Mann’s Before Columbus. Chapter 6, page 53. 

Mann’s Before Columbus. Chapter 6, page 54.

Hopper, An Arkansas History For Young People. Chapter 5, page 110. Matkin-Rawn, “Arkansas's Highland Geography,”  

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Hopper's, An Arkansas History For Young People, chapter 5 page 112

The North and South of Arkansas divided after a major debate about slavery in 1860.  People from the South talked about leaving the Union if the people in the North abolished slavery, won  in electing the president of their choice.  People believed secession would cause a short war and the Southern people would win. Arkansas was unstable due to the divide between non-slave and slave areas.  Why is it important to know why Arkansas was divided? Arkansas is a southern state; southern states during the slave era were typically for slavery. So, Arkansas being divided by the North and South is very interesting; that one half believed you should have slavery and the other half did not. 

Hopper, An Arkansas History for Young People, Chapter 10 page 212.

Women in Arkansas were left with some difficult tasks due to the lack of factories that are in the North. The women had to spin, weave, and dye cloth.  The women made the uniforms, the blankets, and the bandages for the army.  Most of the work the women did were by hand, unless there were machines. It was very difficult for the women to keep the supply of boots up, there was a shortage of boots everywhere. When the war was going on, the women were responsible for doing their normal tasks, and the man’s tasks.  Women would sneak food and medicine to the men in the war, the women would also care for those who were sick, wounded, and raise their children. Why is it important to know what role women had? It shows you the strength and courage the women have to take care of those around them.

Hopper, An Arkansas History for Young People, chapter 10 page 227-227

Abraham Lincoln was the Republican Party candidate in 1860. Lincoln won the national election; Lincoln had the most votes out of all of the candidates, and according to the textbook; “he carried eighteen free states to win a clear victory with 180 votes in the Electoral College.” States who were in involved in slavery wondered what would happen to the South once Lincoln became president.  A lot of people worried the south would have to leave the Union.  Others wanted to wait it out, and wait until they saw the actions Lincoln would take against the South before they went into any action.  What do you think Arkansas’ view was regarding what to do? Arkansas was one of the southern states who decided to wait and see what action Lincoln would take against them.  Arkansas was warned that they would have to make a decision between “the Union without slavery, or slavery without the Union” (page 214).  Why is this important? Arkansans had to make the hard decision whether to leave the Union or not; if they left the Union, secession would be a long, hard process for Arkansas. 

Hopper, An Arkansas History for Young People, chapter 10 page 213-214.

Hopper, An Arkansas History for Young People, chapter 11 page 238-239.

Lincoln’s Vice President, Andrew Johnson took office. Johnson shared to the public Lincoln’s goals and ideas of Reconstruction. The main goal of Reconstruction was to get southern states back into the Union. Gov. Murphy continued to serve for Arkansas. Murphy made sure to keep the principles of civil rights, BUT Arkansas denied the rights to blacks; blacks had no rights to vote, they were not allowed to serve in a jury, separated from whites at all times (not allowed to go to the same school or marry a person outside of the African American community). Why is it important to know what happens after Lincoln is killed? It shows that people kept the ideas of Reconstruction alive.

Hopper, An Arkansas History  for Young People, chapter 11 page 239.

After the war, Arkansans struggled with going back into a routine of being home and settling in.  People had not only physical wounds from the war, but also mental scars.  In Northwest, Arkansas, people’s property was destroyed.  A majority of plantations were not operating because there were simply no slaves to work.  Livestock had decreased by around thirty percent after the war due to livestock being stolen or lost.  Property damage throughout Arkansas was at a sky high amount in the millions of dollar range.  Family members were missing, and people would roam the country looking for family.  People were starving left and right.  African Americans who could not afford land, worked for white men which was the beginning of sharecropping.  This is important because you realize how hard it was for people to go back to life like normal.  It was very difficult to pick up where you left off prior to the war. 

Hopper, An Arkansas History for Young People, chapter 12 page 256.

The New Constitution was a response to the Radical Reconstruction. It still had some of the features of Reconstruction; the features were supporting public schools, however, the new constitution made “it very hard to raise taxes.” Governor terms were cut from four years to two years. The new two- year terms took a lot of a governor's power away. This new state constitution meant there had to be a new governor; the new governor was Augustus Hill Garland. Garland was an “expert on constitutional law.” Why is this important? It is important that Garland was an expert because he knew what he was doing. 

