阿肯色州小档案：
人口：约250万
面积：约137，539平方公里，排名第27位
州府：小石城Little Rock
阿肯色州，名称来自印第安语，由印第安人苏族的一个部落而得名。
1685年，开始殖民。1836年6月15日成为美国第25州。以苹果花Apple Blosson为州花。本州别名叫做“机会之州”Land of Opportunity。本州箴言：“人民管治”Let the People Rule。
州府是小石城Little Rocd，位于本州中部，阿肯色河南岸，小石城西南方之温泉国家公园，Hot Springs National Park，可以治病，世界著名。市内温泉47个，水温高达61.6度，每日流出量100多万加仑。
本州大专院校有24所。其中最著名的是阿肯色大学，创立于1871年，地点在本州西北角之菲页维Fayettiville。在小石城有分校，创于1927年。
本州特征有二：第一，它是美国第一产米之州。本州产棉甚富，在五十州内列第四位。米产量却列第一位。第二，它是美国第一产铝土（铁矾土）之州，年产量100多万吨。美国缺乏铝土，大多本州出产，产量约占全美国产量90%。此外，尚产石油及天然气。
本州地形可分为两部分。
一是丘陵及高山地区；二是冲积平原区。本州东境是密西西比河，常有泛滥之灾。现在奥沙克高地与奥赤塔山地之河流，已分别建立水库，不仅可供灌溉、发电，且可点缀风景，美化地面。
〖MZ（3H〗Introduction简介〖MZ）〗
Geographically located north of Louisiana and flanked（在……的侧面）on the east by the Mississippi Rivers west bank，the development of the state of Arkansas spanned three centuries.Long before frontiersmen from the newly formed United States crossed the Blue Ridge Mountains and attempted settlement along the Ohio and Mississippi rivers，Spanish and French explorers came upon the native peoples living in what is now Arkansas.From evidence left in mounds（土墩，护堤）and bluffs（断崖，绝壁），including pottery（陶器，陶器场）and stone implements，we know that people have been living in the region that is now Arkansas for thousands of years.The ancestors of the Indians were first to inhabit the region.The abundant wildlife and fertile soil（沃土，肥沃的土壤）made the area a wonderful home for these people，who gradually developed from primitive huntergatherers living in caves to much more sophisticated（久经世故的）farmers living in large permanent villages.As the eastern lands were settled，more Indians moved to sparsely（稀疏地，稀少地）inhabited Arkansas.The Indians who lived here included the Folsom（福尔松（文化）的（福尔松系北美洲落基山脉东部发现的史前文化遗迹的村名））people，Bluff Dwellers，Mound Builders，Caddos，Quapaws，Osage，Choctaw and Cherokee.
In 1541，the Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto was the first European to set foot in Arkansas.He led an unsuccessful，yearlong expedition for gold.One hundred and thirtyone years later，two Frenchmen named Marquette and Joliet visited Arkansas briefly.In 1682，at the mouth of the Mississippi，LaSalle claimed the Mississippi Valley for France，but was later assassinated（暗杀，行刺）by two of his companions.In 1686，Henri De Tonti set out from Fort St.Louis on the Illinois River to meet LaSalle at the mouth of the Mississippi.After he failed to locate LaSalle，De Tonti，the “Father of Arkansas”，established the first European settlement in Arkansas，called Arkansas Post，with six residents.
Over the next hundred years，development of the region was sluggish（行动迟缓的）as the number of settlers slowly increased.In 1762，the entire Louisiana Territory was ceded（放弃）to Spain，and Spanish governors offered free land and no taxes to encourage settlers to inhabit the area.In 1799，there were approximately 386white people living in Arkansas.In 1803，the Louisiana Purchase was acquired by the United States，and，in 1819，Arkansas was organized as a territory.Its northern，eastern and southern borders were the same as they are now，but to the west，some of what is now Oklahoma was included.In the same year the “Arkansas Gazette”，once considered the oldest newspaper west of the Mississippi，was founded by William E.Woodruff.Two years later，in 1821，the territorial capital was moved from Arkansas Post to Little Rock.
By 1836，the Arkansas Territory had the 60，000residents required to become a state，and after writing an acceptable constitution，was declared the 25th state in the United States.The new state enjoyed a thirty year period of prosperity（繁荣），and by 1860had a population of 435，000，25percent of whom were slaves.The majority of the residents were planters who lived in the rich bottomlands （〈美〉（河边）低洼地，滩地（洪水受淹地））of the east and southeastern portion（一部分，一分）of the state and farmers who lived in the central and northern hills.A much smaller number of residents were lawyers，doctors，merchants，missionaries and teachers.
Arkansas was drawn into the Civil War in May，1861，by its decision to secede（正式脱离或退出，分离）from the Union.Troops were mustered（召集，征召）and civilians devoted their energy and resources to providing food，clothing，weapons，and horses for the soldiers.Two major battles，Pea Ridge and Prairie Grove，were fought in Arkansas.In 1863，the Confederate government moved to Washington in the southwestern corner of our state；and，in 1864，the Union government was established in Little Rock.After the Civil War ended in 1865，the era called Reconstruction began，during which dramatic changes were made in the South.The Democrats returned to power in 1874，the same year our present constitution was adopted.
The next 25years were a time of growth and recovery.New inventions，such as the telephone，electricity，residential running water（流水，活水），and city sewer systems made life easier and more comfortable for Arkansans，affording（提供，给予）them more leisure time for social and literary pursuits.Lumber mills，farms，factories and cities around the state were linked by 5，000miles of railroad.Many public schools were developed，and numerous（许多的）colleges，including the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville，Hendrix，Arkansas College，HendersonBrown，Philander Smith，Shorter and Ouachita were founded.Even as early as 1875，Arkansas was billed as the “Land of Opportunity”when an active campaign was launched outside the state to attract new residents to Arkansas.By 1900，the population had more than doubled to 1.3million.
