4-33 The State of North Carolina

The great state of North Carolina became the 12^th state in the Union on November 21, 1789.  Its state capital is Raleigh.  North Carolina was named to honor King Charles I (Carolus is Latin for Charles).

In 1524, Giovanni de Varrazano was the first European to visit North Carolina.  Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto explored the southwestern part of the state in search of gold in 1540.

The New World's first English colony was established by Sir Walter Raleigh on North Carolina's Roanoke Island in 1584.  But in 1586, the colonists were forced to return to England due to hardships.  On July 2, 1587, John White established a second English colony at Roanoke.  On August 18, 1587, Virginia Dare was born, becoming the first English child christened on American soil.  On August 22, 1587, White returned to England for more supplies.  When White returned to Roanoke Island in 1590, he found that all the settlers had disappeared. The word "CROATOAN" was found carved into a tree. The fate of "The Lost Colony" remains one of the state's most enduring mysteries.

Nathaniel Batts was the first European man to permanently settle in North Carolina in 1655.  Bath,  the first town in North Carolina, was built in 1705.  During 1711-1713, the Native Americans fought the European settlers for land rights.  This war was known as the Tuscarora War.

Blackbeard the pirate was killed off the coast of North Carolina in 1718.  Tryon Palace was built in New Bern and it became the colonial capital building.  In 1774, the women of Edenton, led by Penelope Barker, took on the British by putting down their tea cups in what became known as the Edenton Tea Party.

On February 27, 1776, the Battle of Moores Creek Bridge became the first battle of the American Revolutionary War to be fought in North Carolina.  On April 12th,  North Carolina became the first state to vote in favor of independence.

On November 21, 1789, North Carolina became the 12th state of the United States of America. And on December 11th, the University of North Carolina is chartered, becoming the first public school in the United States.  The capital of North Carolina, which had previously been located in New Bern, was moved to Raleigh in 1794.

Emblem/Symbol	Name of Emblem/Symbol	Adopted
Motto	"Esse Quam Videri" (To Be Rather Than to Seem)
Nickname	Tar Heel State
State Seal		1893
State Bird	Cardinal	1943
State Flower	Dogwood	1941
State Wildflower	Carolina Lilly	2003
State Song	"The Old North State"	1927
State Tree	Pine	1963
State Flag		1885
State Insect	Honeybee	1973
State Saltwater Fish	Channel Bass	1971
State Mammal	Grey Squirrel	1969
State Rock	Granite	1979
State Gem	Emerald	1973
State Reptile	Eastern Box Turtle	1979
State Dog	Plott Hound	1989

Complete the questions below.

1.  North Carolina became the 12^th state in the Union on November 21, .

2.  The state song is "."

3.  The word "CROATOAN" was found carved into a .

4.  The state bird is the .

5.  Carolina Lilly is the state .

6.  The New World's first English colony was established by .

7.  "Esse Quam Videri," the state motto, means ().

8.  The state gem is the .

9.  The nickname is the .

10.  The state reptile is the .