shares a border with six states, with its eastern border largely defined by the Mississippi River. Its diverse geography ranges from the mountainous regions of the Ozarks and the Ouachita Mountains to the eastern lowlands along the Mississippi River. The capital and largest city is Little Rock.
History
The first European who arrived in Arkansas was the Spaniard Hernando de Soto, explorer at the end of the 16th century. Arkansas is one of several modern-day states formed from the territory purchased from Napoleon Bonaparte in the Louisiana Purchase. The early Spanish or French explorers of the state gave it its name, which is probably a phonetic spelling for the Illinois word for the Quapaw people, who lived downriver from them [1]. Other Native American nations that lived in Arkansas prior to westward movement were the Quapaw, Caddo, and Osage Nations. While moving westward, the Five Civilized Tribes inhabited Arkansas during its territorial period. Prior to statehood, it was originally known as the Arkansas Territory. On June 15, 1836, Arkansas became the 25th state of the United States as a slave state.
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