Original
Flag of North Carolina: The Confederation of States After The Revolution
Historical
Highlights of North Carolina
Early
History
At the time of the first European contact,
North Carolina was inhabited by a number of native tribes sharing some cultural traits,
but also distinguished by regional and linguistic variations. Three major
language families were represented in North Carolina: Iroquoian, Siouan, and
Algonquian. The Iroquoian tribes--the Cherokee, Tuscarora, Meherrin, Coree, and
Neuse River (which may have been Iroquoian or Algonquian)--were related
linguistically and culturally to the Iroquois tribes to the north. The Cherokee
were located in the mountains on the western boundaries of the state and the
Tuscarora, Meherrin, Coree, and Neuse River were located in the coastal plains.
Located primarily in the piedmont area, or central portion, of the state were
the Siouan tribes: the Cape Fear, Catawba, Cheraw, Eno, Keyauwee, Occaneechi,
Saponi, Shakori, Sissipahaw, Sugaree, Tutelo, Waccamaw, Wateree, Waxhaw, and
Woccon. The Algonquian-speaking tribes represented the southernmost extension
of predominantly Northeastern Woodlands tribes and were located entirely in the
tidewater area of the state. These were the Bear River, Chowan, Hatteras,
Nachapunga, Moratok, Pamlico, Secotan, and Weapomeoc.
Since most historical accounts of travelers
and settlers dealt with either the Cherokee or the Algonquian, little is known
about the Siouan peoples and their pre-contact cultures. The descriptions which
follow will deal with the Cherokee as representative of the Iroquoian, with the
Catawba as representative of the Siouan-speakers and the piedmont tribes, and
the coastal Algonquian.
Coastal Algonquian
At the time of the first contact of
Europeans with the Indians, the Algonquian tribes occupied the tidewater areas
of the Atlantic Coast extending from Canada to as far south as the Neuse River
in North Carolina. In 1584, the estimated 7,000 Algonquians living in North
Carolina were relative newcomers to the Southeast, having come in a series of
migrations. To some extent, they retained cultural elements from their
Northeastern Algonquian traditions, but there was also a great deal of cultural
borrowing from their southern neighbors as they adapted to the geographical and
climatic conditions of the area, in that they were more water-oriented and
placed more emphasis upon hunting, fishing, and gathering than did most of
their neighbors.
Catawba
The Catawba was one of the Siouan-speaking
tribes of the piedmont area of the Carolinas at the time of the first European
contact. Little is known of their culture and life style at that time, since
contact was few and sporadic and little was documented of their culture. What
is known, is based largely on the writings of John Lawson, who explored the
piedmont territory and visited the Catawba in 1701.
Not only is little known about the Catawba
culture, there is also confusion as to exactly who the Catawba were. The
Catawba Nation was actually a military alliance of several Siouan tribes and
remnants of tribes or bands decimated by war and disease who joined the
Catawba. In the historical records, they have been known by several different
names: the Spanish referred to them as the Issa, the Ysa, or the Usi and the
17th century Virginians called them the Usheree or Ushery. After the Yamasee
War they became known as the Catawba, which means "cut off," apparently
referring to their being cut off from other Siouan tribes. Their name for
themselves was I Ye Ye, "people," or Nieye, "real people."
At the time of contact, there were approximately 6,000 Catawbas, equal in size
to the Tuscaroras. The only tribe larger than these two groups was the
Cherokee.
Cherokee
At the time of their first contact with
Europeans, in the mid-16th century, the Cherokee lived in the isolated hills
and valleys of the highest portions of the Southern Appalachians. Related
linguistically to the Iroquois to the north, some scholars believe that
successive groups of Cherokee were driven southwards in pre-Columbian times
until they settled in the Southern Appalachians.
By the beginning of the 18th century, the
Cherokee territory had expanded to include Allegheny County in southwestern
Virginia, western North Carolina, northwestern South Carolina, eastern
Tennessee and northern Georgia and Alabama. Abundant in natural resources, this
area provided over 800 species of plants used for food, medicines, and crafts.
A wide variety of trees in the dense forests was available for fuel, weaving
fibers, twine, medicinal barks and the framework and covering of dwellings,
while plentiful animals provided food, clothing, shelter, and medicine.
