North Carolina Colony Facts: Here's All You Need To Know

The North Carolina colony was one of America's 13 original colonies.

These colonies were then further divided into three distinct regions namely the Southern colonies, the New England colonies, and the Middle colonies. The North Carolina colony fell under the category of Southern colonies and also included the likes of the South Carolina Colony, the Maryland Colony, the Georgia Colony, and the Virginia Colony.

Although some people believe that there was a significant settlement in the North Carolina colony prior to the advent of the 17th century, it is believed to have been originally founded in 1663.

The North Carolina colony was often referred to by its nicknames such as the 'Old Northern State' or the 'Tar Heel State'. Interestingly, the North Carolina colony was home to a variety of natural resources such as fish, timber, and acres of land which was fit for large-scale plantations.

Scroll down for more such North Carolina colony facts.

History Of North Carolina Colony

The North Carolina colony had some of its early settlements during the late 16th century itself but they became the 'Lost Colony' after a point of time. Many historians believe that unsurprisingly, there were several tribes that considered the North Carolina colony as their home and were often deemed as the original settlers.

The first-ever potential colonization of North America by the Europeans dates back to 1585 when Sir Walter Raleigh attempted to establish the Roanoke Colony. However, in a couple of years, the settlement was lost and has since been regarded as the 'Lost Colony'.

Later in 1629, unofficially, the province of Carolina was established which became official a few years later in 1663.

With the advent of time, the province of Carolina gave birth to the province of North Carolina in 1712.

In 1729, the North Carolina province was one of the royal colonies of the British Empire but 47 years later, it declared its independence from Great Britain. Interestingly, North Carolina turned into a royal colony after South Carolina which had already become a royal colony 10 years earlier.

The Economy Of The North Carolina Colony

The North Carolina colony featured a variety of terrains ranging from coastal plains to mountain ranges which paved way for a variety of economic opportunities. The region of North Carolina, as well as South Carolina, has immense amounts of land that are suitable for agriculture. Let us take a closer look at the economic opportunities in these American colonies.

The settlers of North Carolina, as well as South Carolina, significantly depended on agriculture owing to the warm climate and massive agricultural areas in the region.

Some of the common plantations in these regions included the likes of tobacco, livestock, sugar, rice, fruits, cotton, vegetables, grains, and indigo.

One of the most fascinating North Carolina colony facts is the people living in the settlement in these areas not only exported the agricultural produce to other colonies but also traded them for items such as iron, shoes, thread, kitchenware, and many others too.

Culture Of North Carolina Colony

Let us look into the culture of the North Carolina colony.

The first settlement in the North Carolina colony was an amalgamation of the previously existing Native Americans and the British colonists who arrived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.

At the same time, many people who lived early on in the North Carolina colony were in fact migrants who had arrived from Virginia, bringing their own customs and traditions too.

The European colonists and the Native Americans influenced each other's agricultural techniques and produce; there was also a crossover of the values, ideas, and technologies used by both communities. As there were people from various backgrounds settling in the North Carolina colony, there was no one particular dominant religion.

The settlement comprised Jews, Catholics, Baptists, and Anglicans. Some of the indigenous communities belonging to the North Carolina colony included Secotan, Croatons, Chesapeake, and many more.

FAQs

What is an interesting fact about the North Carolina colony?

The North Carolina colony was named after King Charles II as the word 'Carolina' is believed to have been derived from the word 'Carolus' which is the Latin name of 'Charles'.

What was the purpose of the North Carolina colony?

The North Carolina colony was a British settlement that then saw migrants from the West Indies, other European countries expanding the agricultural produce of the colony.

What type of colony was North Carolina?

The North Carolina colony was known as a royal colony after the Lord Proprietors sold the colony to King George II.

Who was the North Carolina colony founded by?

Sir Walter Raleigh was the first British to establish a settlement in the North Carolina colony in the year 1585. However, it only lasted a couple of years and came to be known as the 'Lost Colony'. Eventually, in 1629, the province of Carolina came into existence which became official later in the year 1663.

What was life like in North Carolina as a colony?

Most of the settlers in North Carolina practiced farming due to the warm climate which allowed people to farm throughout the year.