Kentucky
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| State nickname: Bluegrass State | |||||
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| Other U.S. States | |||||
| Capital | Frankfort | ||||
| Largest city | Louisville | ||||
| Governor | Ernie Fletcher | ||||
| Official languages | English | ||||
| Area | 104,749 km² (37th) | ||||
| - Land | 102,989 km² | ||||
| - Water | 1,760 km² (1.7%) | ||||
| Population (2000) | |||||
| - Population | 4,041,769 (25th) | ||||
| - Density | 39.28 /km² (23rd) | ||||
| Admission into Union | |||||
| - Date | June 1, 1792 | ||||
| - Order | 15th | ||||
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/DST-4 (eastern) Central: UTC-6/DST-5 (western) | ||||
| Latitude | 36?30'N to 39?9'N | ||||
| Longitude | 81?58'W to 89?34'W | ||||
| Width | 225 km | ||||
| Length | 610 km | ||||
| Elevation | |||||
| - Highest | 1263 m | ||||
| - Mean | 230 m | ||||
| - Lowest | 78 m | ||||
| Abbreviations | |||||
| - USPS | KY | ||||
| - ISO 3166-2 | US-KY | ||||
| Web site | www.kentucky.gov | ||||
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a southern state of the United States of America and was the 15th state admitted to the Union.
Kentucky and its residents are probably most well known for thoroughbred horses and horse racing, local whiskey distilleries, and enthusiasm for basketball (The two principal basketball rivals in the state are the University of Kentucky (blue, Wildcats) and the University of Louisville (red, Cardinals)).
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History
Kentucky is one of four states to call itself a commonwealth. Before the American War of Independence, this land was called Transylvania with its capital at Boonesborough. It was a major gateway for early migration to the west through the Cumberland Gap, and was the first major frontier developed west of the Appalachian Mountains. Guns enabled this movement westward, and even the term shotgun was first coined in Kentucky in 1776. After the war, it became Kentucky County, Virginia and ten constitutional conventions took place at the courthouse of Constitution Square in Danville between 1784 and 1792. In 1790, Kentucky delegates accepted Virginia's terms for separation and the state constitution was drafted at the final convention in April 1792. On June 1, 1792, Kentucky became the fifteenth state in the union and Isaac Shelby, a Revolutionary War hero, was named the first Governor of the Commonwealth Of Kentucky.
On May 20, 1861 during the American Civil War, Kentucky proclaimed its neutrality in the conflict but was forced to take the side of the Union on September 3 when Confederate forces under General Leonidas Polk invaded.
Kentucky's name is possibly derived from the Cherokee word for "meadowland" after the bluegrass pastures that lured early pioneers to the state. A different version of the name is from the Indian word meaning "dark and bloody hunting ground" which is believed to be due to the fact that many Native American tribes went there to hunt the game-rich forests and often fought each other there.
Law and government
The capital of Kentucky is Frankfort and its governor is Ernie Fletcher (Republican). Kentucky's two U.S. Senators are Jim Bunning (Republican) and Mitch McConnell (Republican). The Kentucky Constitution provides for three branches of government: the legislative, the judicial, and the executive. Kentucky's General Assembly has two chambers: the Senate and the House of Representatives. See List of Kentucky Governors. The judicial branch of Kentucky is made up of trial courts, called District and Circuit Courts, an intermediate appellate court, called the Kentucky Court of Appeals, and a court of last resort, the Kentucky Supreme Court.
Geography
See also: List of Kentucky counties
National-atlas-kentucky.png
Kentucky, also known as The Bluegrass State, borders the Midwest and Deep South. It touches West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.
Its northern border is the low-water mark on the north side of the Ohio River. Its western border is the Mississippi River. Other major rivers in Kentucky include the Tennessee River, the Cumberland River, the Green River and the Licking River.
There are five main regions, the Cumberland Mountains and Cumberland Plateau in the southeast, the north-central Bluegrass Region, the south-central and western Pennyroyal Plateau, also sometimes termed "Pennyrile", the western coal-fields area, and the far-west Jackson Purchase.
Bluegrass_stonewall_8097.JPG
The largest cities in Kentucky in terms of geographic area are the two merged city/county governments of Lexington-Fayette and Louisville Metro, although Louisville and its metropolitan area both have a much larger population than Lexington and its metro area. Northern Kentucky, an assemblage of smaller cities across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, Ohio, also has a large metropolitan population.
