town became Kentucky's first permanent European settlement. The town, named for James Harrod, was founded by the order of British governor of Virginia Lord Dunmore. Harrod led an expedition to survey land promised by the British crown to soldiers who served in the French and Indian War.
When did Europeans come to Kentucky?
The first known European to travel into Kentucky was Hernando de Soto and his followers when they ascended the west bank of the Mississippi River in 1543.
What two primary routes did settlers into Kentucky generally follow?
The most important of the early emigrant trails to Kentucky was the Great Road and its extension the Wilderness Road. It was down the Great Road that the Scotch-Irish and German immigrants flowed from western Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.
What two primary routes did settlers into Kentucky generally follow?
The most important of the early emigrant trails to Kentucky was the Great Road and its extension the Wilderness Road. It was down the Great Road that the Scotch-Irish and German immigrants flowed from western Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.
What was Kentucky called before it was called Kentucky?
KentuckeCounty of Kentucky and statehood On December 31, 1776, by an act of the Virginia General Assembly, the portion of Fincastle County west of the Appalachians extending to the Mississippi River, previously known as Kentucky (or Kentucke) territory, was split off into its own county of Kentucky.
Which European explorers visited Kentucky?
The first known European to travel into Kentucky was Hernando de Soto and his followers when they ascended the west bank of the Mississippi River in 1543. The region was included in the charter of Virginia in 1584.
What are 5 interesting facts about Kentucky?
Ten Bluegrass State Facts to Celebrate National Kentucky DayKentucky is known as the horse capital of the world. ... The song “Happy Birthday to You” was penned by two Louisville sisters. ... Post-its were invented there. ... The very first American public performance of a Beethoven symphony was in Kentucky.More items...•
What was the first settlement in the United States?
First Settlement. Known by several names over the years, the Kentucky National Guard is among the oldest military organizations in the United States. Its history goes back over two hundred years to the frontier days of the 1770s, when Kentucky was part of Virginia. During those early days, nearly every able-bodied man was considered ...
What happened to the Indians in Kentucky?
The Indians sent fast-moving raiding parties into Kentucky from their villages north of the Ohio River. They burned homes and crops, slaughtered livestock, and killed or kidnapped settlers. The opening of Kentucky to settlement happened at about the same time that the American Revolution began.
What did the Kentuckians do to help the Indians?
Kentuckians supported the war, hoping to defeat the Indians once and for all, and to take Canada away from the British. The war began with tragedy for Kentucky. Overconfident but unprepared militiamen took part in the loss at the Battle of the River Raisin, in what is now southern Michigan, early in 1813.
Why are rifles called Kentucky rifles?
The long, deadly-accurate rifles carried by these men later came to be known as "Kentucky Rifles," partly because of the exploits of Kentucky militiamen. Later generals of Kentuckians tried to live up to this combative image- not always with success.
How long did the Indians fight each other in the new settlements?
They responded with violence. Kentuckians and the Indians fought each other, off and on, for nearly fifty years.
Who provided the Kentucky Militia with leadership and strategic vision?
Often they conducted their own raids against Indian towns. George Rogers Clark provided the Kentucky Militia with leadership and strategic vision. He obtained gunpowder and soldiers from Virginia and took the fight to the British and Indians. He captured Vincennes and other British strongholds in the Old Northwest.
Who allowed their Indian allies to kill many of the wounded and captured Kentuckians after the battle had ended?
The British allowed their Indian allies to kill many of the wounded and captured Kentuckians after the battle had ended. Outraged Kentuckians made "Remember the Raisin!" their battle cry for the rest of the war.
When did the French and Spanish first come to Kentucky?
French and Spanish explorers first came to Kentucky via the rivers of the Mississippi basin in the 17th century, and traders from the eastern colonies entered the region during the early 18th century, primarily by way of the Ohio River and Cumberland Gap.
What was the name of the town in Kentucky that was established by James Harrod?
Following the Revolution, immigrants poured down the rivers and traveled the Wilderness Road, the trail blazed by Boone through Cumberland Gap. Harrodsburg, Kentucky’s oldest town, was established (as Harrodstown) near the head of Salt River by James Harrod and a party of 37 men in 1774. Other settlers also founded towns, and before long they began to call for separation of the judicial district of Kentucky from Virginia. Although statehood conventions at Danville in the 1780s were initially ruffled by the “Spanish Conspiracy” of James Wilkinson and others to ally the region with Spain, they led ultimately to the adoption of a constitution and, on June 1, 1792, Kentucky’s admission as the 15th state of the union. The organization of state government took place three days later in a Lexington tavern. Isaac Shelby was appointed governor, and a committee was appointed to select a permanent site for the capital. Frankfort was chosen, and the General Assembly met for the first time on November 1, 1793.
What was Kentucky known for?
