Spaniard Hernando de Soto was among the early European explorers to visit the territory in the mid-16th century, but it was a Frenchman, Henri de Tonti, who in 1686 founded the first permanent white settlement—the Arkansas Post. In 1803 the area was acquired by the U.S. as part of the Louisiana Purchase.

Part of the Territory of Missouri from 1812, the area became a separate entity in 1819 after the first large wave of settlers arrived. The next several decades were marked by the development of the cotton industry and the spread of the Southern plantation system west into Arkansas. Arkansas joined the Confederacy in 1861, but from 1863 the northern part of the state was occupied by Union troops.

Food products are the state's largest employing sector, with lumber and wood products a close second. Arkansas is also a leader in the production of cotton, rice, and soybeans. It also has the country's only active diamond mine; located near Murfreesboro, it is operated as a tourist attraction.

Hot Springs National Park and Buffalo National River in the Ozarks are major state attractions. Blanchard Springs Caverns, the Historic Arkansas Museum at Little Rock, the William J. Clinton Birthplace in Hope, and the Arkansas Folk Center in Mountain View are also of interest.

Famous natives and residents:

G. M. “Broncho Billy” Anderson: Actor;

Maya Angelou: Author and Poet;

Daisy Bates: Social Reformer;

Dee Brown: Author;

Helen Gurley Brown: Editor;

Dale Bumpers: Governor and Senator;

Glen Campbell Singer;

Hattie Caraway: First Elected Woman Senator;

Johnny Cash: Singer;

Eldridge Cleaver: Social Activist;

William Jefferson Clinton: Former U.S. President;

William Darby: Founder of the Darby Rangers

Dizzy Dean: Baseball Player;

Orval Faubus: Governor;

John Gould Fletcher: Poet;

J. William Fulbright: Former Senator;

John Grisham: Author;

Tess Harper: Actress;

John H. Johnson: Publisher;

E. Fay Jones: Architect;

Scott Joplin: Composer;

Alan Ladd: Actor;

Douglas MacArthur: General;

Patsy Montana: Singer;

Isaac C. Parker: Judge;

Albert Pike: Pioneer Teacher and Lawyer;

Dick Powell: Actor;

Mary Steenburgen: Actress;

Billy Bob Thornton: Actor;

Sam Walton: Founder of Wal-Mart;

William C. Warfield: Concert Singer and Actor.