Significant natural attractions
- Cumberland Gap, the first trade-route for European hunters entering Kentucky from Virginia.
- Cumberland Falls State Park, where a "moon-bow" may be seen in the mists of the falls.
- Mammoth Cave National Park, featuring tours of the world's longest cave.
- Red River Gorge Geological Area, part of the Daniel Boone National Forest.
- Land Between the Lakes, a National Recreation Area managed by the United States Forest Service.
Economy
The total gross state product for 2003 was $129 billion. Its Per Capita Personal Income was $26,575, 41st in the nation. Kentucky's agricultural outputs are horses, cattle, tobacco, dairy products, hogs, soybeans, and corn. Its industrial outputs are transportation equipment, chemical products, electric equipment, machinery, food processing, tobacco products, coal, and tourism.
Demographics
As of 2003, there were 4,117,827 people living in Kentucky.
Racially, the population is:
- 89.3% White, non-Hispanic
- 7.3% Black
- 1.5% Hispanic
- 0.7% Asian
- 0.2% Native American
- 1.1% Mixed race
The five largest ancestries in the state are: American (20.9%), German (12.7%), Irish (10.5%), English (9.7%), African American (7.3%).
Religion
Religiously, Kentucky is mostly Protestant. Following is the breakdown amongst belief systems:
- Protestant (76%)
- Roman Catholic (13%)
- Other Christian (1%)
- Other religions (0%)
- Non-religious (9%)
The three largest Protestant denominations in Kentucky are:
- Baptist (43% of the total state population)
- Methodist (7%)
- Presbyterian, Pentecostal and Churches of Christ (tied 2%).
Important cities and towns
Population > 100,000 (urbanized areas)
Population > 10,000 (urbanized areas)
Important suburbs and small towns
Education
Colleges and universities
Private
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Public
Community colleges
Professional sports teams
The Minor league baseball teams are:
- Louisville Bats (Triple-A International League affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds)
- Lexington Legends (Single-A South Atlantic League affiliate of the Houston Astros)
- Florence Freedom (Single-A Frontier League independent)
The United Indoor Football team is:
State symbols
- State bird: Cardinal
- State flower: Goldenrod
- State tree: Tulip tree (formerly the Kentucky coffeetree)
- State horse: Thoroughbred
- State fish: Kentucky Bass
- State wild animal: Grey Squirrel
- State butterfly: Viceroy Butterfly
- State gemstone: Fresh Water Pearl
- State fossil: Brachiopod
- State song: "My Old Kentucky Home" by Stephen Foster (1853)
- State bluegrass song: "Blue Moon of Kentucky" by Bill Monroe (1947)
- State drink: Milk
- State motto: "United We Stand, Divided We Fall"
- State slogan: "Unbridled Spirit"
- See also: Flag of Kentucky
Trivia
Several US Navy ships have been named USS Kentucky in honor of the state. The USS Paducah also served as a naval vessel.
See also
Clip Art and Pictures
- Free Clipart (http://classroomclipart.com)
State Maps
- US State Maps (http://classroomclipart.com/cgi-bin/kids/imageFolio.cgi?direct=Clipart/US_State_Maps)
- Printable Black and White Map of Kentucky (http://www.lessonplancentral.com/statemaps/kentucky_mapBW.htm)
State Flags
- US State Flags (http://classroomclipart.com/cgi-bin/kids/imageFolio.cgi?direct=Clipart/State_Flags)
Lesson Plans, Resources and Activites
- Lesson Plan Central (http://lessonplancentral.com)
External links
- GenealogyBuff.com - Kentucky Library of Files (http://www.genealogybuff.com/ky/)
- Kentucky Department of Tourism (http://www.kentuckytourism.com)
- The Kentucky Highlands Project (http://www.kentuckyhighlands.com)
- Kentucky Obituary Links (http://obit.obitlinkspage.com/ky.htm)
- Kentucky: Unbridled Spirit (http://www.kentuckyunbridledspirit.com/)
- Kentucky.gov: My New Kentucky Home (http://kentucky.gov)
- U.S. Census Bureau Kentucky QuickFacts (http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/21000.html)
- Kertucky State Information (http://www.eachtown.com/state_info.php/stateid/18)
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