1. Kentucky became the 15th state in the United States on December 1, 1792. The state's name is derived from the Native American word "Ken-tah-ten," which means "land of tomorrow."
2. On December 1, 1829, the Maysville Road Bill was vetoed by President Andrew Jackson. The bill would have authorized federal funding for the construction of a road in Kentucky between Maysville and Lexington, but Jackson believed it was a state rather than federal responsibility.
3. The first Kentucky State Capitol building was destroyed by fire on December 1, 1813. The current State Capitol in Frankfort was completed in 1910.
4. The Battle of Perryville, one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War in Kentucky, ended on December 1, 1862. The Union forces, led by Major General Don Carlos Buell, claimed victory over the Confederate forces, led by General Braxton Bragg.
5. On December 1, 1997, the Kentucky Wildcats football team won their first SEC Championship in school history by defeating the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game. Kentucky quarterback Tim Couch was named the game's MVP.