Arkansas

One of the United States of America, bounded on the north by the State of Missouri, on the south by the States of Louisiana and Texas, on the east by the States of Mississippi and Tennessee, and on the west by the State of Texas and by Indian Territory, between latitude 33? and 37? N. and longitude 89? and 95? W., has an area of 53,335 square miles. The boundaries are set forth with considerable particularity in the state constitution, with which may be compared the Act of Congress, 15 June, 1836, admitting Arkansas as a state. The motto of the State is Regnant populi. The name was that of a tribe of Indians, formerly inhabitants of the region, a tribe also known as Quapaws or Osarks, and called also Alkansas by Illinois Indians and other Algonquins (Charlevoix). A resolution passed in 1881 by the General Assembly of the State refers to confusion which had arisen "in the pronunciation of the name of our State" and resolves "that it should be pronounced in three syllables with the final 's' silent, the 'a' in each syllable with the Italian sound, and the accent on the first and last syllables." +