Founded in 1783, Kentucky is the Southeastern U.S. state bordered by the Ohio River north and the Appalachian Mountains east. Its largest city is Louisville, home to the Kentucky Derby, which takes place at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May. A two-week festival precedes the Derby. The Kentucky Derby Museum and other attractions celebrate the race throughout the year.
The first convention for Kentucky statehood was held in 1784. At the time, the country was negotiating a treaty with Spain, which had closed the river to American commerce. Kentucky had its own opinion on statehood and fought to get it. In the process, it negotiated and petitioned with Virginia, claiming independence. Though statehood was never fully achieved, the debate over Kentucky continued to rage for decades. Its eventual success was the product of a series of negotiations and legal battles.
Before becoming a state, Kentucky was a territory of the British. Its constitution was based on the democratic constitution of Pennsylvania. Despite this, Kentucky was admitted to the union on June 1st, 1792, and is the 15th state of the union. However, this fact does not make it any less important than its founding date. This is essential to understand when thinking about why Kentucky was admitted to the union, as its name is not an indication of statehood.
The earliest settlements in Kentucky date back to the 1700s. Dr. Thomas Walker discovered the Cumberland Gap in 1750. Later, Daniel Boone settled at Boonesborough, widening the Wilderness Trail from Virginia.
Kentucky became a slave state in the early 1800s, and its capital city, Louisville, is an important center for American history. In the following century, it became the site of several important events, from the founding of America to the Civil War.