Kentucky
| Capital | Frankfort |
|---|---|
| Nickname | The Bluegrass State |
| Official Language | English |
| Governor | Matt Bevin, R |
| Senator | Mitch McConnell, R (202) 224-2541 Contact |
| Senator | Rand Paul, R (202) 224-4343 Contact |
| Ratification of Constitution/or statehood | June 1, 1792 (15th) |
| Flag of Kentucky | Motto:
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Kentucky, the Bluegrass State, entered the Union in 1792, making it the fifteenth state. Kentucky's capital is Frankfort, and the largest city is Louisville, with a Metro population surpassing 1,000,000. Kentucky is famous for many things, including the Kentucky Derby, bourbon, Kentucky Fried Chicken, coal, bluegrass music, boxing great Muhammad Ali, and the basketball program at the University of Kentucky.
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History
Kentucky was founded as a county of the state of Virginia in 1776. Kentucky County was divided into three counties in 1780, and the three became a state in their own right in 1792. Kentucky was the fifteenth state to enter the Union, after Vermont the previous year. During the Civil War, Kentucky's government remained loyal to the Union, though a Confederate government based itself in Bowling Green, in the south of the state. The state was invaded in September 1861, and its capital, Frankfort, was captured by Confederate forces in 1862, the only Union capital to fall into Confederate hands during the war.[1]
Sports
Kentucky is best known for its men's college basketball teams, most notably the University of Kentucky Wildcats and University of Louisville Cardinals. The University of Kentucky (UK) traditionally has been the dominant of the two, having won seven NCAA titles. According to Sagarin ratings, the 1996 UK team is the highest-ranked college basketball team in NCAA history. Many UK basketball players have gone on to play in the NBA. The UK basketball team has recently lost its dominance, and the in-state rivalry between the two universities has become less one-sided.
Football has become increasingly associated with Kentucky as well, due to the University of Louisville's team's growth under the coaching of Bobby Petrino. In 2007, the Cardinals competed in and won at the Orange Bowl. During the 2007 football season, the University of Kentucky has been extremely successful compared to the past, having beaten several ranked teams, including Louisville and #1 (at the time) LSU.
Politics
Kentucky is generally considered a conservative state. Republicans Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul are their U.S. Senators. Senator McConnell is Majority Leader of the Senate. McConnell's wife, Elaine Chao, was United States Secretary of Labor under President George W. Bush. The current governor of Kentucky is Tea Party Republican Matt Bevin, the third Republican governor since World War II to be elected with Louie B. Nunn, the chief executive from 1967 to 1971, and Ernie Fletcher, who served from 2003 to 2007, being elected before.
Kentucky is allowed to seat six representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives, and these seats are held by Republicans Ed Whitfield, Brett Guthrie, Thomas Massie, Andy Barr, and Hal Rogers, and Democrat John Yarmuth.
The Kentucky State Senate has 27 Republicans, and 11 Democrats. The Kentucky House, however, has 53 Democrats and 47 Republicans.
Elected Official
Federal
- Sen. Mitch McConnell (R)
- Sen. Rand Paul (R)
- Rep. Ed Whitfield [R, KY-01]
- Rep. Brett Guthrie [R, KY-02]
- Rep. John Yarmuth [D, KY-03]
- Rep. Thomas Massie [R, KY-04]
- Rep. Hal Rogers [R, KY-05]
- Rep. Andy Barr [R, KY-06]
Statewide
- Governor Matt Bevin (R)
- Lt. Governor Jenean Hampton (R)
- Attorney General Andy Beshear (D)
- Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes (D)
- Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles (R)
- State Treasurer Allison Ball (R)
- State Auditor Mike Harmon (R)
Geography
Kentucky borders several other states: to the north Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, to the south Tennessee, to the east Virginia and West Virginia, and to the west Missouri. The Ohio River makes up the northern border of Kentucky.
References
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