Arkansas Becomes a State

1. Arkansas Becomes a State • 1836-1860 time period • Missouri Compromise still in force. Do you remember this?* • People in Arkansas were generally excited about becoming a full fledged state.* • Since states had to join in pairs (one free, one slave) and since Michigan was the only northern state ready to join the union, Arkansas had to scramble to get ready to join, otherwise Florida might beat them out and Arkansan’s would’ve had to wait years to then join the union themselves.

2. Why join now??? • Michigan was a free state, Arkansas wanted to be a slave state? Why?* • There were 24 states in the Union in 1835, so why did there need to be a balance of states that were either free or slave?* • Helping the Democrats get elected; If Arkansas became a state, it would help the Democratic candidate for president, Martin Van Buren to get elected with the votes they (The Democratic Party) would receive.*

3. Constitutional Fun! • If you’re gonna be a state, you gotta have a constitution. • When delegates meet in January 1836 to discuss and write a state constitution, the issue of numbers of delegates was an important topic. • The folks from the NW of the state were small farmers with few slaves, uneducated, poor, and democrats.* • The folks from the SE of the state were owners of large plantations, many slaves, educated, wealthy, and whigs.* • The argument was if slaves should count as “people” and therefore be counted in population. (which number of delegates was based on)*

4. More Constitutional Fun! • After all the arguing, it was compromised that the slave counties would have more representatives in the state senate and the free counties would have more in the state house of representatives.* • The new state constitution was drafted and sent to Washington D.C. • Actually a copy was sent by a man named Noland who traveled across the south and up the Atlantic coast, while a second copy was run in the Arkansas Gazette and sent to Congress via the U.S. Post Service. *This version arrived first and was used by Congress to approve our statehood.

5. Constitution you say? • Our first state constitution provided:* • Governor elected to 4 yr term of office • Voters elect representatives • Lotteries banned • Slave trade banned (not slavery) • Stated that slaves must be treated fairly, receive fair trials and same punishments as whites. (owners could even free them if desired) • Created banks • *creation of banks and treatment of slaves considered pretty progressive for this time.

6. June 15, 1836Hizzah!!!! Hizzah!!!! • Arkansas is now approved and becomes the 25th state of the United States.* • Our sister state, Michigan, would follow in January of 1837.* • As hoped, the 3 electoral votes from the new state of Arkansas helped to elect Mr. Van Buren as president of the U.S. • But what about our new state government?

7. Our New State Government • 2 party political system…remember?* • Democrats: a. The “Family” b. poor & less educated c. Conservative d. Baptist e. Big supporters of state’s rights • Whigs: a. Liberals and radicals b. Supported modernization (better roads) c. More educated, wealthier d. Planters, large farmers, merchants e. Former supporters of Crittenden

8. New State Gov. cont • To vote, you had to be male, white, over 21 yrs old, and a resident of the state for at least 6 months.* • No one registered to vote and voting was done by voice in public. • Democrats generally won most elections thanks to the efforts of the Family and that there were more smaller, poorer farmers than the rich planters.*

9. Ladies and Gentlemen…your first Governor of the State of Arkansas • Governor James S. Conway: our first elected state governor.* (younger brother of the Conway who was shot in the duel & died from toothbrush infection.)-Member of the Family. • Mr. Archibald Yell: our first delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives* • Our first two U.S. Senators were: • William S. Fulton (who was our last territory governor)* • Ambrose H. Sevier (cousin to Conway and former territorial delegate to Congress)*

10. Ohhh….money left over! • In 1837, the state had a surplus of 50k and some politicians wanted to use the money to build a university. • Instead they gave a tax refund back and used what was left in 1840 to build a prison… • Our state capitol now rests on this site!

11. Money, Money • One major problem that was faced by our young state was a lack of capital. (money to be used for growth of something)* • Under pressure from both planters and city businessmen, the problem was fixed by the creation of two banks in the state. • Real Estate Bank-for planters and lg. Farmers* • State Bank-for merchants* • Both would have problems from the very beginning.

12. Banking Problems • Real Estate Bank loaned money for land but many times loaned more money than the land was worth=no value assessors or bullied into larger amounts* • No federal control over the banks* • Very poor administration-pressure from groups.* • Paper money not backed by gold or silver.* • Leads to….

13. The Specie Circular and the Panic of 1837 • Since banks all over the country were doing the same things the banks in Arkansas were, the president issued the “Specie Circular” that said it (the government) would accept only “specie” or gold and silver, for payment of debts on land.* • When this went into effect, the whole nation was thrown into an economic disaster called “the panic of 1837”.* • In Arkansas, people did not pay their loan payments, the banks failed and closed their doors (with owners fleeing the state) and the state government (who was legally bound to pay the debts) defaulted on the debts as well.* • This wrecked the state’s credit with big banks in the east and set us back to the time when we had no capital for growth.*

14. The First Amendment to the Arkansas State Constitution • Happened in 1844 • Banned banks from operating in the state*

15. Our Second elected Governor • In 1840, Archibald Yell is elected.* • He calls for public education, internal improvements and financial reform. • Leads to the passing of the “Common School Law”.* • This law set aside sections of land in townships that could be sold and the money used to build and run public schools.

16. How folks were gittin’ around in the late 1830’s, the 40’s and 50’s. • In 1836 the portion of Military Rd from LR to Memphis was completed. • The Southwest Trail was still used. • The rivers of the state carried most of the traffic. • And EVERYBODY wanted a railroad. • Our states first locomotive was called…The Little Rock.*

17. Farmers…and then FARMERS • Yeoman Farmers-* • Smaller farmers who owned maybe up to 150 acres that had crops on only 1/3 of land. • Probably lived in a 2 room log cabin • Major problem to take a bath • Outdoor bathrooms called a privy.