Hopper, An Arkansas History for Young People, chapter 11 page 246.

The New State Constitution allowed women to own property in her own name.  With that being said; some women in the rural areas still had to endure the long and hard days that required them to do chores.  Women in urban areas had a better possibility at being more wealthy, urban women typically had fewer children, and town services increased which helped form a upper middle class of city women (page 260). By 1880; women were making clubs involving books, arts, music, etc. Why is it important to know about the new rights women received? These new rights gave women greater opportunities to do what they wanted to without a man’s approval.  

Hopper, An Arkansas History for Young People, chapter 12 page 260.

The University of AR was a part of the Reconstruction era legacy.  The Morrill Land Grant Act of 1862 allowed 30,000 acres of land to be sold in every state to help with funds for a university.  The end of the war delayed the action for the school building to begin. The Arkansas Industrial University was built in 1871. The college was renamed University of Arkansas in 1899. This is important because it gives us a history about UARK.

Hopper, An Arkansas History for Young People, chapter 12 page 261.

Prohibition is a goal to end the sale of all alcoholic beverages and the manufacture of alcohol. The prohibition campaign was successful in the 1900s. In 1915, most of the state was considered a dry state which means no alcohol. In 1919, the national law of ending the sale and make of alcohol was passed. This is important because it shows how the state has changed overtime, and shows the thought of the state during the 1900s. 

Hopper, An Arkansas History for Young People, chapter 13 page 282.

Life in Arkansas improved for a few reasons. The government made it a mission to work on controlling disease in Arkansas because the state had a reputation for not being a healthy state to live in.  In 1913, Arkansas joined a health movement and formed the Board of Health.  In 1914, the Bureau of Vital Statistics began recording births, deaths, and marriages.  This is important because improvement of our state allows for more things to happen; including ways for people to be treated when sick, able to have the records of loved ones, just an overall improvement for life in Arkansas. 

Hopper, An Arkansas History for Young People, chapter 13 page 291

Cotton has always been an important crop for people. Cotton is used for clothes, cloths, padding, etc.  In the 1900s, corn, hay, nuts, wheat, sorghum, and peanuts became very popular.  These few crops made up ninety-five percent of farmland in Arkansas.  Farmers also grew “fruit, dairy products, eggs and chickens, and hogs.” Rice became a very popular crop as well. Why is it important that new crops were brought into Arkansas? These new crops not only helped the farmers profit, but it also helped the communities with food sources.

Hopper, An Arkansas History for Young People, chapter 13 page 299. 

In 1919, in Elaine, Arkansas, African American people were terrorized.  This documentary talked about blacks being brought into places like concentration camps, and they were held against their will.  Segregation was a big part of life during the 1900s.  Blacks were the second class citizens, who kind of got the leftovers of things in my opinion. By that, I mean the black community had the dirty bathrooms, they had different seats on a bus, different waiting rooms, and more.  The white community were first class and got the better parts of life.  There was a group known as the Klu Klux Klan, or the KKK; this  group would burn African Americans to death if they transgressed racial codes. Learning about racism and the difference in life then versus now is very important, and disheartening.  You learn about personal stories, the struggles blacks went through, and the lives of blacks.  

Jones was an African American Little Rock Lawyer.  There was a case where twelve African American men were sentenced to death and Jones did not agree with this. In the documentary it said, “As far as he (Jones) is concerned the trial is a lynching that wear the mask of law.” Jones was born into slavery, but he is one of the few who was able to receive his college education and get his degree, once he got his degree, he studied law and became one of the best lawyers in Little Rock.  Jones is trying to save the twelve farmers from being put to death.  A man by the name of Walter White recruited a man by the name of George Murphy.  Murphy and Jones worked together on the case and went to Arkansas. During Jones’ stay in Arkansas, he was always at risk knowing the color of his skin.  There was another trial, but the judge still sentenced six of the men to death, shortly after the trial, Murphy passed away.  In 1925, all of the men were released.  This is important to know because like the documentary said, Jones was the first black man to pressure the court and win his case.

