Dark and Bloody Ground

Prehistory–Colonial America

The phrase “Dark and Bloody Ground” refers to the territory that became the states of Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio, which was known for violent conflicts between Native American Indians and European settlers.

The phrase “Dark and Bloody Ground” refers to the vast area west of the Appalachian Mountains that eventually became the states of Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio. It was known for frequent violence between Native American Indians and European settlers. Prior to the American Revolution, it was mostly populated by Indians, including the Shawnees, Delawares, Hurons, and Miamis. There were also a handful of French forts in the region, which contributed to the outbreak of the French and Indian War (1754–1763). Although the Proclamation of 1763 prohibited settlements in the region, Americans pushed over the mountains and established settlements in various places, including Watauga and Holsten in present-day East Tennessee. In 1775, Daniel Boone blazed the Wilderness Road, opening Kentucky to additional settlements and further exploration by frontiersmen like Simon Kenton. During the American Revolutionary War, George Rogers Clark led militia forces against the British and their Indian allies. He won several key battles that gave the United States control of much of the region, leading to the establishment of the Northwest Territory.

AP US History