Why doesn't Arkansas rhyme with Kansas?

Simple answer -- blame it on the French!

"Arkansas" was a French name for a river, created by adding "Arc" to the French version of the name of an Indian tribe in the region.

http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/markansa.html

The French dominated the lower Mississippi in the years preceding the Louisiana Purchase, and their influence continued not only in Louisiana but in nearby Arkansas. This included French place names and retaining the French pronunciation of the river (and so the state).

http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia...

http://www.arkansasheritage.org/people_stories/eur...

The territory of "Kansas" --based on the same French-from- Indian name-- did not have the same sort of French influence. When it was settled years later by Americans, the name was quickly Anglicized to the form we know today. (Kansans also pronounce the RIVER name as "Ar-KAN-zus".)

http://www.cimarronkansas.net/arkansas.htm

Arkansas, on the other hand, was determined that the pronunciation of their state name would NOT be changed, and even passed a law to that effect!

http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPage.action?site...

Never thought of that before. But it's because of the way it is said, not the way it is spelled. Poetry is meant to be read aloud, so in saying it, it would not rhyme.

Actually they are probably both Native American words and they were written down like that. Many words from native dialects just have been written very strangely in English as far as they are not written the way they are said phonetically.

A mechanic that I worked with at Geyhound actually pronounced it with an accent on the "Kansas" part; ar-KANSAS!!!

Because people in Arkansas are rednecks and can't pronounce words correctly.