The first known European exploration of
North Carolina occurred during the summer of 1524. A Florentine navigator named
Giovanni da Verrazano, in the service of France, explored the coastal area of
North Carolina between the Cape Fear River area and Kitty Hawk. A report of his
findings was sent to Francis I and published in Richard Hakluyt's Divers Voyages Touching
the Discoverie of America. No
attempt was made to colonize the area.
Between 1540 and 1570 several Spanish
explorers from the Florida Gulf region explored portions of North Carolina, but
again no permanent settlements were established.
Coastal North Carolina was the scene of the
first attempt to colonize America by English-speaking people. Two colonies were
begun in the 1580's under a charter granted by Queen Elizabeth to Sir Walter
Raleigh. The first colony, established in 1585 under the leadership of Ralph
Lane, ended in failure.
A second expedition under the leadership of
John White began in the spring of 1587 when 110 settlers, including seventeen
women and nine children, set sail for the new world. The White Colony arrived
near Hatteras in June, 1587, and went on to Roanoke Island, where they found
the houses built by Ralph Lane's expedition still standing. Two significant
events occurred shortly after the colonist's arrival: two "friendly"
Indians were baptized and a child was born. Virginia Dare, as the baby was
named, became the first child born to English-speaking parents in the new
world.
The colonists faced many problems. As
supplies ran short White was pressured to return to England for provisions.
Once in England, White was unable to immediately return to Roanoke because of
an impending attack by the Spanish Armada. When he was finally able to return
in 1590, he found only the remnants of what was once a settlement. There were
no signs of life, only the word "CROATAN" carved on a nearby tree.
Much speculation has been made about the fate of the "Lost Colony,"
but no one has successfully explained the disappearance of the colony and its
settlers.
Colonial Period
The first permanent
English settlers in North Carolina were immigrants from the tidewater area of
southeastern Virginia. These first of these "overflow" settlers moved
into the Albemarle area of northeast North Carolina around 1650.
In 1663, Charles II granted a charter to
eight English gentlemen who had helped him regain the throne of England. The
charter document contains the following description of the territory which the
eight Lords Proprietors were granted title to:
“All that Territory or tract of ground, situate, lying,
and being
within our Dominions in America, extending from the North end
of the Island called Luck Island, which lies in the Southern
Virginia Seas and within six and Thirty degrees of the Northern
Latitude, and to the West as far as the South Seas; and so
Southerly as far as the River Saint Mathias, which borders upon the Coast of
Florida, and within one and Thirty degrees of
Northern Latitude, and West in a direct Line as far as the South
Seas aforesaid; Together with all and singular Ports, Harbours,
Bays, Rivers, Isles, and Islets belonging unto the Country aforesaid; And also,
all the Soil, Lands, Fields, Woods, Mountains, Farms, Lakes, Rivers, Bays, and
Islets situate or being within the Bounds or Limits aforesaid; with the Fishing
of all sorts of Fish, Whales, Sturgeons, and all other Royal Fishes in the Sea,
Bays, Islets, and Rivers within the premises, and the Fish therein taken; And
moreover, all Veins, Mines, and Quarries, as well discovered as not discovered,
of Gold, Silver, Gems, and precious Stones, and all other, whatsoever be it, of
Stones, Metals, or any other thing whatsoever found or to be found within the
Country, Isles, and Limits ...."
The territory was called Carolina in honor
of Charles the First ("Carolus" is the Latin form of
"Charles"). In 1665, a second charter was granted to clarify
territorial questions not answered in the first charter. This charter extended
the boundary lines of Carolina to include:
“All that Province, Territory, or Tract of ground,
situate, lying,
and being within our Dominions of America aforesaid, extending North and
Eastward as far as the North end of Carahtuke River or Gullet; upon a straight
Westerly line to Wyonoake Creek, which lies within or about the degrees of
thirty six and thirty Minutes, Northern latitude, and so West in a direct line
as far as the South Seas; and South and Westward as far as the degrees of
twenty nine, inclusive, northern latitude; and so West in a direct line as far
as the South Seas.”
Between 1663 and 1729, North Carolina was
under the control of the Lords Proprietors and their descendants, who
commissioned colonial officials and authorized the governor and his council to
grant lands in the name of the Lords Proprietors. In 1669, John Locke wrote the
Fundamental Constitutions as a model for the government of Carolina. Albemarle
County was divided into local governmental units called precincts. Initially
there were three precincts--Berkley, Carteret, and Shaftesbury--but as the colony
expanded to the south and west new precincts were created. By 1729, there were
a total of eleven precincts: six in Albemarle County and five in Bath County,
which had been created in 1696.
