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North Carolina: Early History

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When Europeans first entered North Carolina, they found several native tribes inhabiting the land. There were three major Indian tribes represented in North Carolina: the Iroquoian, the Siouan and the Algonquian. Each of these major tribes consisted of several smaller tribes which shared like traits and languages. In 1524, Giovanni da Verranzano, a Florentine navigator in the service of France, encountered some of these tribes when he explored the coastal area of North Carolina. Verranzano reported his findings to Francis I and published them in a book, but no attempt to settle the area was made. After that, several Spanish explorers traveled through North Carolina, but also made no effort to settle. Following these, there were several settlements made:

• In the 1580’s Queen Elizabeth granted Sir Walter Raleigh a charter to begin colonies in North Carolina. They landed at Roanoke Island. The first colony, begun by Ralph Lane failed. The settlers had to return to England due to hardships.
• John White established a second colony under England’s rule. However, about three years after settling, when White went back to England for supplies, he returned to the colony only to find that the settlers had disappeared! There was a word carved in a tree, “Croatans,” giving hint that this tribe of Indians had something to do with their disappearance. However, this hunch was never proven and this is still known as “The Lost Colony.”
• The first permanent settler, Nathaniel Batts, was a European settler who came from a settlement in Virginia. He was
• In 1663, Charles II, King of England, granted a charter to eight English men, who settled in North Carolina and ruled it until 1729. They named the territory “Carolina” in honor of King Charles (Carolus is a Latin form of Charles). This territory encompassed what we know today as North and South Carolina.
• In 1729, the eight English rulers sold their northern interests to the Crown and North Carolina became a royal colony.

In 1776 battles for independence began and on February 27th of that year the Battle of Moores’ Creek Bridge, the first battle of the American Revolution fought in North Carolina began. Then on April 12th North Carolina became the first state to vote in favor of independence. And on November 21, 1789, North Carolina became the 12th state of the United States of America. Soon, Raleigh became the capital of the state.

Next Page: North Carolina: War-Time History

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