The flood of 1927 was the worst flood in Arkansas.  The flood started in April on the Mississippi River.  In Canada that snow began melting and began filling the north part of the river, along with rain, and “forced the raging waters of the Mississippi to fill the Arkansas, White, and St. Francis rivers.” All three of the rivers overflowed and flooded Arkansas.  The MS river valley was affected drastically, millions of acres were destroyed, thousands of homes were destroyed, and waters were about thirty feet deep.  People in Arkansas were suffering as well; people were homeless, livestock was lost, people were left with no food or water.  The Red Cross helped people with food, clothes, and shelter.  

Hopper, An Arkansas History for Young People, chapter 15 page 324-326.

After the tragedy of the flood, three years later, the South had the worst drought known as the Dust Bowl.  The rainfall in Arkansas decreased to only about thirty-five percent.  Central part of Arkansas didn’t have any rain for seventy-one days. Temperatures were up in the hundreds for a long period of time. People faced starvation due to the lack of crops and farming.  This is important to learn about because you realize the struggle and devastation people went through, and we haven’t gone through anything to this extreme. 

Hopper, An Arkansas History for Young People, chapter 15 page 327-328

Roosevelt became the president in 1932, where he won against Hoover.  Roosevelt was concerned about the wellbeing of the people and the distress the Great Depression caused America.  Roosevelt came up with a New  Deal. This deal was a promise that Roosevelt would not allow American to go into a deep economic downfall again.  At the beginning of Roosevelt’s term there were new programs that were known as the Hundred Days.  These programs were in the first one hundred days of Roosevelt’s presidency; that consisted of relief and recovery bills.  This is important to know about because you learn about the change that Roosevelt was attempting to complete.  Roosevelt noticed the distress in America and was trying to make a change and help those.

Hopper, An Arkansas History for Young People, chapter 15 page 334. 

The Axis Powers are the joined forces of Germany, Italy, and Japan.  The only thing these three countries had in common was the want to dominate.  In 1935, Italy took over Ethiopia, and Japan took over Korea and Manchuria.  Japan controlled China in 1937.  In 1938, Hitler from Germany spoke with the leaders of Britain and France; Hitler told them he wanted a portion of Czechoslovakia.  Of course, this was a complete lie and he overtook the entire country. Hitler then decided he wanted to take over Poland.  It is important to know about the Axis Powers for many reasons.  It shows that leaders of countries can disagree on many things, but have one thing in common and become allies. These three countries wanted nothing but to take over different countries and gain power.

Hopper, An Arkansas History for Young People, chapter 16 pages 349-350.

In December of 1941, the United States became part of the war.  Japanese bombers bombed Pearl Harbor.  This bombing was a direct hit on American men.  About thirty- three percent of the fleet was destroyed.  Roosevelt wanted to declare war on Japan, and before the United States knew it, Germany and Italy declared war on the U.S. The United States then became allies with Great Britain, France, and China; this group was known as the allied powers.  This war lasted until 1945. 

Hopper, An Arkansas History for Young People, chapter 16 pages 350-351

At the beginning of this documentary, a Japanese man was talking about a radio announcement that Japanese were bombing Pearl Harbor.  Japanese Americans were arrested and interrogated, their homes were invaded, and Japanese men were the ones taken away. Over one thousand men were being held with no charges against them, but since they were Japanese they were being held.  The FBI was looking for any evidence that could have connected these Japanese Americans to the Japanese that bombed Pearl Harbor.  Japanese Americans were put in concentration camps with soldiers on watch of these people.  This documentary goes into more detail, but this entry would be a mile long! This is upsetting to me because these men were taken from their homes and families when they had no idea what was going on. I believe it all had to do with the race and ethnicity they were. 

Men in Arkansas were almost excited to join the war.  An entire highschool football team enlisted for the Navy. More than ten percent of the state was serving in the war. The soldiers in the war were diverse; going from young men, women, whites, and African Americans. Families whose sons and husbands were fighting in the war had a banner in the windows of their homes that were white with one star on the banner.  If there was a gold star, this symbolized a family losing a loved one in the war.  By the end of the war, more than four thousand Arkansans had died in the war. This is important because in the 1940s, people didn’t have the resources to survive, or options about the war.  In today’s day and age, men and women get to decide whether they want to be in any military forces, and they are trained.  The men and women who fought during World War II were not.  

Hopper, An Arkansas History for Young People, chapter 16 pages 351-352