1. Kentucky became a state on January 3, 1792. After more than two years of debate and negotiation, Kentucky was admitted to the Union as the 15th state.

2. On January 3, 1861, Kentucky Governor Beriah Magoffin issued a proclamation of neutrality in the American Civil War. The proclamation declared that Kentucky would not take sides in the conflict between the North and the South.

3. January 3, 1959, was the day that Alaska became the 49th state. This had a significant impact on Kentucky and the rest of the United States, as Alaska is a major producer of oil and other natural resources.

4. On January 3, 1989, outgoing Kentucky Governor Martha Layne Collins issued a pardon to convicted killer Gary Dotson. Dotson had been in prison for 10 years for a murder that many believed he did not commit.

5. January 3, 2013, was the day that Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell was reelected to his sixth term in office. McConnell, who had been first elected to the Senate in 1984, is one of the most powerful politicians in the country and has been a major player in shaping national policy over the past several decades.