One of the 21st century’s most popular states for migration is also a great history destination. North Carolina’s heritage runs rich with stories of tobacco empires, the dawn of manned flight, and educational prowess. The plains, hills and mountains of the Tar Heel State attract visitors every year who come to enjoy the treasures of the past.
History of North Carolina
North Carolina is notable in American history for playing home to a very early settlement, an English village on Roanoke Island. There was born Virginia Dare, the first English child born in America. There also a settlement vanished with almost no trace by 1590, leaving a mystery for the ages that has never been fully solved.
The Missing Roanoke settlers may have gone to Croatoan, now known as Hatteras Island, home of the famous Hatteras Lighthouse.
In 1653 the first permanent settlements sprang up in North Carolina, with the colonies first official town established in 1705 at Bath. The area became an English colony in the late 1600s, and its early history was marked by bloodshed: the Cary Rebellion of 1708 and the Tuscarora Indian War from 1711-1713. Pirate raids kept the coastline anything but quiet. During this tumultuous era, the colonial capital moved twice, first from Edenton to New Bern in 1766 and then again to Raleigh in 1792.
Ironically, the state had a break from bloodshed during the American Revolution, in which it took part. American and British forces fought very few battles on North Carolinian soil. Soon after the war, the Tar Heels (origin unknown) voted to become the 12th state in the new United States of America on November 21, 1789.
As bloodshed ended and commerce took its place, tobacco and cotton made North Carolina a cash crop jewel. The coastal plains of the east had moderate temperatures and good soil, making them perfect for mass-scale agriculture. A cash crop plantation culture sprang up here rather quickly, with slaves harvesting the crops and masters taking care of that pesky cash side of things. Of course this system eventually came to a collapse after the American Civil War of the 1860s. North Carolina joined the Confederacy to protect its economy, despite considerable pro-Union support among the peoples of the mountain western part of the state. The Tar Heel State lost more of its sons in battle than any other Confederate state, leaving over 20,000 guys in the ground. They still lost.
After the Civil War, racial tensions continued as they did throughout the South. Freed slaves and whites clashed over voting, education and basically anything else one could think of to clash over. Poll taxes and literacy tests disenfranchised uneducated slaves, effectively silencing their political voice. The state essentially had one-party rule by the Democrats during this era, and freed slaves often sharecropped for low wages on the same lands where their ancestors had been enslaved. The situation took over a century to improve.
The western side of the state is known for its gorgeous green mountains and wonderful waterfalls. Here is Linville Falls on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
North Carolina became known in the 20th century as a hub for the military, research and education. Since the incredible First Flight by the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the sky has truly been the limit here. Military bases pockmark the state (including many air force bases). As for research, the area around Raleigh has become known as the “Research Triangle”. Biotechnology, life sciences and pharmaceuticals all advance their work in this area, and it has consistently ranked among the best economic powerhouses in America during the 21st century. In the educational field, Duke University and UNC-Chapel Hill are among America’s top colleges.
Today, tourists come to see North Carolina’s Old South Charm and evidence of all the landmark events from its history.
Top Things to Do in North Carolina
Asheville – Scenic mountain city with a rich history; currently making a name for itself as a cultural hub for Appalachia.
Blue Ridge Parkway – Deep in the ancient past, the Americas and Africa collided, pushing up the Appalachian Mountains. Come see some of the oldest and most beautiful accidents of tectonic activity on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Stone Mountain State Park – A park famous for its bare stone mountains.
Mount Mitchell State Park – Home of Mount Mitchell, the highest point east of the Mississippi.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Tennessee isn’t the only state with this amazing park.
Gorges State Park – Gorges is home to some gorgeous waterfalls.
Outer Banks – A chain of barrier islands, now known for their beaches, has witness multiple historic moments, from the first English Colony on Roanoke to the Wright Brothers’ first flight.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore – Beaches and lots of moving sand, plus lighthouses.
