North Carolina State Guide

North Carolina is a state in the Southeastern United States. North Carolina is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Tennessee to the west, Virginia to the north and South Carolina and Georgia to the south. North Carolina is one of the most populous and most extensive of the 50 United States.

North Carolina consists of 100 counties. North Carolina's two largest metropolitan areas Raleigh - the capital of North Carolina and Charlotte - its largest city, among the top ten fastest-growing in the country. The economy of North Carolina, in the past five decades, has undergone a transition from heavy reliance upon textiles, furniture-making, tobacco to a more diversified economy with energy, engineering, biotechnology and finance sectors.

The state of North Carolina is known for its natural resources with the highest mountain peaks east of the Rockies and more than 300 miles of Atlantic coastline. The state of North Carolina consistently ranks among the top places to live and do business.

History of North Carolina

North Carolina history ^[1] from prehistory to the present comprises the experiences of the people who have resided in the territory. In the early times, the eastern half of North Carolina was underwater. People believe that the first Native Americans inhabited the New World around 10,000 to 12,000 years ago. Nearly 30 Native American groups, eventually, settled across the state.

The British in the year 1580s established two colonies in North Carolina and both of them failed. During the 1600s permanent settlers from Virginia started to move to North Carolina, and it eventually became part of a British colony known as "Carolina."

It is also believed that in the year 1775 North Carolina became the first colony to declare independence from Great Britain. North Carolina became the twelfth state of the Union, after the American Revolution, North Carolina in the year 1861 withdrew from the Union and joined the Confederacy in the Civil War. North Carolina troops surrendered in 1865, leaving the state to be brought back into the Union in 1868.

North Carolina transformed into a modern state in the 20th century. The transformation began when the Wright Brothers flew the first airplane in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in the year1903.

Early History

In the Ancient times the Eastern half of the state was underwater. The Archaeologists believes that the some 12,000 to 10,000 years ago the first Native Americans crossed into the New World from Siberia. Approximately, 30 Native American tribes, prior to 1500 were scattered across North Carolina. Notable among these were the Tuscarora, the Cherokee, the Catawba and the Croatans. Town Creek Indian Mound was built by the Native Americans. In the year 1524, Giovanni de Varrazano the first European visited North Carolina.

Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in the year 1540 explores the southwestern part of the state in search of gold. In order to establish the New World's first English colony on North Carolina's Roanoke Island, Sir Walter Raleigh sends several shiploads of people in the year 1584-1585. In the year 1586 the colonists were forced to return to England due to hardships. On July 2nd in the year 1587 John White established a second English colony at Roanoke. In the same year August 22, white returns to England for more supplies. In the year 1590 White returns to Roanoke only to find that the settlers have all disappeared. The fate of "The Lost Colony" till date remains one of the state's most enduring mysteries.Nathaniel Batts becomes the first European man to permanently settle in North Carolina in 1655. Bath, the first town in North Carolina was established in the year 1705. During 1711-1713, the Tuscarora War between Native Americans and European settlers began. The Tuscarora ended the war, after two years of fighting a number of military expeditions, marking the last significant effort by eastern Indians to stop the wave of white settlers crowding them out of their land.

During the year 1767-1770, Tryon Palace was set up in New Bern which became North Carolina's colonial capitol building. In the year 1774 the women of Edenton, headed by Penelope Barker, take on British Government by putting down their tea cups in what becomes known as the Edenton Tea Party. On 27th February, 1776 the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge was fought. This was the first battle of the American Revolution to be fought in North Carolina. On April 12th in the same year North Carolina became the very first state to vote in favor of independence. On 21st November 1789, North Carolina became the 12th state of the United States of America. On 11th December the University of North Carolina is chartered becomes the first public school in the United States. The capital of North Carolina was moved to Raleigh in the year 1794. The capital was previously located in New Bern. In 1799, the first gold nugget was found in the United States at Reed Gold Mine in Cabarrus County.

North Carolina from 1800-1899

In the Early 1800s, North Carolina came to be known as the "Rip Van Winkle" state since it made very little progress. The "Walton War" was fought between residents of Georgia and North Carolina in the year 1804. Andrew Jackson from North Carolina became the 7th president of the United States in the year 1828. In the year 1830 the Government of US forces Cherokee Indians from their homes in what came to known as the "Trail of Tears." Many Cherokee took shelter in the mountains of North Carolina. Edward B. Dudley becomes the first popularly elected governor of North Carolina in the year 1836, after years of having governors elected by the state senate. Based on a plan that had been drafted in 1817, the first public schools opened in North Carolina in the year 1840.

On 20th May 1861, North Carolina leaves the Union. They instead of voting withdrew the United States like the other states to undo the the act that had brought it into the United States. From the year 1861 to 1865 the United States Civil War was fought. During the war about 40,000 North Carolinians were killed. In 1865, the Battle of Bentonville turned out to be the bloodiest battle fought in North Carolina. The Confederates were defeated by Union troops. On 26th April in the same year a large number of Confederates surrendered at Bennett Place, outside of Durham in North Carolina. On 6th May the last Confederate troops in North Carolina surrendered. The last federal reoccupation troops left North Carolina in the year 1877. Also in the same year The North Carolina Department of was established. In the year 1897 the first bill to provide women are the right to vote in North Carolina was proposed. However the bill was never passed.

North Carolina from 1900 - Present

In the year 1903, the Wright brothers made man's first successful flight at Kitty Hawk in North Carolina. In the year 1917, the United States enters World War I. Fort Bragg was established in the year 1918. In the year 1920, the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed which gave women the right to vote across the country and also in North Carolina. The Great Depression begins in North Carolina in the year 1929. In the year1941 the united state entered World War II. Pembroke State College for Indians (now UNC-Pembroke) was established in the year 1943. It became the nation’s first public four-year college for Native Americans. In the year 1959, Research Triangle Park opened in between Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill marking in an era of high-tech growth in North Carolina. During the year 1950s to 1960s the Civil Rights Movement started. In the year 1960 Governor Terry Sanford began his "Go Forward" program in order to improve education in North Carolina.

On 1st February, 1960 the first ever sit-in occurs in Greensboro in North Carolina in order to protest segregation at a lunch counter. Also in the same year, Governor Sanford established the North Carolina Fund which worked to end poverty in North Carolina and became a model for programs across the nation. During the year 1965-1973, Vietnam War was fought. The Smart Start program in order to improve school readiness began in the year 1993. The Raleigh-Durham region of North Carolina was ranked as the best place to live in the United States in 1994. In the year 1996 Hurricane Fran strikes North Carolina, which caused massive damage across the state. In the same year Elaine F. Marshall became the first female to be elected Secretary of State in North Carolina. Again in the year 1999 Hurricane Floyd strikes North Carolina, causing devastation in many areas in the eastern part of the state.

Timeline of North Carolina

Geography of North Carolina

The state of North Carolina is situated in the southeast region^[2] of the United States. The state of North Carolina is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the east, Tennessee to the west, Virginia to the north, South Carolina to the south and Georgia to the southwest. North Carolina lies between 33 degrees North and 37 degrees North latitude and 75 degrees West and 85 degrees West longitude.

Landforms of North Carolina

The three distinct landforms of North California include the Coastal Plain, the Appalachian Mountains and the Piedmont.

• The Coastal Plain is flat low sloping which extends along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.
• The Piedmont is the hilly, rolling land, bordering the Coastal Plain. It extends from Virginia to Alabama.
• The Appalachian Mountains are the largest range in the eastern United States. These mountains stretch from Canada to northern Alabama.

Regions in North Carolina

The three landforms of North Carolina form the three major geographic regions which includes the Piedmont, the Coastal Plain and the Mountains.

Coastal Plain

North Carolina's Coastal Plain is divided into two parts the Outer Coastal Plain and the Inner Coastal Plain.
The Outer Coastal Plain is formed up of the Outer Banks and Tidewater region. These are a string of barrier islands which is separated from the mainland by sounds and inlets. Hatteras, Bodie, Portsmouth, Ocracoke are the largest islands in the outer banks. Cape Lookout, Cape Fear and Cape Hatteras are the three capes and are part of the Outer Banks. There are dangerous shoals or underwater sandbars near these capes which are hazards to ships. Cape Hatteras is also called the Graveyard of the Atlantic because shifting sand has caused number of ships to run aground. The Outer Banks stretch over 175 miles along the coast.


The Tidewater is the region along the coast near the sea level. Major streams and rivers falls into the ocean. Tidewater region has seven sounds which includes Albemarle, Pamlico, Currituck, Roanoke, Croatan , Bogue and Core sounds. There are many wetlands (low-lying areas) in this region where water covers the land. North Carolina's largest wetland area includes the Great Dismal Swamp, a series of swamps scattered from Virginia, to North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The swamps cover 750 square miles, making it one of the largest swamps in the United States. The Tidewater region is the only region in the world where the Venus flytrap plant naturally grows.

The Inner Coastal Plain is a higher and drier area which starts west of the Tidewater. The rich and sandy soil in the inner coastal plain is some of the North Carolina’s best farmland. The southwestern corner of the Inner Coastal Plain includes the Sandhills, a subregion of rolling, sandy hills. Inner Coastal Plain region has the highest elevation on the Coastal Plain which ranges from about 900 to 1,000 feet above sea level. Longleaf pines are native to this region.

Piedmont



The Piedmont, located between the Coastal Plain and the Mountain regions is the middle region of the state. Piedmont is a French word which means "foot of the mountain."The altitude of the area ranges from 300 feet in the western Coastal plain to about 1,500 feet near the mountains. Fall line or fall zone is the boundary between the Coastal Plain and the Piedmont. Rivers in this area flows from the older, harder rocks of the Piedmont to the softer rocks of the coastal Plain. Along the fall line, rivers form rapids, shoals and low waterfall. Streams are usually smooth-flowing below the fall line. The streams are rocky and shallow, above the fall line making boating difficult. Because it is high and mostly flat the land of the Piedmont is called a plateau.

Mountains

The western part of the North Carolina is the Mountain region. The area is small in comparison to Piedmont and Coastal Plain. The altitude in this area reaches to more than one mile high. The Piedmont from the Mountain region is separated by the Blue Ridge Mountains. Other ranges in the Mountain region include the Balsam, Bald, Black, Great Smoky, Brushy, Iron, Stone, Unaka and Pisgah. All of these ranges are part of the great Appalachian Mountains. This mountain is the oldest mountains in the United States.


North Carolina consists at least 40 mountains that rise to 6,000 feet and 100 mountains that rise more than 5,000 feet. Mount Mitchell located in the Black Mountain range is 6, 684 feet high. Mount Mitchell is the highest point in North Carolina and also the highest point in the United States east of the Mississippi River. The Eastern Continental Divide flows east from those flowing west. Rivers on the eastern side of the divide runs east toward the Atlantic Ocean. Rivers that flow on the western side of the divide runs toward the Ohio Rivers and Tennessee and into the Gulf of Mexico.

Climate of North Carolina

The state of North Carolina is situated in a warm temperate zone. The different regions of the state can experience a great variety of weather conditions. The average temperatures are 30 degrees Fahrenheit in January and 65 degrees Fahrenheit in August in areas located in the mountains. While places near the coastal plains can often experience 40 degrees Fahrenheit in January and 90 degrees Fahrenheit in August. The average rain fall in the area is 44 inches and 5 inches of snow each year.

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Important Mountains Peaks in North Carolina

The State of North Carolina has hundreds of mountain peaks and all its elevation varies from one another. Some of the major mountain peaks in North Carolina includes:


Mount Mitchell: It is the highest peak of the Appalachian Mountains and also the highest mountain in North Carolina. The Mount Mitchell temple is located at an altitude of 6,684 ft above sea level.

Mount Craig: This Mountain is located at an altitude of 6,647 ft above sea level, near Burnsville, North Carolina.

The Black Mountains: The Black Mountains mountain range is located in western North Carolina, in the southeastern United States. These mountain ranges area apart of the Blue Ridge Province of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. It is located at an altitude of about 6,684 ft above sea level.

The Great Smoky Mountains: Smoky Mountains are the mountain ranges that rise along the Tennessee–North Carolina border in the southeastern United States. These mountain ranges are best known as the home of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Mount Guyot: Mount Guyot is located at an altitude of a 6,621 ft above sea level.

North Carolina Forest Service

Forest land of North Carolina is one of the greatest influences on the state, offering economic value and adding immeasurably to the quality of life for its citizens. The NC Forest Service's main purpose is to ensure quality and adequate forest resources for the state to meet present and future needs. North Carolina has four National Forests including 1.25 million acres of public lands from the mountains to the seas. The four national forest^[3] in North Carolina are:


Croatan National Forest

The Croatan National Forest is the only true coastal forest in the East, encompassing 160,000 acres of pine forest, salt estuaries and wetlands. The forest is surrounded on three sides by water – the Neuse River, the Bogue Sound and the White Oak River. The forest offers aquatic recreation as well as an interesting mix of wildlife.

