History recorded in the writings of mankind is interesting to study for the benefit of the modern social student. The study of history lends to more questions than answers in most instances and can rarely be capsulated on the page of writers to define the complete dynamic for the observed and researched time period. In this paper I will reveal a comparative study between two time periods, and although the manners and social customs of the people are different, the underlying trends of social hierarchy remain the same. This paper will cover two distinct time slices in American history, specifically Arkansas history. Due to time constraints available for the researching of this project, many of the finer details for specific subjects will not adequately be covered, but a general defining of the stasis of Arkansas life will be conveyed for the time period of 1874 and a comparative slice of time will be written about in 1974. Both 1874 and 1974 are years rich in historical content as recorded by the Arkansas Gazette. If time permitted I would have liked to consult the other less known public conduits to news of the day. The oldest surviving newspaper west of the Mississippi was the claim for the Arkansas Gazette before the buyout by the rival Arkansas Democrat on October 18, 1991. This foundational harbinger of news reporting for the general public in Arkansas is the source document consulted for the essaical content.
The year of 1874 in Arkansas history finds the population in anticipation of the state recovering from the political battles of southern delegates to regain control of the state from insurgent carpet bagging legislative puppets from the greater stage of Washington. The year of 1874 will mark the end of Republican power in the state of Arkansas due largely to the legislative work pushed through by Elisha Baxter. Baxter allowed the Southern...