State Overview - Arkansas

State Number: 25th

Date of Admission: June 15, 1836

Capital: Little Rock (Established as capital in 1821)

Largest city: Little Rock

Number of Counties: 75

Largest County: Pulaski

State Nickname: The Natural State

State Motto: The People Rule (English translation)

Size: 53,179 mi2 (29th largest)

State Government

State Governor: Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R)

Senators: John Boosman (R) and Tom Cotton (R)

US House Delegation: 4 Republicans, 0 Democrats, 0 Others

All research was conducted through Wikipedia

Before Europe had settled in North America, Native Americans roamed Arkansas. The Caddo, Osage, and the Quapaw Natives encountered the first Europeans, the Spanish. In 1541, Spainish explorer Hernando de Soto crossed the Mississippi River into modern day Arkansas. After looking around for a while, de Soto found nothing of value to him, he crossed the Mississippi River again where he fell fatally ill. Upon his deathbed, he ordered his men to slaughter all the men in a nearby Native American village called Anilco, of which de Soto's men had slaughtered not only all of the men, but also the women and the children. He died the following day in present day McArthur, Arkansas.

De Soto had attempted to persuade the Native Americans that he was an immortal deity, sun of the sun, in an attempt to forestall attacks from the Native Americans. After de Soto's death, his men claimed that he ascended into the sky.

France started establishing forts and settlements in the area starting in 1673. French explorer Henry de Tonti established the first settlement in the area called Arkansas Post in 1686. The French often had friendly relations with the Native Americans and had established many fur trade posts throughout Arkansas. After the French and Indian War (7 Years War), France lost the territory to Spain, although France regained the territory at some point.

In 1803, the United States sent people to Paris, France to negotiate a deal with France for the purchase of New Orleans, present day Louisiana, for $10 million. The US apparently caught Napolean Bonaparte at a good time as he offered the entire Louisiana Territory for $15 million. Thomas Jefferson just couldn't pass on that offer. Following the purchase was a controversy that allowed slavery in Arkansas.

Slavery became a wedge issue in Arkansas. The southeastern part of Arkansas was more for plantations and Cotton farming while the northwestern part was not. As People kept moving to the East Coast and then heading west, the Federal Government moved Native Americans to Arkansas or west of the Mississippi. Arkansas faced problems upon statehood such as taxation which was made worse by the Panic of 1837.

When the gulf states seceded from the US in 1861, many Arkansas residents wanted to avoid a Civil War. It wasn't until President Abraham Lincoln ordered Arkansas troops to go to Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina to help end the rebellion that Arkansas seceded. This was a very strategic state for the Confederacy as Arkansas helped the CSA maintain control of the Mississippi River. Many citizens of Arkansas thought the war would be a quick victory for the Confederacy until the Battle of Wilson's Creek took place in Missouri.

Arkansas was captured by the Union and officially rejoined the Union in 1868. The Brooks-Baxter War took place in 1874 as a political war within the state, only ending after President Ulysses S. Grant ordered Joseph Brooks to disperse his militant supporters. After Reconstruction ended, Arkansas attracted many immigrants looking for work.

- In 1881, Arkansas State Legislature enacted a bill that adopted Arkansas' official state pronunciation.

- Arkansas contains the only diamond mine in the US open to the public (Crater of Diamonds National Park)

- Arkansas holds a Duck Calling contest making it the Duck Capital of the World

- Cheese Dip was invented in Arkansas

- Walmart was founded in Bentonville, Arkansas

- Texarkansa is a town that is shared by both Arkansas and Texas (As the name suggests)