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Arkansas History and Overview

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Famed Explorers: Arkansas begins its story with a visit from the famed Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto. Before this visit, Arkansas was occupied by tens of thousands of various Native American groups including the Paleo Indians and the Archaic Indians from A. D. 650 to 1400, most of which were situated along the Mississippi River. Evidence of their communities can be found in the Toltec Mounds near the Arkansas River in Central Arkansas. In 1541, after exploring most of the southeastern portion of the country, de Soto crossed the Mighty Mississippi and entered into what is now Arkansas. He and his men wandered through Arkansas for many months. Before he and his men could leave for Spain, de Soto died of a fever and his men buried him in the Mississippi River. It was another 132 years before Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet traveled down the Mississippi River to the mouth of the Arkansas River. In 1682 Sieur de La Salle followed their route and claimed Arkansas during his stay with the native Quapaw that lived along the Mississippi River. It is for these people that the state was named. This village later became Arkansas Post, the first permanent European settlement in the lower Mississippi Valley. The United States then bought the Louisiana Territory, which included all of Arkansas, in 1803 for 15 million dollars. The unmapped wilderness of approximately 900,000 square miles doubled the size of the fledgling nation and helped shape the destiny of the United States.

Arkansas Becomes a State: In 1819 the Arkansas Territory was founded and on June 15th, 1836, it became the 25th state in the union. Between then and the Civil War, Arkansas progressed very rapidly. In 1861 Arkansas seceded from the Union and by March of 1862, the war came to Arkansas at the Battle of Pea Ridge. This and the Battle of Prairie Grove were the largest of the war to be fought in the state, both battles involved many soldiers on both sides. Later battles took place in central and southern Arkansas. Many hard times fell upon the state and its citizens after the Civil War ended. There was a great deal of crime and lawlessness. This led to the “Wild West” town of Fort Smith becoming the headquarters for Federal Justice in the territory, and perpetuated the situation for Judge Isaac Parker to deal justice to the offenders in the land. From 1875 to 1896, the legendary Judge Parker sentenced 151 criminals to be hanged, earning him the nickname, Hanging Judge. An oil boom in 1921 brought wealth and wild times to the town of El Dorado, located in southern Arkansas, and perpetuated the growth of that area of the state.

Early Arkansans: Times were hard for the early Arkansans. The average life expectancy was less than 50, people suffered from malnutrition, and many died of diseases due to the lack of hospitals and doctors. After World War I, citizens in cities and towns were enjoying modern conveniences such as cars and electricity. However, a large portion of the population lived in rural areas and remained isolated due to the fact that the rugged terrain made it difficult for roads to be made. In the early part of the 20th century these citizens were still living as the pioneers had, living in log cabins without many material possessions. These “hillpeople” even had unique language and expressions. Later known as hillbillies, their culture, folklore, crafts and music have become a rich part of Arkansas’ heritage.

Arkansas in the News: Arkansas gave the nation its first woman Senator, Hattie W. Caraway, when she succeeded her husband after he died in 1931. She was later elected to her own term in 1932 and 1938. Another important part of Arkansas history involves the Little Rock Nine. In 1947, President Truman began a campaign to give more equality to African Americans. In 1957, Little Rock began integrating their schools and 9 African American students were selected to enter Little Rock Central High School. After receiving pressure from some white citizens to stop integration, the Governor of Arkansas, Orval Faubus, called out the National Guard to stop the students from entering the school. This challenged the National Government and their power over the states. They then sent national troops to see to the integration. This was known as the Crisis at Central High School and it received much publicity around the country.

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