NORTH CAROLINA

 

 

 

Formation

At the time of the first European contact, North Carolina was inhabited by a number of native tribes sharing some cultural traits, but also distinguished by regional and linguistic variations. Three major language families were represented in North Carolina: Iroquoian, Siouan, and Algonquian. The Iroquoian tribes--the Cherokee, Tuscarora, Meherrin, Coree, and Neuse River (which may have been Iroquoian or Algonquian)--were related linguistically and culturally to the Iroquois tribes to the north. The Cherokee were located in the mountains on the western boundaries of the state and the Tuscarora, Meherrin, Coree, and Neuse River were located in the coastal plains. Located primarily in the piedmont area, or central portion, of the state were the Siouan tribes: the Cape Fear, Catawba, Cheraw, Eno, Keyauwee, Occaneechi, Saponi, Shakori, Sissipahaw, Sugaree, Tutelo, Waccamaw, Wateree, Waxhaw, and Woccon. The Algonquian-speaking tribes represented the southernmost extension of predominantly Northeastern Woodlands tribes and were located entirely in the tidewater area of the state. These were the Bear River, Chowan, Hatteras, Nachapunga, Moratok, Pamlico, Secotan, and Weapomeoc. English colonists, sent by Sir Walter Raleigh, unsuccessfully attempted to settle Roanoke Island in 1585 and 1587.  Virginia Dare, born there in 1587, was the first child of English parentage born in America. In 1653 the first permanent settlements were established by English colonists from Virginia near the Roanoke and Chowan rivers. The region was established as an English proprietary colony in 1663–1665 and in its early history was the scene of Culpepper's Rebellion (1677), the Quaker-led Cary Rebellion (1708), the Tuscarora Indian War (1711–1713), and many pirate raids. North Carolina intered the Union Nov. 21, 1789 as the 12th state. It became a state November 21, 1789.

 

 

 

LOCATION:

Absolute Location: Longitude: 75° 30' W to 84° 15' W Latitude: 34° N to 36° 21' N

Relative Location: 10 mi. NW of Sanford 

Largest Cities: Charlotte Raleigh Greensboro Durham Winston-Salem Fayetteville Cary High Point Wilmington

Border States: Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia

State Bird   Cardinal

State Mammal   Gray squirrel

State Dog Plott hound

State Shell Scotch bonnet

State Reptile Eastern box turtle

State Fish Channel bass

State Flower   Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida )

State Tree Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris)

State Vegetable Sweet potato

State Rock Granite

State Precious Stone Emerald

State Soil North Carolina Cecil

State Colors Red and Blue

State Beverage Milk

State Historical Boat Shad Boat

 

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Major Lakes: Lake Mattamuskeet, Lake Phelps, Lake Waccamaw

Major Rivers: Neuse River, Roanoke River, Yadkin River

The eastern 2/5 of North Carolina is characterized as coastal plain and tidewater. Moving west, the next 2/5 of North Carolina, about 200 miles wide, consists of a piedmont plateau. In the west, the land slopes upward from gentle to rugged rolling hills to the high southern Appalachian Mountains containing the Blue Ridge and Great Smokey Mountains.

The highest temperature recorded in North Carolina is 110°, Fahrenheit. This record high was recorded on August 21, 1983 at Fayetteville. The lowest temperature in North Carolina, -34°, was recorded on January 21, 1985 on Mount Mitchell. Monthly average temperatures range from a high of 88.3 degrees to a low of 27.3 degrees.

In North Carolina you can find wetlands, marshes, bogs, sea grass meadows, tidal flats, shell bottom, hard bottom. 

 

HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS:

Languages Spoken: Main:English Other:German, Yiddish, Scandinavian, Greek, Indic, Italian, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Polish

 

 

 

Human impact on North Carolina  

 

 

MOVEMENT:

 

                                                     

 

 

 

 

IMPACT:

 

 

 

                                          

 

 

 

EXTERNAL LINKS:

http://www.visitnc.com/

http://www.ncwildlife.org/

http://www.northcarolina.com/

http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncgenweb/

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108254.html

 

SOURCES:

www.udc.edu/

www.ncgov.com

www.50states.com

www.encarta.msn.com

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina