THE COLONY OF NORTH CAROLINA
BEGINNINGS
Until 1660, North Carolina was Native
American territory. North Carolina was a colony
that grew slowly because of the few navigable
rivers, no deep harbors and an unstable
government. As a result, no towns grew here for
nearly 50 years.
John Pory made the first recorded visit
to the area that would become North Carolina.
He visited in 1622 and noted the abundance of
pine trees that could be used for ship masts.
These trees could also be used for pitch and tar
needed for shipbuilding. In 1657, Nathaniel
Batts became the first permanent settler.
North Carolina’s first colonists were
Virginians who settled near Albemarle. In the
1650s, Virginians were moving to the area. By
the early 1660s there were about 500 people
living in Carolana. They were moving here
because of the fertile and inexpensive land,
tobacco, and plenty of trees for naval stores.
Charles I gave the land to Robert Heath
who named it “Carolana” meaning the land of
Charles. Heath was not successful in
establishing settlements and the land returned to
Charles I. However, in England in 1649, Charles
I was beheaded and his son Charles II went into
hiding.
In 1660 Charles II was returned to the
throne. As a reward he gave the land of
“Carolana” to eight of his friends, the Lords
Proprietors. This was done through the
“Carolina Charter of 1663” and established the
government of the colony.
The Lord’s Proprietors divided the land
into three counties, each named after a
proprietor. Albemarle extended sixty miles from
Jamestown, Clarendon was near the Cape Fear
River, and Craven was to the south and is now
South Carolina. Albemarle became the first
government of the colony.
By 1665 people were living on farms
throughout the area north of Albemarle.
However, even with incentives from the Lords
Proprietors to move, growth was slow. Many
problems faced the new settlers such as:
 geography--shallow harbors
 absentee proprietors
 taxes were collected in species (coins)
 Virginia was spreading rumors


small land grants
incompetent and dishonest governors
TAX PROBLEMS
People in Albemarle could not afford
the extra taxes imposed on them by the
Navigation Acts. They rebelled against the
colonial government. The revolt for free trade
was called “Culpeper’s Rebellion,” named after
the leader, John Culpeper. Culpeper and his
followers captured the acting governor, Thomas
Miller, and imprisoned him. The rebels took
over the government and for the next two years
the colony enjoyed peace and quiet.
Culpeper then went to England to make
peace with the Proprietors but was arrested when
he arrived. He was tried for treason and was
found not guilty. This ended the Culpeper
Rebellion. The Proprietors sent a new governor,
Seth Sothel. He was such a terrible governor
that he was arrested, tried, found guilty on 13
charges and sent back to England.
For the next 15 years the colony
enjoyed a peaceful and effective government.
The colony of Albemarle began to grow. In
1706, Bath became the first incorporated town.
The French Huguenots who moved for religious
freedom from a Virginia settlement settled it. In
1710, the town of New Bern was founded by
Swiss immigrants and laid out in the form of a
cross.
CONFLICT FOR POWER
After 1700 North Carolina experienced
troubled times. The Anglicans and Quakers
were at odds for control of the government.
The tax-supported church of the colony
was the Anglican Church. However, with the
governorship of John Archdale, a converted
Quaker, the Quakers were in control of the
government of Albemarle. When an Anglican
became the governor, he passed the Vestry Act.
This called for support of the Anglican Church in
order to extend its power.
Another act was passed that required all
Assemblymen be Anglican and to take an oath of
allegiance to the English monarchy. The
Quaker’s belief was against the swearing of an
oath. This resulted in discord and a struggle for
control of the government.
(OVER)
THE COLONY OF NORTH CAROLINA
The confusion within the colony made
the Proprietors angry they appointed Edward
Hyde as the first governor of the colony of North
Carolina in 1712. They hoped this would ease
the discord. This date also marks the separation
of North and South Carolina.
TUSCARORA WAR
In the early 1700s the Tuscaroras and
other Native Americans living in North Carolina
were tired of being cheated by the white settlers
in trade. They resented losing their land, the
destruction of their crops and the enslavement of
their people.
In September of 1711, the colonists
were vulnerable and weak and suffering from the
political conflict among the Anglicans and
Quakers. Also, the crops had failed that year
causing the people to lose hope. The Tuscaroras
decided it was an opportune time to attack Bath
and the surrounding settlements. The attacks
lasted three days and were described as “totally
wasted and ruined.” The scene was one of
desolation, blood and ashes.
Governor Hyde called for South
Carolina troops to help. Colonel James Barnwell
was sent and he defeated the Tuscaroras in two
battles near New Bern. A peace treaty was
signed. However, it was not honored by the
colony and further raids continued that summer
and fall. Many colonists also died from yellow
fever, including the governor, Edward Hyde.
South Carolina sent Colonel Thomas Moore to
crush the remaining Tuscaroras. The survivors
of the Native Americans moved to New York.
The Tuscarora War was the bloodiest conflict
ever fought on North Carolina soil.
PIRACY
With the threat of the Tuscaroras gone,
the colony was able to move forward and the
settlements progressed. Governor Charles Eden
and the Assembly in 1715 passed laws that
solved the problems of the weak government and
conflict in the past. It encouraged development
of towns and borough towns, towns with 60 or
more families, were represented in the
Assembly.
The islands of North Carolina’s Outer
Banks made perfect hiding places for pirates.
They would attack the slower, larger ships and
run back to the shallow inlets to escape. During
the Age of Piracy, 1689-1718, North Carolina
was home to two of the best known in America,
Major Stede Bonnet and Blackbeard (Edward
Teach).
Blackbeard lived in Bath and was one
of the cruelest of all. He wore his nearly waistlong, black beard in braided pigtails, each tied
with a colored ribbon. Before going to battle, he
lit slow burning matches and hung them under
his hat, giving him a frightening appearance. The
six pistols he wore in his belt were always
loaded.
Governor Eden protected Blackbeard,
and probably shared some of the loot. However,
other colonies were not so gracious. They
wanted piracy ended. Virginia sent forces to put
an end to Blackbeard and piracy. Blackbeard
was found near Ocracoke Inlet and killed in a
battle.
NORTH CAROLINA BECOMES A ROYAL
COLONY
North Carolina continued to grow.
Counties were created to the south. The Cape
Fear region down to Wilmington grew.
Wilmington with its excellent harbor was North
Carolina’s largest city from 1840-1900.
On July 25, 1729, all of the Lords
Proprietors except Lord Granville sold their
shares in North Carolina to King George II.
North Carolina became a royal colony and it
prospered. Because of the many pine trees in the
area, exports included naval stores, tar, pitch and
turpentine. North Carolina exported tobacco,
corn, beans, rice, and other items to neighboring
colonies, England, and the West Indies.
By 1775, the population had grown to
almost 350,000. They came from England,
Scotland, and Germany. Of the African
Americans, some were indentured servants.
However, North Carolina did have slavery.