North Carolina Land of Contrasts Chapter 4 A

North Carolina: Land of Contrasts Chapter 4 A Royal Colony Struggles Study Presentation © 2007 Clairmont Press

Chapter 4: A Royal Colony Struggles • • Section 1: Continuing Political Troubles Section 2: Peopling the Backcountry Section 3: Life on the Carolina Frontier Section 4: William Tryon and the Regulation

Section 1: Continuing Political Troubles ESSENTIAL QUESTION – What problems faced the first royal governors?

Section 1: Continuing Political Troubles What words do I need to know? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. boycott Granville District frontier French and Indian War ranger

Section 1: Continuing Political Troubles Introduction • 1729: King of England bought North Carolina • 1734: Gabriel Johnston sent to govern • Armand de Rosset: sent to help establish Wilmington • Goods cost 50% more to ship from N. C. • Top 10% of families of N. C. not as wealthy as Virginia • N. C. poor seemed poorer than those of Virginia

Sectional Conflicts • Settlement of Cape Fear resented by Albemarle over wealth and power • Naval stores given to Cape Fear • 1746 to 1754: the Albemarle boycotted the General Assembly • 1744: the king granted the northern half of the colony to Lord Granville (The Granville District) resulted in anger across N. C.

A New Royal Governor • 1754: Arthur Dobbs replaced Johnston as governor • Only ½ of revenue collections put into the treasury • Public expenses higher than ever due to so many new settlers • Settlers felt threatened by the Cherokees

The French and Indian War • 1754 – 1763: The French and Indian War worsened matters in N. C. • War fought over control of North America • Territory west of the : Appalachians controlled by the French • Cherokees sided with the French • “Albany Plan of Union” proposed by Benjamin Franklin but not popular because it would have weakened the colonial governments

The French and Indian War – cont. • Governor Dobbs: convinced Cape Fear and Albemarle to do a better job collecting taxes • Captain Hugh Waddell: his ranger patrols : forerunners of N. C. highway patrol • 1763: Treaty of Paris resulted in French loss of land in America • 1765: the controversial Dobbs died – his policies angered many colonists and put the colony in debt Click here to return to Main Menu.

Section 2: Peopling the Backcountry ESSENTIAL QUESTION – What groups of immigrants settled North Carolina?

Section 2: Peopling the Backcountry What word do I need to know? 1. backcountry

Section 2: Peopling the Backcountry Introduction • Until 1730: almost every resident of N. C. , aside from the Native Americans, lived east of the fall line • 1734: Edgecombe County formed • By the 1750’s: backcountry towns formed such as Cross Creek (later named Fayetteville) • Most newcomers from northern colonies • The Great Wagon Road: popular 731 -mile route

The Scots-Irish • Scots-Irish: 1 st people to settle the backcountry • A few settled in what became know as Orange County • Most settled between Yadkin and Catawba Rivers (today the area bounded by the cities of Salisbury, Statesville, and Charlotte)

The Germans • Soon to follow: the Germans from Pennsylvania • Deutsch: name for the German language sounded like “Dutch” & resulted in people thinking they were from Holland • Many settled in western edge of N. C. (eastern Rowan & Cabarrus counties)

English Quakers • Mixed into the backcountry by the 1760’s & English in their background • Belonged to a religious movement started in England in the 1600’s • Beliefs challenged the usual ways people worshiped and lived together • Some Quakers settled among the Germans

African Slaves • A few early Scots-Irish brought along one or two slaves • 1747: Paul & Saul crossed the Catawba River and became the 1 st slaves in the backcountry • Only a few Germans owned slaves • Quakers: earliest to question the idea of humans as property

The Moravians • 1752: The most unusual group to come to North Carolina (German-speaking) • Originally from Moravia • Official name, the United Brethren, practiced brotherhood and sisterhood every day, all day • Land grant of 100, 000 acres by Lord Granville • 1753: came to Wachovia (means “little meadow” in German) • 1766: established their principal town (Winston. Salem)

The Highland Scots • Scots were the last of the many ethnic groups • Wedged themselves into the Sandhills • 1770’s: British real estate agents tricked thousands into coming to North Carolina • Came on promise of fine land • Most stayed as it was a better option than going back home

Native Americans • 1760’s: a few remnants of Indian groups still to be found in the backcountry • North of Wachovia: the Saura, part of Siouan people who had once controlled the region • Near the South Carolina line: the Catawba, the largest native group left in the backcountry • 1750’s: only 100 warriors remained (less than one-tenth of their previous strength) • Most numerous: Cherokee – resented any intrusion into their mountain hunting grounds Click here to return to Main Menu.

Section 3: Life on the Carolina Frontier ESSENTIAL QUESTION – What was life like for early immigrants to North Carolina?

Section 3: Life on the Carolina Frontier What words do I need to know? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. prairie girdling drover grist mill toll

Section 3: Life on the Carolina Frontier Introduction • North Carolina had a bad reputation • Could not govern itself well • Costly to live there since shipping was so expensive

Carving Out Homes • Earliest settlers to N. C. found exactly what they wanted • Great Wagon Road: long stretches of prairie with open grasslands and woods in the bottomlands attracted settlers • Ample tree supply used for houses and fences • Open spaces provided for grazing cattle and growing grain

Carving Out Homes – cont. • The Germans planted wheat and rye in the fall • Herman Husband: early Quaker settler known for his fine 600 -acre wheat farm • Grist mill ownership one of the 1 st ways to become wealthy • The smart miller sold his collected flour locally or shipped it to the coast

The Home Front • Most settlers quickly worked to improve their places • They set up zigzag split rail fences to keep out hogs from their grain fields • Most backcountry families lived in log houses • Some built more elaborate homes • All families kept kitchen gardens

Building Communities • All settlers brought their culture with them • Almost all valued religious expression and soon taught their values • Scots-Irish built both a church and a school everywhere they settled • Germans often built union churches: people of two principal denominations could worship

Building Communities – cont. • By 1765: more than a dozen new churches had been established • Wachovia: most active religious community (the Moravians) • The Moravians made Wachovia one of the most prosperous places in the backcountry • Many neighbors resented their prosperity and religion creating problems for a long time in North Carolina Click here to return to Main Menu.

Section 4: William Tryon and the Regulation ESSENTIAL QUESTION – What were the reasons for the Regulator movement?

Section 4: William Tryon and the Regulation What words do I need to know? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. capital appropriate Regulator extortion militia

Section 4: William Tryon and the Regulation Introduction • 1765: William Tryon appointed the new royal governor upon the death of Arthur Dobbs • Tryon brought better organization and created more respect for authority toward government officials in charge of the colony • Also wanted N. C. to finally pay its own way

Tryon’s Reforms • Tryon moved the colony toward his goals: 1. General Assembly to have a permanent capital (seat of government) 2. General Assembly to reorganize the Church of England in N. C. 3. Stimulate growth in the economy 4. Gain more control over the colony

The Regulator Movement • Tryon’s measures improved N. C. • Each measure cost the average N. C. taxpayer • Coastal residents saw a return / backcountry folk were not so sure • Tryon did not have full support of the backcountry people who believed that government continued to be corrupt

Tensions Mount • 1768: Matters worsened – citizens marched on Hillsborough • Well-known citizen Herman Husband arrested for disorder (released after people of all walks of life marched on Hillsborough) • A few prominent citizens walked all the way to New Bern – Tryon did little • Tryon had Johnston Riot Act passed by Assembly to enforce strict punishment for all public acts of disorder

The Battle of Alamance • Governor Tryon ordered militia to march on Hillsborough “against the insurgents” • May 16, 1771: The Battle of Alamance (lasted a couple of hours) ended up when the Regulators fled through the woods • Tryon took several measures to show he meant business: executed one Regulator before the battle and hung another the day after • Josiah Martin: royal governor after Tryon; did little to improve N. C. in two years prior to the American Revolution Click here to return to Main Menu.

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