The History of North Carolina

North Carolina has its name coined from in honor of King Charles I of England, from his Latin name “Carolus.” Its capital is Raleigh and currently governed by Roy Cooper. North Carolina is positioned as the eleventh state in terms of population (approximately 8 million people) and the 28th inland area (52,669 square miles). The state is also known as “Tar Heel State” and was rooted from the fact that tar, pitch, and turpentine were the primary exports during the colonial period.

North Carolina has been living up with the motto, “Esse quam videri” (To be rather than to seem) and has the following as State Symbols: dogwood (flower), pine (tree), cardinal (bird), gray squirrel (mammal), honeybee (insect), eastern box turtle (reptile), emerald (gemstone), scotch bonnet (shell), milk (beverage), granite (rock), Plott hound (dog), red and blue (colors) and scuppernong grape (fruit). It’s official North Carolina state song, “The Old North State” is composed by Judge William Gaston in 1927.

North Carolina was initially a part of the bigger British colony called “Carolina” until in 1775 when it became the first colony to depart away from the colony and declare independence. In 1775, it became the twelfth state of the Union. Jumping forward, the state has steadily embraced modernity; one monumental event is when the Wright Brothers put a spot in history, making man’s first successful flight in Kitty Hawk., North Carolina in 1903. A number of interesting facts on North Carolina lie on its antique history, an example of which is the incorporation of Bath, the state’s oldest town, in 1705 and the establishment of the first state university in the country, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which started admitting students in 1795.

It also houses the first school of forestry in the country, and it was established by Dr. Carl A. Schneck in 1898 at Transylvania County. The North Carolina School of the Arts is also the first state-supported institution to offer and emphasize performing arts in their curriculum. It is also the home of Belmont Abbey, the first abbey cathedral in North America and was built in 1910, and Cape Hatteras lighthouse, built-in 1870, the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States at 208 feet tall.

North Carolina is now hailed as the largest producer of furniture, brick, and textile in the nation. Other important industries include metalworking, chemicals, paper, agricultural products (tobacco, corn, peanuts, and other vegetables), mica and lithium. The state is currently one of the tourists’ havens, with countless recreation and activities to choose from including skiing, golfing and fishing. The state also has a number of attractions and exhibits to visit, which are actually are remnants of its very interesting past, including the Blue Ridge National Parkway, Cape Lookout National Seashores, the Wright Brothers National Memorial and Moores Creek National Military Parks and a lot more.