Uwaharrie National Forest

This forest is located in central North Carolina. It is the smallest of the state’s national forests at just over 50,600 acres. The forest is named after the ancient Uwaharrie Mountains, on top of which most of the forest sits.

Nantahala National Forest

Nantahala National Forest stretches more than 531,000 acres across the mountains of Western North Carolina. Nantahala forest is the largest of North Carolina’s national forests. Nantahala is a Cherokee word which means "land of the noon day sun," a suitable name as in some spots deep within the park, the sun only reaches to the valley floor at midday.

Pisgah National Forest

The Pisgah National Forest covers about 512,758 acres of mountainous terrain in the southern Appalachian Mountains also including parts of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Elevations in this forest reach over 6,000 feet including some of the highest peaks in the eastern United States. Mount Mitchell, the tallest mountain in the East, is located just outside the boundaries of Pisgah National Forest.

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Demographics of North Carolina

According to July 1 2013 census the estimated population^[4] of North Carolina is 9,848,060, a 3.3% increase since the 2010 census. Of the people living in North Carolina, 58.5% were born in North Carolina while, 33.1% were born in another US state and 1.0% were born in Puerto Rico, U.S. Island areas, or born abroad to American parent(s), and 7.4% were born in another country.

Economy of North Carolina

North Carolina’s Economy covers 15 metropolitan areas which includes Asheville, Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill (NC-SC), Burlington, Durham-Chapel Hill, Goldsboro, Fayetteville, Greensboro-High Point, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, Greenville,Raleigh-Cary, Rocky Mount, Jacksonville, Wilmington, Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News (Virginia & North Carolina) and Winston-Salem.

Agriculture in North Carolina

North Carolina is one of the most diversified agriculture states in United States. The Agriculture^[5] of North Carolina includes Fiber, Food and forestry. It contributes $78 billion to the economy of the state. It also accounts for more than 17 percent of the North Carolina’s income and also employs 16 percent of the work force. 52,200 farmers of the state grow more than 80 different products using 8.4 million of the state's 31 million acres in order to furnish consumers an affordable and dependable supply of food and fiber. The state also produces more sweet potatoes and tobacco any other state.

Field crops of North Carolina

Historically, Tobacco has been the major cash crop in North Carolina. It remains one of the North carolina’s most predominant farm commodities. Apart from this some of the major crops in North carolina includes Cotton, Soybeans, Corn, peanut and wheat.

Livestock and Poultry of North Carolina

Pigs and Hogs have been an important portion of North Carolina’s agriculture. The state’s number of cattle and calves on farms throughout time has remained relatively stable. The broiler industry in North Carolina continues to expand with the ever increasing demand for chicken. The state is also the leading state in the production of turkeys.

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Industries of North Carolina

North Carolina over the past 20 years has transformed from a traditional economy based on furniture, textiles and tobacco to a global economy that is driven by knowledge-based enterprises. Most of the traditional industry sectors of North Carolina showcase the economic transformation.

Some of the key industries that are growing in North Carolina include aerospace and aviation, automotive, advanced manufacturing, agribusiness, energy, biopharmaceuticals, defense, software and information technology, financial services as well as textiles.

Aerospace and aviation

With more than 9,500 people employed in aerospace manufacturing North Carolina, has the advanced manufacturing talent to support its growing aerospace industry. Over 180 aerospace companies are engaged in manufacturing in North Carolina.

Software and information technology

More than 100,000 highly skilled workers of North Carolina are employed in the information and communications technology industry.

Fiscal services

North Carolina is the second-largest financial center in the nation. Insurance and Finance companies consists of the state’s largest economic sectors. The company employs over 150,000 workers.

Natural resources in North Carolina

North Carolina has important deposits of Natural resources like lithium minerals, scrap mica, feldspar, pyrophyllite and olivine. The state does not produce significant quantities of metallic minerals; North Carolina does not produce oil or gas. North Carolina has also been popular for variety of precious and semi-precious stones found in the Mountain and Piedmont regions of the state.

Leading Employers of North Carolina

Top manufacturing employers in North Carolina

Mithfield Foods: Over1000 employees
Ibm Corporation: Over1000 employees
Cisco Systems: Over1000 employees
Daimler Trucks North America LLC: Over1000 employees
Tyson Foods Inc Manufacturing: Over1000 employees

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Top non manufacturing employers in North Carolina

Walmart Associates Inc Retail: Over1000 employees
Duke University Educational Services: Over1000 employees
Food Lion LLC: Over1000 employees
Wells Fargo Bank Na (A Corp): Over1000 employees
Bank of America Na: Over1000 employees

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Cost of Living

The Cost of Living of North Carolina seems to be same with that of many states across the country. From transportation to health care, from housing and utilities to everyday supplies and groceries most part of North Carolina residents enjoys a cost of living that is below the national average.

