When and how did Kentucky become a state?

KENTUCKY ( FOX 56 ) — When and how did Kentucky become a state?

According to the History Channel, Dr. Thomas Walker and land surveyor Christopher Gist explored the area now known as Kentucky in 1750 and 1751. However, due to the outbreak of the Seven Years’ War, further exploration was prevented until Daniel Boone came along in 1769.

The History Channel states that Boone recognized Kentucky’s valuable resources. Boone forged the Wilderness Road over Kentucky’s Cumberland Gap after joining the Transilvania Company in 1775. This led to over 200,000 settlers moving to Kentucky by the end of the century .

It started with Ft. Harrod being established in 1773, eventually becoming Harrodsburg in 1774.

Virginia eventually annexed Kentucky and made it part of its colony in 1776. However, by 1784, after the Revolutionary War had been won, a c onvention met in Danville , intending to cleave Kentucky from Virginia and become its own state, according to the University of Kentucky.

According to the National Archives , the “Bill Providing for Kentucky Statehood,” for Kentucky’s statehood was filed on Dec. 15, 1786, penned by then-future president James Madison, beginning the first petition for statehood. The petition was signed by Virginia but was not cemented by law, according to a Statehood Day in Kentucky timeline.

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In 1791 , Congress approved the second petition earlier signed in 1789.

After years of deliberation, Kentucky would eventually become the 15th state on July 1, 1792 .

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