Although the Albemarle Region was the first
permanent settlement in the Carolina area, another region was developed around
present-day Charleston, South Carolina. Because of the natural harbor and
easier access to trade with the West Indies, more attention was given to
developing the Charleston area than her northern counterparts. For a
twenty-year period, 1692-1712, the colonies of North and South Carolina existed
as one unit of government. Although North Carolina still had her own assembly
and council, the governor of Carolina resided in Charleston and a deputy governor
appointed for North Carolina.
In 1729, seven of the Lords Proprietors
sold their interests in North Carolina to the Crown and North Carolina became a
royal colony. The eighth proprietor, Lord Granville, retained economic interest
and continued granting land in the northern half of North Carolina. All
political functions were under the supervision of the Crown until 1775.
Colonial government in North Carolina was
essentially the same during both the proprietary and royal periods. The only
major difference was who appointed colonial officials. There were two primary
units of government: one consisted of the governor and his council and the
other consisted of a colonial assembly of persons elected by the qualified
voters of the county. There were also colonial courts; however, unlike today's
courts, they were rarely involved in formulating policy. All colonial officials
were appointed by either the Lords Proprietors prior to 1729 or the Crown
afterwards. Members of the colonial assembly were elected from the various
precincts (counties) and from certain towns which had been granted
representation. The term "precinct" as a geographical unit ceased to
exist after 1735. These areas became known as "counties," and about
the same time "Albemarle County" and "Bath County" ceased
to exist as governmental units.
The governor was an appointed official, as
were the colonial secretary, attorney general, surveyor general, and the
receiver general. All officials served at the pleasure of the Lords Proprietors
or the Crown. During the proprietary period, the council was comprised of
appointed persons who were to look after the proprietors' interests in the new
world. The council served as an advisory group to the governor during the
proprietary and royal periods, as well as serving as the upper house of the
legislature when the assembly was in session. When vacancies occurred in
colonial offices or on the council, the governor was authorized to carry out
all mandates of the proprietors, and could make a temporary appointment until
the vacancy was filled by proprietary or royal commission. One member of the
council was chosen as president of the group, and many council members were
also colonial officials. If a governor or deputy governor was unable to carry
on as chief executive because of illness, death, resignation, or absence from
the colony, the president of the council became the chief executive and
exercised all powers of the governor until the governor returned or a new
governor was commissioned.
The colonial assembly was made up of men
elected from each precinct and town where representation had been granted. Not
all counties were entitled to the same number of representatives. Many of the
older counties had five representatives each while those newer ones formed after
1696 were each allowed only two. Each town granted representation was allowed
one representative. The presiding officer of the colonial assembly was called
the speaker and was elected from the entire membership of the house. When a
vacancy occurred, a new election was ordered by the speaker to fill it. On the
final day of each session, the bills passed by the legislature were signed by
both the speaker and the president of the council. The colonial assembly could
not meet arbitrarily, but rather convened only when called into session by the
governor.
Being the only body authorized to grant a
salary to the governor or to be responsible for spending tax monies, the
legislature met on a regular basis until just before the Revolutionary War;
however, there was a constant battle for authority between the governor and his
council on the one hand and the general assembly on the other. Two of the most
explosive issues were the power of the purse and the electing of the treasurer,
both privileges of the assembly. Another issue of contention was who had the
authority to create new counties. On more than one occasion, elected
representatives from counties created by the governor and council, without
consultation and proper legislative action by the lower house, were refused
seats until the matter was resolved. These conflicts between the executive and
legislative bodies were to have a profound effect on the organization of state
government after independence.
