27 Unbelievable Kentucky History Facts For Your Kids
Gallery
Kentucky is a colorful state located in southeastern America.
Kentucky is bordered toward the north by Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio, toward the east by Virginia and West Virginia, to the south by Tennessee, and to the west by Missouri. Kentucky gets its name from a Native American language, although there are a few alternative interpretations of what it means.
One common theory is that it is derived from the Iroquois term 'ken-tah-ten', which means 'land of tomorrow'. The Ohio River forms the Commonwealth's northern boundary.
Frankfort is the state capital, while Louisville and Lexington are two major cities, and these two cities, as well as a city called Bowling Green, are three of the largest cities in the state. Seven states surround the Commonwealth.
On June 1, 1792, Kentucky was admitted to the Union as the 15th state, separating in the process from Virginia.
This great state is known to be the 'Bluegrass State', a moniker derived from Kentucky bluegrass, a grass species found in many of the state's pastures and which has aided the thoroughbred horse industry in the central region.
Because of this bluegrass, Kentucky has a long history of having good agricultural conditions and natural resources and is called a bluegrass region.
Kentucky is ranked fifth in goat farming, eighth in beef cattle output, and 14th in maize production in the United States. Kentucky has also been a key hub of the tobacco business for a long time.
Kentucky's economy has grown to include non-agricultural industries such as car manufacturing, energy fuel generation, and medical institutions. Kentucky is the 37th largest state in terms of land area, with 39,490 sq mi (102,278 sq km).
Kentucky's population is 4,509,342 people, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau figures.
Kentucky became the first U.S. state west of the Appalachian Mountains when it was awarded statehood in 1792. The Jackson Purchase, which was annexed to Kentucky in 1818 and included lowlands with ponds, lakes, and marshes, is located in the far west.
The History Of Kentucky
The prehistory and history of Kentucky state go back thousands of years, and the state's varied topography and central position have shaped it.
- It's probable that Kentucky's human history started before 10,000 BCE, based on evidence from the neighboring mountain region.
- Around 1800 BCE, a gradual shift from a hunter-gatherer economy to agriculture started.
- The Mississippian culture (as Kentucky is close to the Mississippi River) emerged in central and western Kentucky about 900 CE, while the Fort Ancient civilization emerged in eastern Kentucky. The Fort Ancient civilization lacked the Mississippian's unique ceremonial earthen mounds, despite their numerous parallels and Fort Ancient being close to the Mississippi River.
- In the late 17th century, the first Europeans to visit Kentucky came across the Ohio River from the northeast and via a natural pass in the Appalachian Mountains from the southeast.
- Frontiersman Daniel Boone (after whom the Daniel Boone National Forest is named) found the Cumberland Gap in the lower Appalachians in 1769, while on the first of multiple hunting journeys.
- Meanwhile, Harrod's Town, the first permanent white settlement, was constructed under the jurisdiction of the Royal Government of Virginia from the north, through the Ohio River, to the Kentucky River.
- Boone and 35 axmen constructed the Wilderness Road, which provided a direct, overland migration route to Kentucky.
- Colonel Daniel Boone, Colonel Richard Henderson, Captain James Harrod, and 11 other colonial colonels formed the Colony of Transylvania when they assembled for the Transylvania Convention on May 23, 1775, to draft the 'Kentucky Magna Carta', a 200 mi (322 km) route constructed by pioneers. Frankfort was the only Union capital seized by Confederate soldiers during the Civil War.
Nicknames Of Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky has multiple nicknames including the Bluegrass State, the Tobacco State, the Rock-Ribbed State, and the Hemp State.
Celebrities From Kentucky
Kentucky is home to a number of world-famous people who were born and raised there.
- This includes Colonel Harland David Sanders, the famous founder of KFC; the dashing George Clooney; and the legendary Johnny Depp; all of whom have made it big in many fields such as movies, politics, music, and academia.
- Kentucky is where Jennifer Lawrence, Abraham Lincoln, Billy Ray Cyrus, Muhammad Ali, Abraham Lincoln, and Conrad Bachmann were born or raised.
- Many notable people have come from this state.
Famous Things From Kentucky
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), horse racing, bluegrass music, coal, and college basketball are all famous things from Kentucky.
- The Kentucky Derby is the country's longest-running horse race. Every letter of the alphabet has been used to name Kentucky Derby horses, with the exception of 'X'.
- Thunder Over Louisville is the name of the opening ceremony of the Kentucky Derby, which contains the world's biggest fireworks display.
- Since 1875, the Kentucky Derby has been held at Churchill Downs in Louisville every May.
- Located in Fort Knox, Kentucky, the United States Bullion Depository has more than $290 billion worth of gold stored in underground vaults, making Fort Knox the world's biggest gold storage facility.
- With roughly more than 400 mi (644 km) of a cave system investigated, Mammoth Cave in Kentucky has the world's longest system. Mammoth Cave is also the country's second-oldest tourist attraction (right behind Niagara Falls).
- The Kentucky Horse Park hosts prominent events such as the Kentucky World's Championship Horse Show and the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event, as well as some of the world's best thoroughbred farms and auctions.
- The Kentucky Derby Museum is an extremely famous place in Kentucky.
- The Louisville Slugger bat company, Hillerich & Bradsby, was established in Louisville.
- Black Mountain in Harlan County is Kentucky state's highest point.
- In Louisville, Louis Brandeis, the first Jewish Supreme Court judge, was born in 1856.
- In 1994, the tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) was named Kentucky's official state tree.
- In 1893, two sisters (Mildred and Patty Hill) from Louisville wrote the iconic song 'Happy Birthday to You'. This Happy Birthday anthem is sung to date and is probably the most common birthday song.
- Despite the fact that no conflicts were fought inside the state, more than half of all Americans killed in combat during the War of 1812 were from Kentucky.
- According to history, the first cheeseburger was served in 1934 at Kaelin's restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky.
Main image credit: JNix / Shutterstock.com
Article image credit: ehrlif / Shutterstock.com
We Want Your Photos!
More for You
See All
Bachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy
Joan AgieBachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy
With 3+ years of research and content writing experience across several niches, especially on education, technology, and business topics. Joan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Anatomy from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, and has worked as a researcher and writer for organizations across Nigeria, the US, the UK, and Germany. Joan enjoys meditation, watching movies, and learning new languages in her free time.
Disclaimer
1) Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising. We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the Buy Now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published but we cannot guarantee that on the time of reading. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
2) At Kidadl, we strive to recommend the very best activities and events. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability. Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
3) Because we are an educational resource, we have quotes and facts about a range of historical and modern figures. We do not endorse the actions of or rhetoric of all the people included in these collections, but we think they are important for growing minds to learn about under the guidance of parents or guardians.
