North Carolina is located in southeastern U.S.A. It was the twelfth state of the United States being admitted on November 21, 1789. North Carolina is the twenty-eighth largest state in the U.S.A and the eleventh most populous. Its bordering states are Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The state capital is Raleigh and the largest city, Charlotte. The major rivers are Neuse River, Roanoke River and Yadkin River and the major lakes are Lake Mattamuskeet, Lake Phelps and Lake Waccamaw. In 1861, North Carolina became one of the last of the Confederate States to declare secession from the Union, seven years later it was restored to the Union. It was the first Spanish settlement in the interior of what is now known as the United States. North Carolina is famous as the location for the Wright Brothers first successful controlled and sustained heavier than air flight.
North Carolina was named to honor King Charles I. The state has two nicknames, 'Tar Heel State' and 'Old North State'. The state bird is the Cardinal and the state flower, the Flowering Dogwood. The state flag was adopted in 1885. The background is divided into three with the colors blue, red and white. The blue bears the gold letters 'N' and 'C' which are separated by a white star. There are two ribbons above and below these letters. The ribbon above reads, 'May 20th 1775', commemorating the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. The lower ribbon bears the date 'April 12th 1776', to commemorate the adoption of the Halifax Resolves.
Prior to European arrival in North Carolina, Native Americans dwelt in the land. They built homes and cities and buildings for religious institutions. The first Europeans to the land arrived in the sixteenth century. In 1567 Captain Juan Pardo led a voyage into the heart of the land to claim the area for the Spanish colony. He built six Forts and left thirty men in the land while he explored further. In the spring of 1658, these European men were killed and the six Forts destroyed by the Natives.
The first permanent settlers in North Carolina were the British who migrated from Virginia. In 1663, King Charles II of England granted a permit to start a new colony on the North American continent, naming it Carolina after his father Charles I. This led to full-scale British Settlement of the land. However, in 1712, this colony split into two, South Carolina and North Carolina, due to disputes over governance. Most of the English colonists came to the land as servants. The economy of North Carolina was based on slavery and labourers, mostly living in the east of the state. As the flow of labourers to the colony began to decrease, the state began to import more slaves and hardened the states restrictions on slaves. This slave labour was first devoted to the production of tobacco. This slave labour economy dwindled following the Revolution when the Quakers and Mennonites persuaded slaveholders to free their slaves.
The colony of North Carolina was the first colony to vote for its independence from Britain. On April 12, 1776 the nation adopted the Halifax Resolves. The nation fought against the British and their victory at Kings Mountain provided an advantage to the colonist who favoured American independence.
North Carolina joined the Confederacy after President Abraham Lincoln called on it to invade its sister-state, South Carolina. It was the last state to join the Confederacy, seceding from the Union on May 20, 1861. Still, after this secession there was some conflict in the state. Some people refused to join the Confederacy whilst others welcomed it warmly. During the American war, some people from North Carolina fought for the Union whilst others fought for the Confederacy. Finally, in the spring of 1865, North Carolina's port city of Wilmington was the last Confederate port to fall to the Union.
The major industries in North Carolina consist of farming tobacco and poultry, textiles and furniture. Its agricultural outputs include sweet potatoes, tobacco, eggs and soybeans. The state is the ninth wealthiest state in terms of gross domestic product.
The climate of North Carolina is greatly affected by the Atlantic Ocean, which keeps temperatures mild in winter and moderate in the summer. The Piedmont region however, is not influenced by the Atlantic Ocean to the same extent that the rest of the state is. Therefore it has hotter summers and colder winters than the coast. Piedmont is also quite unpopular owing to its sleet and freezing rain. The state is affected by natural conditions throughout the entire year including hurricanes, tropical storms, thunderstorms and tornadoes.
As of 2008 North Carolina is the fourth-fastest growing state in the U.S.A. with an increase of population of over 14% in the last eight years. It currently is home to about of 9.3 million residents. The nation is greatly overwhelmed by the Protestant religion. However, other religions, which are practiced in the state, include Christians, Roman Catholic and Jews.
Two President's of the United States have hailed from North Carolina:
• James Knox Polk - he was the 11th US President, serving from 1845 to 1849
• Andrew Johnson - he was the 17th US President, serving from 1865 to 1869
North Carolina is a center in American motorsports. The largest racetrack in North Carolina is Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord where the Sprint Cup Series holds three major races each year. North Carolina is also a fan of the sports; football, basketball, wrestling, hockey and baseball. The top tourist attractions in the state are the Shell-shaped Gas Station, World's Largest Ten Commandments, Belhaven Memorial Museum and World's Largest Chest of Drawers. Tourists are also attracted to the state's outdoor recreation activities such as cross country skiing, Black Mountain Crest Trail, National Parks and Forests, Sliding Rock and surf fishing.
Source:
Wikipedia
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