Long before the arrival of Europeans, the Kentucky region was inhabited by indigenous agricultural and hunting peoples who left behind burial and ceremonial mounds that remain prominent features of the landscape today. Later the area became a hunting ground and battlefield for other native peoples, such as the Shawnee from the north and the Cherokee from the south. French and Spanish explorers first came to Kentucky via the rivers of the Mississippi basin in the 17th century, and traders from the eastern colonies entered the region during the early 18th century, primarily by way of the Ohio River and Cumberland Gap. Although native resistance and rough terrain hindered European exploration during the 1750s and ’60s, Virginian physician Thomas Walker and a survey party in 1750 established the region’s southern boundary—the so-called “Walker Line,” at 36°30′ N—as an extension of the Virginia–North Carolina boundary. (Kentucky was to remain part of Virginia until 1792.) The French and Indian War (1754–63) secured the Ohio River as a major entryway to the region for successive waves of European settlers. In 1769 Daniel Boone and a hunting party penetrated to the central plateau region, or Bluegrass country. Boonesborough was established there in 1775.
What was the first state to be admitted to the Union?
Kentucky was the first state west of the Appalachian Mountains to be admitted to the union. At the time of its admission it was bounded on the southwest by the Tennessee River and on the north and northwest by the low-water line on the north shore of the Ohio River. The southwestern boundary shifted to the Mississippi River when the Purchase was added in 1818.
What were the major technological achievements of the 1820s?
Technological accomplishments from 1820 to 1850 included the building of a canal at Louisville, the chartering of railroads, and increased manufacturing.
When was Frankfort chosen for the General Assembly?
Frankfort was chosen, and the General Assembly met for the first time on November 1, 1793. James Wilkinson, portrait by J.W. Jarvis; in the Filson Club Collection, Louisville, Kentucky.
When was the Mississippi River added to Kentucky?
The southwestern boundary shifted to the Mississippi River when the Purchase was added in 1818 . Events leading to the adoption of a second state constitution in 1799 revealed an internal occupational division that has in some ways continued to characterize Kentucky.
Where did the first settlements in Kentucky come from?
After 1775, Kentucky grew rapidly as the first settlements west of the Appalachian Mountains were founded, with settlers (primarily from Virginia, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania) entering the region via the Cumberland Gap and the Ohio River.
What were the Native Americans' first settlements in Kentucky?
Although inhabited by Native Americans in prehistoric times, when explorers and settlers began entering Kentucky in the mid-18th century, there were no permanent Native American settlements in the region. Instead, the country was used as common hunting grounds by Shawnees from the north and Cherokees from the south. The Iroquois also hunted there until 1768. The exploration of the area that would become Kentucky was made in 1750 by a scouting party led by Dr. Thomas Walker. The Iroquois claim to much of what is now Kentucky was purchased in the Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1768); that of the Shawnee and Mingo at the Treaty of Camp Charlotte concluding Dunmore's War (1774), and that of the Cherokee at the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals (1775). However, this last treaty (The "Transylvania Purchase") was not recognized by the renegade Cherokee Chief Dragging Canoe. During the American Revolution, settlers soon began pouring into the region; Dragging Canoe responded by leading his faction into the Chickamauga Wars (1776-1794), at the height of the War for Independence. The Shawnees north of the Ohio River, were also unhappy about the settlement of Kentucky, and allied themselves with the British.
What treaty did the Iroquois claim to the Cherokee?
The Iroquois claim to much of what is now Kentucky was purchased in the Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1768); that of the Shawnee and Mingo at the Treaty of Camp Charlotte concluding Dunmore's War (1774), and that of the Cherokee at the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals (1775). However, this last treaty (The "Transylvania Purchase") was not recognized by ...
Why was the Fort of Kentucky built?
A fort was built there during the last year of the war for defense against the British and their Native American allies. Kentucky was a battleground during the war; the Battle of Blue Licks, one of the last major battles of the Revolution, was fought in Kentucky.
What was the westernmost part of Kentucky?
The westernmost part of Kentucky, west of the Tennessee River, was recognized as hunting ground belonging to the Chickasaw by the 1786 Treaty of Hopewell, and remained so until they sold it to the U.S. in 1818. Read more about this topic: History Of Kentucky.
What were the major crops in Kentucky?
Tobacco, corn, and hemp were the major crops of Kentucky, and the hunting stage of frontier life faded away. Kentucky's second largest city, and former capital Lexington, is named for Lexington, Massachusetts, site of one of the first battles of the Revolution.
Where did the settlement of America come from?
“ The settlement of America had its origins in the unsettlement of Europe. America came into existence when the European was already so distant from the ancient ideas and ways of his birthplace that the whole span of the Atlantic did not widen the gulf. ”#N#— Lewis Mumford (1895–1990)
What did Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen say about the settlement?
In a joint statement, AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson disputed the allegations of the lawsuits but said the settlement would provide “meaningful relief” to communities hurt by the drug epidemic.
Who announced the opioid windfall?
Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced the windfall on Wednesday, saying the companies created and fueled the opioid epidemic.
