Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman who played a key role in the settlement of Kentucky and the American West. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1734 and began exploring the wilderness at a young age. In 1775, he led an expedition through the Cumberland Gap, a pass through the Appalachian Mountains, and helped establish the first settlements in Kentucky. He also fought in the Revolutionary War and served as a member of the Virginia General Assembly. Boone died in 1820, and his legacy as a trailblazer and symbol of American expansion continues to be celebrated.