Arkansas

The first European to arrive in the territory that is Arkansas was the Spanish explorer, Hernando de Soto. He was exploring the area for gold, as well as for a passage to China, by finding the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately for him, Arkansas is pretty much half way across the continental US! He still had a long way to go!

It was the early Spanish and French explorers who are the most likely ones to give the territory its future name of Arkansas. Using a phonetic spelling for the name used by the Illinois tribe for the Quapaw tribe of native Americans who lived down river from the Illinois people.

The territory was initially under the control of the Spanish, but eventually fell under the control of France, and became part of a massive tract of land from Louisiana all the way up to the Canadian border, known as New France.

The new United States of America, under the Presidency of Jefferson looked to take control of the port of New Orleans towards the end of the 1700's, already having access to it through treaties with Spain. However, unbeknownst to the Americans, the Spanish ceded the city to France. Needless to say, this upset the Americans, and nearly drove the US into an alliance with Great Britain.

However, the US wanted New Orleans, and began negotiations to purchase the port from the French (even though it had not been formally ceded from Spain to France at the time). Napoleon, despite legally being unable to do so, opted to sell all of the Louisiana territory. Apart from New Orleans, the land was worthless to him. Also, he needed the money. In 1803 war with Great Britain was looming, and France had lost the revenues generated from the sugar plantations of Haiti, after the worlds first successful slave revolt.

So, with the ratification of the purchase in 1804, the US effectively doubled in size.

Initially, the new land was organised into territories, with the future state of Arkansas being located in the Louisiana Territory. This was incorporated in 1805, and was re-named as the Missouri Territory in 1812, with the admittance of Louisiana as a state.

All lands south of the 36th parallel was split from Missouri Territory in 1819, and this became the new Territory of Arkansaw (spelling to change at a later date!)

However, the Territory was split in half, the land splitting away eventually to become the US state of Oklahoma. This occurred in 1824, with further lands being split away in 1828. This final split would leave Arkansas with the borders in use today.

Arkansas was formally admitted to the Union as the 25th state in 1836, and as the 13th slave state. Almost immediately, Arkansas played a significant role in US history, as the state supplied man and arms to Texas as that state rose up in rebellion against Mexico.

When the Confederate States of America was formed, Arkansas refused to leave the Union and join the new nation. However, once President Lincoln had called for troops to attack the Confederacy, Arkansas announced it was withdrawing from the Union, and joined the Confederacy in 1861.

After the CSA was defeated, the United States took control of the former Confederacy states, and slowly readmitted them to the Union, with Arkansas being readmitted in 1868. This time with a new constitution. Under the constitution, it promised universal suffrage. Unless you where a former Confederate. In which case, you where disenfranchised.

Following the Brooks-Baxter War during which 2 Republicans quite literally went to war for the governorship. In 1874, in order to garner support, former Confederates where re-enfranchised by Elisha Baxter.

Arkansas has also been on the front line in the US for race relations, with the Ku Klux Klan having played a significant role in the state, and with the "Little Rock Nine." Nine African-Americans who wanted to enroll in a white school, who had been given the right to do so once the courts had decided that segregation was illegal.

Following the States departure from the Union, in 1864, the state brought in its first seal, which was modified to its current form in 1907.

In the seal it features the Angel of Mercy, Goddess of Liberty, and the Sword of Justice. The three are surrounded by a Bald Eagle. In its beak it holds a ribbon bearing the state motto of "Regnat Populus." Translating as "The People Rule."

On the shield on the Eagles chest is a steamboat, plow, beehive, and a sheaf of wheat. All symbols of the states industrial and agricultural bounty.

In 1912, Arkansas sponsored the construction of a ship for the US Navy. However, with construction nearing the end, it was discovered that Arkansas did not have a state flag to present to the new ship. So, a contest was hurriedly organised, and won by Willie Hocker.

Her initial design was a red flag, with a white diamond edged with a blue stripe placed in the centre. He placed 25 white stars within the blue stripe to represent Arkansas as the 25th state within the Union. Then he placed three blue stars in a line across the centre of the diamond. The three stars have several meanings, including the fact that Arkansas was the third state created out of the Louisiana Purchase, and the three nations to which Arkansas has belonged to. Spain, France, and the US.

The diamond shape itself also has meaning. At the time of the flags design, Arkansas was the only state within the Union with active diamond mines. There have, however, been further discoveries of diamonds in Colorado and Montana.

This was the initial, however, at the request of the flag committee, Hocker altered the design to her flag, including the word "ARKANSAS" through the centre of the diamond, and moving the three blue stars to 1 above, and 2 below the name. Changes duly made, the flag was adopted in July 1813.

A further change was made to the flag in 1923, when it was decided to add a fourth star to represent the states inclusion (albeit briefly) within the Confederate States of America. This new flag was adopted in 1923, with 2 stars above, and 2 below the word "ARKANSAS."

Then, the final change came through in 1924, which saw the original three stars relocated to below the "ARKANSAS" and the star representing the Confederacy placed above.

A final amendment came through recently, in 2005, with the colours of the flag being fixed. The red and blue are now described as "Old Glory Red," and "Old Glory Blue." It has also been decreed that the Governor can only buy state flags made within the US!