Arkansas is another form of Kansas and first appeared on a 1673 map of the region. The Kansas Indian tribe is a member of the Sioux nation.

The Quapaw Indians lived west of the Mississippi River and north of the Arkansas River. The Quapaws were known as the "downstream people". Perhaps influenced, by French pronunciation of Indian names, the Algonkian-speaking Indians from the Ohio Valley called the Quapaws "Arkansas" meaning "south wind".

"If I could rest anywhere, it would be in Arkansas, where the men are of the real half-horse, half-alligator breed such as grows nowhere else on the face of the universal earth."

Quote attributed to Davey Crockett

Arkansas, officially "The Natural State", is a state of mountains, valleys, dense woodland and fertile plains. Its clear lakes and streams and abundant wildlife help to make tourism one of the state's most important industries.

Arkansas became a state on June 15, 1836. In the early days of statehood, a couple of U.S. Senators had some disagreement on the spelling and pronunciation of Arkansas. One preferred to be called the senator from Arkan"saw" and the other preferred to be called the senator from Ar"Kansas". In 1881, the conflict was resolved when the state General Assembly passed a resolution stating that the state's name was to be spelled "Arkansas" but pronounced Arkan"saw".