1. In 1836, Arkansas became the 25th state to join the United States.

2. In 1863, during the Civil War, the Battle of Prairie Grove took place in northwest Arkansas. Union forces under General James G. Blunt fought against Confederate troops led by General Thomas C. Hindman. The battle was a Union victory and helped secure control of northern Arkansas.

3. In 1987, the Clinton Presidential Center opened in Little Rock. The center features exhibits and archives related to the presidency of Bill Clinton, who served as governor of Arkansas before becoming president.

4. In 2009, Jerry Jacobson, a former Arkansas postal worker, pleaded guilty to mail fraud for his role in a scam to rig the McDonald's Monopoly game. Jacobson, who was part of a group of conspirators, had stolen winning game pieces and sold them to other individuals for a share of the prize money.

5. In 2012, the Newtown school shooting took place in Connecticut, leading to renewed calls for gun control legislation. In response, the Arkansas State Legislature passed a law allowing concealed carry on college campuses. The law was later struck down by a state court, but remains a controversial issue in Arkansas and across the country.