18. The Planters • Owned much larger farms called, Plantations, where cotton was the major cash crop.* • Most lived in the S.E. of the state (Delta) • 90% of cotton grown in 10 counties of state • Had 58% of slaves and only 24% of white people. • Enjoyed luxuries like oysters, champagne, cigars, brandy, silk, silver, glass, & china plates. • Statewide, the planter class of farmer ruled… • Had only 10% of population but owned 70% of wealth. Held 78% of slaves and 63% of land.

19. Common links between all farmers! • Productive- Arkansas farmers in 1840 raised twice as much food as was needed in the state.* • More cattle and hogs per person than any other state. • Ate a lot of “hominy and hogs” as corn and pork were main diet.* • Small family gardens of cotton or tobacco to sell to buy needed items like nails, coffee, flour. • None wanted help from outsiders like yankees! • Bottom line (esp among the Yeoman) was SELF SUFFIENCIENTY! *

20. Slavery in Arkansas • Maybe not as bad as you might think! • In 1860, just before the Civil War, only about 3.5% of Arkansans total owned slaves. • This means that if the normal family had 5 persons, then 82% of people in Arkansas or 4 of 5 people…had no direct link to slavery. • Most of the slaves in Arkansas were owned by smaller farmers in groups of 4 or 5 and the white owners and families worked side by side with the slaves. • Only 6 people in Arkansas owned between 200-300 slaves and only one person, Elisha Worthington of Chicot County, owned more than 500. His county was known as the “Black Belt” of Arkansas due to the majority of population being black instead of white.

21. Slavery in Arkansas cont • On large plantations there would be an “overseer”, whose job was to manage the farm, work, and slaves, in addition to the slave owner. • Many slaves also worked in the homes of the wealthy both in town and on farms. • None were allowed to leave without a pass and bands of whites would roam the country side looking for escaped slaves to return. • There were some “Free Blacks” in Arkansas but their lives were shaky at best. It was held at the time that no black could live on his own without a white to feed, clothe, and protect him and so any free black was seen as a threat to the idea of slavery in general.* • This eventually led to a law passed in the state requiring all free blacks to leave the state in January of 1860.*

22. And yet still…. • Blacks were able to maintain home and family life, holding true to some of their culture and customs of African heritage. • Many took refuge in religion, combining old African traditional songs with Christian hymns to give us “spirituals”.* • Oh, and by the way, if you like gumbo, hushpuppies, and fried catfish…you have those old folks to thank for it! Yummy!

23. Life in Arkansas towns! • Even though most folks lived in the country, towns had grown into business centers and included hotels, gambling halls, churches, dentists, doctors, and shops for what folks needed. • People organized groups for entertainment and debate over local and national issues, new magazines were begun. • But gambling and horse racing were the MOST popular pastimes* • Traveling artists and entertainers enriched the lives of Arkansans and holidays like the 4th of July were seen as major events…but not Christmas…???*

24. Religion in Early Arkansas • At the time we became a state, only about 6% of people went to church. • Methodists-largest group at time. (many missionaries)* • Baptists-2nd biggest group-they split into… • Disciples of Christ-they split into… • Church of Christ • Catholics-very few even though roots are very old. • St. Mary’s Academy (begun by nuns) is Arkansas’ oldest running school.* • All of the above were against any kind of “fun” and refused to celebrate Christmas due to it’s “pagan” roots and influence…that’s why patriotic celebrations were done instead.*

25. Texas, Manifest Destiny, and War with Mexico • In the same year we became a state, Texas revolted against Mexican rule in the state. • Some of the leaders had come through Arkansas like Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett. Did you know the Bowie knife was actually made by a man in Washington, AR? James Black* • Texas applied quickly for statehood in the U.S. but, with the issue of expanding slavery looming overhead, the U.S. Government was slow to act, causing Texas to declare independence and becoming it’s own republic.

26. Texas, Manifest Destiny, and War with Mexico • By the mid 1840’s, the U.S. was overcome with the idea of “Manifest Destiny” which made us want to expand our country.* • We annexed Texas into the country, which angered the Mexicans who still considered Texas as their property. • The U.S. also wanted Mexican land in California and New Mexico so the talk of war soon became frequent. • When the war came in 1846, the president asked for our state to provide a group of soldiers for the army and a special group of mounted soldiers who became known as “The Mounted Devils of Arkansas”.* • Volunteers were plentiful but not well trained.

27. Out of War…come Heroes. • Archibald Yell, who had been voted the rank of Colonel by his men was killed in action.* • Major Solon Borland was captured, escaped and fought again, then became a U.S. senator for Arkansas.* • John S. Roane, who had taken over for Yell when he fell, became an Arkansas governor.*

28. Arkansans and the Gold Rush • When the war was over, almost immediately gold was discovered in California. • Many Arkansans left to make their fortunes as “forty-niners”. • Arkansas actually became a launching point for many who sought to find gold in California.*

29. The 1850’s and Difficult Decisions • The 1850’s were a boom time economically for the state.* • Population was growing • Cotton trade was prosperous • Railroad was moving in • But even during this time of growth, larger problems were developing on the national front as the debate over slavery was becoming increasingly harsh. • Arkansans in the NW did not want to leave the union they had just joined some 25 years earlier.* • Arkansans in the SE supported a “southern conscious” and made those in the state who had any interests with the northern states or back east out to be disloyal.* • This would make Arkansas a divided state even before making the decision to stay or leave the union.