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North Carolina, 1585-1776

  • Period: to

    Pre-Proprietary

  • John White lost his colony

    John White lost his colony
  • Jamestown Settled

    Jamestown Settled
  • 1642-1651 English Civil War

    1642-1651 English Civil War
    Parliament, under sway of Calvinist Protestants, overthrow the Stuart Dynasty and institute the Commonwealth/Interregenum period.
  • Nathaniel Batts first settler in the Albemarle

  • Charles II returns to the English throne

    Charles II returns to the English throne
  • Charles II grants "Carolina" to the Lords Proprietors

    Charles II grants "Carolina" to the Lords Proprietors
  • Period: to

    Proprietary Colony

  • Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina

    Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina
  • Plantation Duty Act

    Plantation Duty Act
    The foundation of English mercantilist policy, the Act required that colonial entities trade only with England, and that royal tax collectors be placed in all colonies to collect duties (taxes) on trade goods. North Carolinians in the Albemarle largely ignored this Act and continued to trade directly with New England merchants.
  • Culpeper's Rebellion

    Culpeper's Rebellion
    Culpeper's Rebellion
    Culpeper’s Rebellion. North Carolinians, because of its shallow ports and second-rate products (corn, lumber, cattle) found their best prospects for trade to be with shallow-draft New England vessels. Trade with New England, however, was not allowed under the Navigation Acts. When Proprietary governor Thomas Miller attempted to enforce the Navigation Acts by suppression of smuggling, prominent Albemarle p
  • Glorious Revolution

    Glorious Revolution
    In England, Parliament once again overthrew the Stuart king (James II), but this time, replaced him with the solidly Protestant William and Mary.
  • Appointment of Deputy Governor for Albemarle region of Carolina

    Appointment of Deputy Governor for Albemarle region of Carolina
  • Gibbs' Rebellion

    During the uncertainty of the Glorious Revolution, a local ship captain named John Gibbs, temporarily overthrew the Proprietary governor. Gibbs’ rebellion only lasted a few days, but indicated the chronic problem of indifferent Proprietary government.
  • 1680s Quakers dominate North Carolina

    The lack of effective authority by both the crown and the Anglican church proved an attraction to thousands of Quakers who did not wish to take loyalty oaths to the Church of England. They found a refuge in North Carolina. Quakers served on the colonial council and in the Assembly, dominated trade, and John Archdale became a Proprietor and governor.
  • Queen Anne's War

    Queen Anne's War
  • Naval Stores Act of 1705

    Naval Stores Act of 1705
  • Cary's Rebellion, 1708-1711

    Cary's Rebellion, 1708-1711
    The dominance of religious dissenters in the Albemarle region irked some Anglicans, who attempted to bring the Church of England establishment firmly into North Carolina. The efforts to establish the CoE lead directly to efforts to control the government of North Carolina as Charles Town merchant Thomas Cary deposed the sitting governor. While the General Assembly endorsed Cary’s move, the Lords Proprietors did not. Cary sat in the governor’s office for three years, considered by North Carolina
  • Tuscarora War

    Tuscarora War
  • Separation of North Carolina from South Carolina

    Oh happy day.
  • First Black Codes

    First Black Codes
    North Carolina’s first slave code enacted, which prohibited blacks or those of mixed race from voting and distinguished the status of slaves and free people, including the ability to travel and congregate.
  • Pirates move into No. Carolina

    Pirates move into No. Carolina
    Britain begins to suppress pirate activity in the Caribbean, forcing many pirates to relocate to the American coast. These former privateers fit well into the economies of weak Proprietary colonial economies because of the pirates’—and the colonial officials’—willingness to subvert the mercantile laws of Britain. Charles Eden, governor of North Carolina, proved enthusiastic in his reception of Stede Bonnet and Edward Teach.
  • End of piracy in No. Carolina

    End of piracy in No. Carolina
    Stede Bonnet hanged by South Carolina and Edward Teach killed in battle by Virginia authorities.
  • Period: to

