In the 1580s, the British established two colonies in North Carolina, both of which failed. In the 1600s permanent settlers from Virginia began to move to North Carolina, and it eventually became part of a British colony known as "Carolina."

Many people believe that in 1775 North Carolina became the first colony to declare independence from Great Britain. After the American Revolution, North Carolina became the twelfth state of the Union.

In 1861, North Carolina seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy in the Civil War. In 1865, North Carolina troops surrendered, leaving the state to be brought back into the Union in 1868.

The 20th century saw North Carolina transformed into a modern state, a transformation that began when the Wright Brothers flew the first airplane in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina in 1903.

Granville County Tobacco Barn

North Carolina was one of the 13 original colonies of the United States and is a place of great natural diversity. Because of its unique geography and climate, North Carolina has a wider variety of plants, animals, rocks, and minerals than most other states. The North Carolina General Assembly has adopted state symbols that honor our natural and cultural heritage.

STATE VEGETABLE: Sweet Potato. North Carolina is the nation's #1 producer of sweet potatoes - nearly half a billion pounds each year.

STATE MAMMAL: Eastern Grey Squirrel. Gray squirrels are found statewide in forests, city parks, and yards with shade trees. Squirrels build bulky nests of twigs and leaves on tree limbs, but they may also use nest boxes or natural cavities. Young are born in spring, and often another litter is produced in the summer. These popular game animals often bury acorns and other seeds that may germinate and grow into trees.

Yard Buddy

STATE ROCK: Granite. The 90-acre granite quarry located outside Mount Airy in Surry County is the world's largest open-faced granite quarry. Granite from this quarry has been used to build such well-known structures as the Wright Brothers Memorial at Kitty Hawk and the U.S. Gold Bullion Depository at Fort Knox.

STATE FLOWER: Flowering Dogwood. The dogwood's small, greenish-white flowers are clustered at the center of each group of four large, white bracts, which are often mistaken for petals. Flowering dogwood grows naturally as a small tree in the understory of our forests, and it is a popular choice for landscaping homes, parks, and roadsides. During fall and winter, many kinds of birds and small mammals eat the shiny red fruits.

STATE BIRD: Northern Cardinal. Permanent residents throughout the state, cardinals nest in woodland margins and residential shrubbery, with first clutches of eggs usually laid before the end of April. The bright red male and the brownish-red female both assist in caring for the young. Two or three broods may be raised each season.

THE TAR HEEL STATE