The
Halifax Resolves
North Carolina, on April 12, 1776, authorized her delegates to the Continental Congress to vote for independence. This was the first official action by a colony calling for independence. The 83 delegates present in Halifax at the Fourth Provincial Congress unanimously adopted the Halifax Resolves, which read as follows:
“The Select
Committee taking into Consideration the usurpations and violences attempted and
committed by the King and Parliament of Britain against America, and the
further Measures to betaken for frustrating the same, and for the better
defence of this province reported as follows, to wit, It appears to your
Committee that pursuant to the Plan concerted by the British Ministry for
subjugatin America, the King and Parliament of Great Britain have usurped a
Power over the Persons and Properties of the People unlimited and uncontrouled
and disregarding their humble Petitions for Peace, Liberty and safety, have
made divers Legislative Acts, denouncing War Famine and every Species of
Calamity daily employed in destroying the People and committing the most horrid
devastations on the Country. That Governors in different Colonies have declared
Protection to Slaves who should imbrue their Hands in the Blood of their
Masters. That the Ships belonging to America are declared prizes of War and
many of them have been violently seized and confiscated in consequence of which
multitudes of the people have been destroyed or from easy Circumstances reduced
to the most Lamentable distress.
And whereas the moderation hitherto
manifested by the United
Colonies and their sincere desire to be reconciled to the mother
Country on Constitutional Principles, have procured no mitigation of the
aforesaid Wrongs and usurpations and no hopes remain of obtaining redress by
those Means alone which have been hitherto tried, Your Committee are of Opinion
that the house should enter into the following Resolve, to wit
Resolved that the delegates for this
Colony in the Continental
Congress be impowered to concur with the other delegates of the other Colonies
in declaring Independency, and forming foreign Alliances, resolving to this
Colony the Sole, and Exclusive right of forming a Constitution and Laws for
this Colony, and of appointing delegates from time to time (under the direction
of a general Representation thereof to meet the delegates of the other Colonies
for such purposes as shall be hereafter pointed out.”
The Halifax Resolves were important not
only because they were the first official action calling for independence, but
also because they were not unilateral recommendations. They were instead
recommendations directed to all the colonies and their delegates assembled at
the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. Virginia followed with her own
recommendations soon after the adoption of the Halifax Resolution, and
eventually on July 4, the final draft of the Declaration of Independence was
signed. William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, and John Penn were the delegates from North
Carolina who signed the Declaration of Independence.
Revolutionary
War
In early December, 1776, delegates to the
Fifth Provincial Congress adopted the first constitution for North Carolina. On
December 21, 1776, Richard Caswell became the first governor of North Carolina
under the new constitution. In 1788, North Carolina rejected the United States
Constitution because of the lack of necessary amendments to ensure freedom of
the people; however, on November 21, 1789, the state adopted the constitution,
becoming the twelfth state to enter the federal union.
A constitutional convention was held in
1835, and among several changes made in the constitution was the method of
electing the governor. After this change, the governor was elected by the
people for a term of two years, instead of being elected by the legislature for
one year. Edward Bishop Dudley was the first governor elected by the people.
In 1868, a second constitution, which
drastically altered North Carolina government, was adopted. For the first time,
all major state officers were elected by the people. The governor and other
executive officers were elected to four-year terms, while the justices of the
supreme court and judges of the superior court were elected to eight-year
terms. The members of the General Assembly continued to be elected for two-year
terms. Between 1868 and 1970 numerous amendments were incorporated into the
1868 constitution, so that, in 1970, the people voted to adopt a completely new
constitution. Since then,several amendments have been ratified, but one in
particular is a break from the past. In 1977, the people voted to allow the
governor and lieutenant governor to run for reelection successively for an
additional term.
North Carolina has had two permanent
capitals, New Bern and Raleigh, and there have been three capitol buildings. Tryon Palace in New Bern was constructed in
the period 1767-1770, and the main building was destroyed by fire February 27,
1798. The first capitol in Raleigh was completed in 1794 and was destroyed by
fire on June 21, 1831. The present capitol building was completed in 1840.
In 1790, North Carolina ceded her western
lands which included Washington, Davidson, Hawkins, Greene, Sullivan, Sumner,
and Tennessee counties, to the federal government. Between 1790 and 1796 the
territory was known as Tennessee Territory, but in 1796 it became simply
Tennessee, the sixteenth state in the Union.
During the years between the Revolutionary
and Civil Wars, North Carolina developed a system of state and local government
to meet the needs of its people. During this same period, two North Carolina
natives were elected to the presidency of the United States: Andrew Jackson,
the seventh president (1829-1837), and James K. Polk, the eleventh president
(1845-1849).
(Source: State Library of North Carolina North Carolina Encyclopedia)