    Royal Colony

  • No. Carolina becomes a royal colony

    No. Carolina becomes a royal colony
    Proprieters sell their shares in Carolina to the Crown (with the exception of Lord Granville) and North Carolina becomes a royal colony. This is on the verge of tremendous growth in both free and slave population, commercial enterprise, and establishment of towns in the backcountry.
  • Granville District created

  • Separate Baptists arrive

    Shubal Stearns and Daniel Marshall and a congregation of Separate Baptists settle in Alamance County.
  • Hermon Husband complains of land fraud in the Granville District

    Hermon Husband complains of land fraud in the Granville District
    Quaker Hermon Husband writes a letter to Earl Granville, the last remaining Proprietor, complaining that Granville's appointees were engaged in fraudulent land deals.
  • General Assembly

    The NC General Assembly, prompted by the complaints of Husband and others, investigates and confirms instances of fraud in land distribution by Granville's agents.
  • Enfield Riot

    Settlers in the Granville District abdjuct Francis Corbin, Granville's land agent, and carry him to Enfield to extract confessions of guilt and remuneration.
  • Granville District closes

    Earl Granville dies, and during the execution of his will, his land offices in North Carolina close, making land purchases a tenuous proposition in a great portion of the NC backcountry.
  • Currency Act of 1764

    The act forbade the useof paper money to pay off debts to British subjects, required all outstanding bills to be redeemed according to strict schedules, and made illegal any further issue of paper as legal tender.
  • William Tryon appointed governor

    William Tryon appointed governor
  • Sugar Creek, Mecklenburg County

    Sugar Creek, Mecklenburg County
    Settlers in Mecklenburg revolt against the payment of rents to land speculator Hugh McCulloh.
  • Stamp Act

    Stamp Act
    Parliament passes the first direct tax on Americans.
  • Stamp Act protests begin

    Stamp Act protests begin
    Lead by wealthy planters in the Cape Fear region. Newly appointed Governor William Tryon suspends the General Assembly.
  • Stamp Act riot in Wilmington

    Stamp Act riot in Wilmington
    Continued through November, these riots destroyed crown property and prevented customs collectors from assessing and collecting taxes.
  • Sons of Liberty activity in Wilmington

    Sons of Liberty activity in Wilmington
    Sons of Liberty arrest the Governor and seize British customs ships.
  • Sandy Creek Association formed

    Sandy Creek Association formed
  • Sandy Creek Association raises grievences

    Sandy Creek Association raises grievences
    Members of the Sandy Creek Association appear at Hillsboro Court to read a list of their grievences about the nature of local government and denounce corruption.
  • A House for the Governor

    A House for the Governor
    Announcement of poll taxes to pay for a house for the governor, later to be known as Tryon Palace.
  • Regulator petitions and pamphlets

    Regulator petitions and pamphlets
  • First violence

    First violence
    Violence flares when Sheriff Tyree Harris attempts to confiscate the horse and saddle of an Orange County farmer.
  • Arrest of Husband and Butler

    Arrest of Husband and Butler
    Edmund Fanning arrests Herman Husband and William Butler, but is forced to release them when a group of about 700 armed Regulators approach Hillsboro.
  • Agreement

    Agreement
    Local officials, intimidated by the force of Regulators, agree to hear their demands. Governor Tryon subsequently repudiates any efforts to please the rebels.
  • Tryon at Hillsboro

    Tryon at Hillsboro
    Governor Tryon travels to Hillsboro and raises a force of militia to protect the September. 3,700 Regulators surround Hillsboro and Husband is acquitted. Fanning convicted, but receives a nominal fine.
  • Riots

    Riots
    Riots in Edgecombe, Halifax, Johnston, Anson, and Rowan Counties.
  • Hillsboro Riot

    Hillsboro Riot
    Regulators break up the September court, run off justices, and destroy Fanning's house.
  • Johnston Riot Act

    Johnston Riot Act
    The General Assembly empowers the governor to suppress the Regulators.
  • Battle of Alamance

    Battle of Alamance
  • Regulators hanged

    Regulators hanged
    Six Regulators captured at the Battle of Alamance are hanged in Hillsboro, effectively ending the insurgency.
  • Edenton Tea Party

    Edenton Tea Party