Arkansas History

The following important events in the history of Arkansas affected political jurisdictions, family movements, and record keeping.

Timeline

 * 1686: The French established Arkansas Post, the first white settlement in what is now Arkansas. It was the administrative center for the French, Spanish, and United States governments until 1821 when Little Rock became the capital.
 * 1763: France ceded the region to Spain.
 * 1800: Spain officially returned the land to France, although Spanish occupancy continued until 1802.
 * 1803: The United States acquired the area that is now Arkansas with the Louisiana Purchase and it became part of the Louisiana Territory.
 * 1810: Osage and Qupaw ceded land.
 * 1812-1819: Arkansas was part of Missouri Territory
 * 1818: Quapaw Indians give up lands between the Arkansas and Red Rivers to the United States
 * 1812: The Missouri Territory was established, including Arkansas in its boundaries. After the War of 1812 the Indian population decreased, and white settlers arrived to claim bounty land.
 * 1813: The territorial legislature established Arkansas County.
 * 2 March 1819: Arkansas became a separate territory.
 * 1820: First Federal Census, all reported missing
 * 1825-1826: Quapaw and Caddo removed tro Red River Agendy on Red River west of Arkansas.
 * 1835: Most Indian tribes had been removed to Oklahoma.
 * 15 June 1836: Arkansas became a state.
 * 1837: Settlers from southern states began arriving.
 * 1861: Arkansas seceded from the Union. It was readmitted in 1868.

Local Histories

 * Clark, Georgia H. and Bruce R. Parham, Arkansas County and Local Histories: A Bibliography. Fayetteville, Arkansas: Mullins Library of the University of Arkansas, 1976..


 * Filby, P. William. A Bibliography of American County Histories. (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1985.) ; (


 * Kaminkow, Marion J. United States Local Histories in the Library of Congress. 5 vols. Baltimore: Magna Charta Book, 1975-76. ;

State Histories
Thomas, David Y., ed., Arkansas and Its People, Four Volumes. New York, NY: American Historical Society, 1930. ; and.

United States History
The following are only a few of the many sources that are available:


 * Schlesinger, Jr., Arthur M. The Almanac of American History. (Greenwich, Conn.: Bison Books, 1983.), This book provides brief historical essays and chronological descriptions of thousands of key events in United States history.


 * Dictionary of American History, Revised ed., 8 vols. (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1976.), Includes historical sketches on various topics in U.S. history, such as wars, people, laws, and organizations.


 * Van Doren, Charles Lincoln; Robert McHenry, Webster's Guide to American History: A Chronological, Geographical, and Biographical Survey and Compendium. (Springfield, Mass.: G and C Merriam, 1971.) ; Includes a history, some maps, tables, and other historical information.


 * American Historical Association, Writings on American History (Washington, D.C.:American Historical Association,1960-1960) ; Full text available at Google Books

Family History Library
To access histories available through the Family History Library Catalog, use the Place-names Search for:


 * ARKANSAS - HISTORY
 * ARKANSAS, [COUNTY] - HISTORY
 * ARKANSAS, [COUNTY], [TOWN] - HISTORY

Online Resources

 * Arkansas History Commission and State Archives
 * The Encyclopedia of Arkansas History &amp; Culture
 * Resources (Historic Arkansas Museum)