1. On January 7, 1789, the United States Congress created the Arkansas Territory, which encompassed the lands west of the Mississippi River and north of Louisiana. This designation paved the way for the eventual statehood of Arkansas in 1836.

2. The first steamboat to reach Little Rock, Arkansas arrived on January 7, 1822. The steamboat, named the "General Pike," had traveled up the Mississippi River from New Orleans and opened up new possibilities for transportation and commerce in the region.

3. On January 7, 1891, the Arkansas State Legislature passed a law prohibiting the carrying of concealed weapons. This law was passed in response to increasing violence and crime in the state and remains in effect to this day.

4. A significant Civil Rights moment occurred on January 7, 1963, when eight African American students attempted to integrate Little Rock Central High School. The students were denied entry by the Arkansas National Guard, but their efforts helped bring about desegregation in Arkansas schools.

5. On January 7, 2014, a winter storm paralyzed much of Arkansas, causing widespread power outages and hazardous driving conditions. The storm brought a heavy snowfall, freezing rain, and ice, leading to closures of many schools and businesses in the affected areas.