Daniel Boone

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Most of us know of the hardships faced by many Americans as the country grew and expanded; adding new territories to be explored and settled. There are many who contributed to this period of history in the making of what is today the United States of America. Those who were a part of this drive sacrificed much as they helped define what became a very great country. Chances are you’ve heard of Daniel Boone, who is known by many as one of the most famous frontiersman in America. The question is did he really live up to the historical hype of the great frontier explorer, or like so many others, was he really just responding to the circumstances of life that faced him?
Alot of people think of Daniel Boone as the brave pioneer wearing a coonskin hat, but he never wore a coonskin hat. You may have heard about him fighting in the Alamo, but Daniel Boone died before the battle at the Alamo took place. Although there are a lot of stories that aren't true, he did accomplish a lot in his life (Daniel Boone: Legend). Boone never stayed in one place for too long, but he stayed in one place long enough to marry Rebecca Bryan in 1756. “All you need for happiness is a good gun, a good horse, and a good wife” Boone once said (Daniel Boone Biography). In 1768 Daniel took his first trip to Kentucky to collect hides to pay off his debts. When he got enough, he left Kentucky for three years. In 1773, he persuaded five families to come with him and settle in Kentucky. While they searched for a place to settle, Indians attacked and killed most of the settlers, including one of Daniel’s sons. Violence in Kentucky raged against the settlers and Native Americans. One day Indians raided Daniel’s Settlement, and captured three girls, including...

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...ss. This amazing story occurred just like the Alamo; after Boone’s death (Daniel Boone: Legend).
In many books, Boone is held as a legend and a hero, but many people think that he was over glorified, and wasn't all the people had made him out to be. You may read all over that he was the first to settle in Kentucky and start the first permanent settlement, but a year before Boonesboro was settled, a man named James Harrod settled Harrodsburg. Harrodsburg went down as the first permanent settlement in Kentucky, not Boone’s Boonesborough (World Biography). Although a lot of the stories about him have turned out to be false, people still think of him as the greatest frontier explorer of all time. In 1964 the company 20th century fox made a TV show all about Daniel Boone. It glorified him as a great frontiersman who wore a coonskin cap and had many great adventures.

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