The history of North Carolina dates back to 200 AD. It was originally inhabited by many different prehistoric native cultures, among which were the mound builders.
|
|
The first Europeans to permanently settle in the area were the Spanish colonial forces under an expedition led by Juan Pardo. He built Fort San Juan in 1567 at Joara, a Mississippian culture regional chiefdom that lasted only eighteen months. However, this was the first European attempt at colonization of the interior of what later became the United States.
Years later in 1584, Queen Elizabeth I granted a charter to Sir Walter Raleigh for land in Virginia (present-day North Carolina). In the late 1580s, Raleigh established two colonies on the coast but both ended in failure. Thereafter in 1650 the colonists from the Virginia colony started making advances on the region around Albemarle Sound. In 1663, another charter to start a new colony on the North American continent was granted by King Charles II of England. This charter established the borders of the country. The new colony was named Carolina in honor of Charles I, the father of King Charles II.
By 1710, the Carolina colony began to split into North Carolina and South Carolina due to small political issues. The latter became a crown colony in 1729 but a series of smallpox epidemics wiped the area. Culpepper's Rebellion (1677), the Quaker-led Cary Rebellion (1708), the Tuscarora Indian War (1711-1713), and many pirate raids are some of the important events in the history of the state.
American Civil War
Despite considerable anti-slavery sentiment, North Carolina joined the Confederacy during the Civil War when President Abraham Lincoln called on it to invade its sister-state, South Carolina. It was the last or the second-last state to join the confederacy officially. Although not many wars were fought on North Carolina's soil, the state provided at least 125,000 troops to the Confederacy. Because it was the site of few battles, the state was not seriously invaded until almost the end of the war; General William Sherman and his huge army moved north from Georgia and captured the area.
The Civil War had a devastating effect on the economy of North Carolina. The state became locked into a cotton economy. It was also hit by the Great Depression of the 1930s. However, after the Second World War the economy saw a rapid boom marked by the growth of cities like Charlotte, Raleigh, and Durham. In the 1990s, Charlotte became a major regional and national banking center.
Recent History
The twentieth century in North Carolina marked the beginning of a new progressive era. The state was advancing rapidly both economically and socially. Successful airplane experiments of the Wright Brothers near Kitty Hawk, agitation for public education for both whites and blacks, end of racial discrimination, establishment of high-technology industries were some of the crucial events of the century.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark in the history of the North Carolina and the United States. It outlawed major forms of racial segregation, in particular discrimination against blacks and women. Segregation in schools, at the workplace and public places was banned. The Act also ended unequal application of voter registration requirements. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
The third state constitution of North Carolina was ratified in 1971. A 1997 amendment to this constitution granted the governor veto power over most legislation.
| North Carolina State Profile |
