Early Republic

Creation of Arkansas Territory

July 4, 1819
Arkansas
Date
July 4, 1819
Location
Arkansas
Type
founding

What happened

Congress passed the Arkansas organic act creating the Arkansaw Territory from the portion of Missouri Territory lying south of 36 degrees north latitude. The territory originally encompassed all of present-day Oklahoma south of the parallel 36°30' north.

When this happened

Creation of Arkansas Territory occurred in July 4, 1819, during the early republic period of American history.

Where this happened

Creation of Arkansas Territory took place in Arkansas. Explore the full history of Arkansas and primary source records from this era.

Historical context — Early Republic

The early republic period saw the United States move from the weak Articles of Confederation to the federal Constitution ratified in 1788, with the Bill of Rights added in 1791. George Washington served two terms as president (1789–1797), establishing precedents for executive authority, and the federal capital moved permanently to Washington D.C. in 1800. The Louisiana Purchase (1803) doubled the nation's territory for roughly $15 million, opening vast trans-Mississippi lands to American expansion. The War of 1812 against Britain ended inconclusively but produced a surge of American national identity and eliminated most British support for Indigenous resistance east of the Mississippi. The Northwest Indian Wars (1785–1795) and the Creek War (1813–1814) broke Indigenous confederacies that had resisted US expansion. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 temporarily balanced slave and free states as the nation expanded westward, but embedded the contradiction of slavery in every subsequent territorial debate.

Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia: History.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Arkansas

This page covers Creation of Arkansas Territory. A full Aubrey report on Arkansas pulls together this event alongside land records, conflicts, and everything else the historical record holds about the area:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Arkansas report
Or see a real report first

Explore Arkansas

Arkansashistory ›More events in Arkansas›Historic sites in Arkansas›Indigenous heritage ›

Related events

1820
Choctaw Negotiations Alter Arkansas Territory Border
1820
Choctaw Negotiations Alter Arkansas Border
1824
Western Portions of Territory Removed

About Creation of Arkansas Territory

What was Creation of Arkansas Territory?
Congress passed the Arkansas organic act creating the Arkansaw Territory from the portion of Missouri Territory lying south of 36 degrees north latitude. The territory originally encompassed all of present-day Oklahoma south of the parallel 36°30' north.
When did Creation of Arkansas Territory happen?
Creation of Arkansas Territory occurred in July 4, 1819.
Where did Creation of Arkansas Territory take place?
Creation of Arkansas Territory took place in Arkansas.

Research the location of Creation of Arkansas Territory

Research your locationView a free sample report