Government of North Carolina

The North Carolina Government^[6] comprises of the Executive Branch, the Judicial Branch and the Legislative Branch. These branches consists of the bicameral legislature-called the General Assembly, the Council of State-led by the Governor and the state court system-headed by the North Carolina Supreme Court.

The Executive Branch

North Carolina Executive Branch consists of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and Secretary of State, Commissioner of Agriculture, Commissioner of Insurance, Commissioner of Labor, Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Treasurer and State Auditor. North Carolina is the head of the executive branch of North Carolina's state government is the Governor. The second highest elected official in North Carolina is the Lieutenant Governor.

The Legislative Branch

The North Carolina General assembly of is the state legislature. The state legislature consists of the 50-member North Carolina Senate and 120-member North Carolina House of Representatives. The House of Representatives members serves for a term of two years. The presiding officer of the House of Representatives is the Speaker. The North Carolina Senate members also serve a term of two years. The Lieutenant Governor is the President of the Senate, who presides over the daily session.

The Judicial Branch

North Carolina’s Judiciary system is headed by the Supreme Court of North Carolina. North Carolina Court of Appeals is the state's intermediate appellate court and cosists of fifteen judges who rule in rotating panels of three. The Supreme Court and Court of Appeals together, comprises of the appellate division of the court system.

Education in North Carolina

The State Board of Education of North Carolina has the constitutional authority to uphold and lead the system of public education in North Carolina. The Goals of the State board of Education includes:

• Every student in the North Carolina Public School^[7] System graduates from high school prepared for work, further education and citizenship.
• Every student in North Carolina has a personalized education.
• Every educational institute has the latest business, financial and technology systems to serve its educators, students and parents.

The Top Universities in North Carolina includes: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, North Carolina State University, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University of North Carolina Wilmington, University of North Carolina at Pembroke and University of North Carolina at Asheville

Office of the North Carolina State Board of Education
301 North Wilmington Street, Room 212
6302 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699-6302
Phone: 919.807.3401
Fax: 919.807.3198

Tradition and Culture of North Carolina

North Carolina Culture is a subculture in the United States. North Carolina, as a coastal state, culture has been greatly influenced by the early settlers from England and southeastern United States. Art, Music and entertainment are also major aspects of the state of North Carolina. The popular and notable cultural events of North Carolina include:

• North Carolina Jazz Festival (NCJF) is a popular festival for more than 32 years, every year takes place in in Wilmington in the month of February.
• North Carolina Azalea Festival held during the month of April.
• Fayetteville Dogwood Festival takes places during the month of April in Fayetteville.
• North Carolina Pickle Festival held during the month of April.
• Biltmore Festival of Flowers takes place during the month of April and May at Asheville

North Carolina people love putting on a good show. From ballets and Broadway play at the award-winning Durham Performing Arts Center to Street Dance bluegrass festivals in Hendersonville, to outdoor drama at the Waterside Theatre on the Outer Banks, you will surely find an eclectic mix of art and culture and entertainment in North Carolina.

Transportation in North Carolina

North Carolina has the largest state-maintained highway system in the nation. The state also has 76 public, 225 private and four international airports. The state also has the largest ferry system on the east coast. Carolina’s Amtrak operates the Piedmont and Carolinian passenger trains, providing daily service to Charlotte, Greensboro, Raleigh and nine other North Carolina cities.

Firsts in North Carolina

• The University of North Carolina was the first public university to open its doors, in the United States
• North Carolina was also the place where the first known miniature golf course is located in Fayetteville.
• The first known miniature golf course was in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
• On March 7th, 1914, Babe Ruth hit his first professional home run in Fayetteville.
• In the year 1587, Virginia Dare, the first English child born in America, was born in Roanoke, North Carolina,
• The site of America's first gold rush, Cabarrus County is located in North Carolina.

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References:

1. North Carolina History
2. Geography of North Carolina
3. North Carolina National Forests
4. North Carolina Population
5. North Carolina Agriculture
6. North Carolina Government
7. North Carolina Education