On December 7, the following notable historical events related to Missouri occurred:

• 1806: Zebulon Pike’s expedition, sent from St. Louis to explore the southern Louisiana Purchase, continued mapping the Arkansas River region, though no specific Missouri event is documented for this date.
• 1856: In the “Bleeding Kansas” crisis, pro-slavery “Border Ruffians” from Missouri persisted in raiding Kansas anti-slavery settlements, intensifying violent disputes over the territory’s slavery status.
• 1861: During the Civil War, Union General Henry W. Halleck, commanding from St. Louis, fortified federal control, while Confederate guerrilla raids disrupted rural Missouri, heightening state divisions.
• 1864: After Confederate General Sterling Price’s failed Missouri campaign, his forces, including Missouri units, were reorganizing in Arkansas following October defeats, with some activity likely around this date.
• 1888: The Missouri Pacific Railroad advanced its southeast Missouri network, linking Cape Girardeau to broader trade routes, driving regional economic and agricultural expansion.
• 1929: The Great Depression ravaged Missouri, with Kansas City and St. Louis grappling with soaring unemployment, widespread business failures, and failing banks, devastating local economies.
• 1941: Following the Pearl Harbor attack, Missouri communities, including St. Louis and Kansas City, began mobilizing for World War II, with local leaders and citizens reacting to the nation’s entry into the conflict.