Antebellum Arkansas: On the Road to Statehood

1. Chapter 5 1819-1860 Antebellum Arkansas:On the Road to Statehood

2. Vocabulary: • Apprentice:a person who lives with a master craftsman to learn a trade (pg. 93) • Rivalry: individuals or groups that compete against one another (pg. 95) • Antebellum: a Latin word meaning before the war (pg.101) • Squatter: someone who settles on property they did not buy or rent (pg. 105)

3. First Capital • Arkansas Post • Crude log building

4. James Miller • 1st Territorial Governor of Arkansas • Did not want to be in Arkansas • Did not arrive in Arkansas for 6 months

5. Robert Crittenden • 1st Territorial secretary and dominant politician during Arkansas during first 10 years • Arrived before appointed governor and took control of the government

6. The “Family” • Dominant political party in Arkansas for many years • Made up of the Johnson, Rector, Sevier, Conway & Ashley families

7. The “Family” • All were related either by blood or marriage • Also known as the “Dynasty”

8. William Woodruff • Established 1st Arkansas newspaper at Arkansas Post in 1819 • Moved to Little Rock when Territorial government moves to Little Rock in 1821

9. William Woodruff • Established the accepted version of the spelling of “Arkansas” • Became major figure in Arkansas • Newspaper lasted until 1991

10. Woodruff Printing Press

11. Henry Conway • Member of the “Family” • Elected as Arkansas’s delegate to U.S. congress in 1827

12. Ambrose Sevier • Replaced Henry Conway as the delegate to the U.S. Congress • Member of the “Family”

13. Capital Moved • Capital moved to more “central” location • In 1833, construction begins on the Old State House

14. Drawing of Little Rock in Early 1800’s

15. Duel A fight between 2 men in response to an insult to settle a matter of honor

16. Crittenden/Conway Duel • Crittenden felt he had been insulted during the election of 1827 • Challenged Henry Conway to duel • Met at Mississippi River • Exchanged pistol shots at 30 feet • Crittenden wounded Conway, who died three days later

17. Improvements Military Road -Memphis to Little Rock -Supposed to be cleared of trees -Sturdy bridges and 24 feet wide However, stumps remained until they rotted away and bridges often washed out by floods

18. Improvements • Postal service began in 1820’s (every 1 or 2 weeks) • Arrival of the steamboat • The Comet was the 1st steamboat to travel up the Mississippi and Arkansas Rivers from New Orleans • Steamer called the Arkansas-built by citizens living along the river

19. Early Mail Routes

20. Steamboats Many would build their homes on the river and watch the steamboats come up the rivers

21. Decisions for Statehood • 24 states by 1835- half-free & half-slave • Missouri Compromise brought the new idea that the new states would become states in pairs (1 free & 1 slave) • Michigan had applied for statehood and would be free (MO Compromise). This was the chance for Arkansas to enter as a slave state.

22. Steamboats in Arkansas

23. Statehood • Democratic Party needed help getting votes in the Presidential election to help Martin Van Buren. • Delegates met in January, 1836 to write a state constitution. The issue of slavery was present here also.

24. County Divisions • Southern counties had large plantations dependent upon slave labor. • Northwestern counties made up of small farms worked by families with few, if any, Slaves.

25. Compromise Between AR Counties • Slave counties got more representation in the Senate. • Free counties got more representation in the House of Representatives.

26. Proposed Constitution • Was sent to Washington • Statehood was granted on June 15, 1836. • 25th state

27. Free State • Michigan becomes a free state in January, 1837 • Arkansas’ 3 electoral votes helped to elect Democrat Van Buren as President

28. New State Government • “Family” (or Dynasty) still most powerful group in Arkansas politics • Made up of the Conway, Rector, Sevier, Ashley & Johnson families. All related to each other either through blood or marriage.

29. Democratic Party • Associated with the “Family” • Supporters tended to be small farmers • Poorer class

30. Whig Party • Led by Absalom Fowler, Albert Pike, David Walker & James Woodson Bates • Supporters were planters, larger farmers & town merchants • Wealthier group

31. Democratic Party • Won most elections for statewide offices and for President

32. 1stElection • James Sevier Conway became the first governor • Archibald Yell was sent to the U.S. House of Representatives • Yell was one of the most popular politicians in Arkansas history

33. Voting Requirements • Only white males over 21 could vote • Had to live in Arkansas for at least 6 months • Did not have a formal voter registration • Did not have to be a tax payer to vote • They voted at the county seat • Votes were taken by voice

34. The Family • Won all offices in 1836 election for new state government • Governor James Sevier Conway (brother of Henry W. Conway) was killed in a duel in 1837 • U.S. House of Representatives- Archibald Yell, who was very popular • U.S. Senators were William S. Felton & Ambrose Sevier

35. Economy • Did well in 1830’s • Authorized 1st major building project, which was a prison in late 1830’s & 1840’s • The Arkansas capital sits on the site today

36. State Banks • Legislature decided to establish 2 state banks • Established to solve the lack of capital problem & because President Jackson had destroyed the Bank of the U.S.

37. Banks Real Estate Bank • Established in 1837 • For planters and large farmers State Bank • Primarily for merchants

38. Banks cont….. • Both banks were financed through a sale of bonds • Both had bad loans & too little security • They issued their own paper money, exceeding the value in gold & silver in the banks

39. Specie Circular • Issued by President Jackson • Stated that the Federal Government would only accept “specie” (gold or silver) as payment for public land • This prompted the Panic of 1837- start of the economic recession • Both banks were forced to close the doors by 1842

40. Closing of the Banks • State was responsible to pay huge debts • State outlawed banks • Defaulted on debts • We had no state banks and no credit

41. Indian Removal • Indian Removal Act: passed by Congress and President Andrew Jackson • Legalized the forced removal of Indians from their native lands to make way for white settlers

42. Trail of Tears Map

43. Trail of Tears • Many tribes refused to leave their land • President Jackson ordered troops to forcibly remove all of the remaining tribes • Herded like cattle and forced to march thousands of miles into Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma)

44. Trail of Tears

45. Treatment on Trail of Tears • Many forced to leave without belongings • Women were harassed by soldiers • Many got sick with measles and whooping cough

46. Treatment on Trail of Tears • Most of the money set aside from the government for supplies was never used for the journey • Almost 4,000 Cherokees died along the “Trail of Tears”

47. Manifest Destiny • Belief that Americans had the right to expand the county from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean • Most western lands still owned by Spain • U.S. Leaders realized that someday they might have to fight Mexico for these expansive western lands

48. Archibald Yell • Elected Governor in 1840 • He called for public education, internal improvements, & financial reform

49. Picture of Yell

50. Common School Law • Passed by General Assembly in 1842 • Set aside 16 sections of land in each township for school revenues • These were to be sold and income was to build & operate public schools • It was not a real public school system but did give the people hope & promise