You're listening to an Airwave Media podcast. The French Revolution set Europe ablaze. It was an

age of enlightenment and progress, but also of tyranny and depression. It was an age of glory and

an age of tragedy. One man stood above it all. This was the Age of Napoleon. I'm Everett Rummage, host of The Age of Napoleon podcast.

Join me as I examine the life and times of one of the most fascinating and enigmatic characters

in modern history. Look for the Age of Napoleon wherever you find your podcasts. Hello, and thank you for joining the American Revolution.

This week, episode 378, Kentucky statehood.

Last week, we covered some of the key federal legislation from

1992. That year also saw the admission of the 15th state to the union. Congress admitted

Kentucky on June 1st, 1792. Kentucky's road to statehood was a long and bumpy one, requiring a total of 10 conventions

in Kentucky and multiple sessions and agreements from Virginia. In the colonial era, Virginia

claimed the territory as part of Virginia, but never really did anything with it. There were

a few explorations of the area. Daniel Boone was one of the

earliest in 1769. The first settlements in Kentucky did not begin until 1775. The mountainous terrain

made it impossible to bring wagons into the area. The Shawnee, Cherokee, Chickasaw, and other tribes claim this mountainous region.

When settlers did arrive, they referred to the land in reference to the Kentucky River that ran

through it. The origin of the word Kentucky is unclear. It comes from Native American languages,

but historians disagree over even which language it originated.

Some argue that it is from the Iroquois. Others say it's Algonquin. They also disagree on its meaning.

Some say it means land of meadows. Others say land of tomorrow, and still others land of our fathers. So the short answer is, no one knows

for certain where the name comes from or what it means, but everyone called this territory

Kentucky. In 1776, when Virginia first established Kentucky County, the white population was

less than 200 people. By that time, land companies were

...