The history of North Carolina is a long and fascinating one, stretching back thousands of years. The province of Carolina, which included what is now North and South Carolina, was officially founded in 1663 when King Charles II recognized the efforts of eight nobles who helped him regain the throne in England.
North Carolina Colony Foundation
was established in 1653 by settlers from Virginia. Evidence of human occupation in North Carolina dates back 10,000 years, with the earliest evidence found at the Hardaway Site.Before the arrival of Europeans, North Carolina was inhabited by Algonquian, Iroquois, and Siouana-speaking Native American tribes. In 1729, it became a royal colony and was one of the Thirteen Colonies. It was named after King Charles I of England, who first formed the English colony, Carolus in Latin for Charles. In 1755, colonial North Carolina received its first postmaster, James Davis, appointed by Benjamin Franklin.
The Halifax Resolve Resolution, adopted by North Carolina on April 12, 1776, was the first formal call for independence from Britain among the American colonies during the American Revolution. In 1988, North Carolina won its first professional sports franchise, the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Most of North Carolina's slave owners and large plantations were located in the eastern part of the state. Public elementary and high schools are overseen by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
Approximately 10,000 North Carolina whites and 5,000 North Carolina blacks joined Union Army units during this period. Life during the colonial period in North Carolina was characterized by plantation settlements and a desire to move west. The port city of Wilmington, North Carolina, was the Confederate's last major port for blockade runners; it fell in the spring of 1865 after the nearby Second Battle of Fort Fisher. Transportation systems in North Carolina consist of air, water, land, rail, and public transportation, including intercity rail via Amtrak and light rail in Charlotte. The first human settlements discovered in what eventually became North Carolina are located at the Hardaway site near Badin in south-central part of the state.
North Carolina was reluctant to secede from the Union when it became clear that Republican Abraham Lincoln had won the presidential election. However, it invested heavily in its higher education system in the mid-to-late 20th century and became known for its excellent universities. During this period, the Mississippian culture of Native American civilization flourished in areas of North Carolina. Several ships are named after the state, including USS North Carolina which served in World War II. The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is based in Greensboro and both the ACC Football Championship Game (Charlotte) and ACC Men's Basketball Tournament (Greensboro) were recently held in North Carolina.
A second ratification convention was held in Fayetteville in November 1789 and on November 21st North Carolina became the twelfth state to ratify the U. S Constitution.
