Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The state of North Carolina sits in the eastern coast of the United States. The Cape Fear area was first explored in 1524 by a European named Giovanni da Verrazano, but it wasn't until the late 1500s that settlements began. The state encompasses 52,000 square miles, and claims the cardinal as its state bird and the pine as its tree.
After joining the union in 1789, North Carolina became our country's 12th state, though the English created the first settlement on Roanoke Island in 1587. The state supported the Confederacy during the Civil War.
The state is divided into the three distinct topographical regions; the Coastal Plains, the Piedmont Plateau and the Appalachian Mountains. The capitol of Raleigh sits in the central Piedmont Plateau region. The Coastal Plains to the east support a variety of industry and farming such as cotton, tobacco and peanuts. Popular beaches dot the coastline with places like Surf City, Wrightsville Beach and Sunset Beach. The region's forested areas support the paper and lumber industries. The famous Appalachian Mountains lie West of the Central Plateau region.
The first route of the Underground Railroad, which was a historical network for fleeing slaves, began in Guilford County in 1819. Regrettably, the state was the setting for the infamous Wilmington Race Riots almost 80 years later. In 1960, the city of Greensboro became a national stage for the civil-rights movement after four college students who were refused table service because of their skin color held a sit-in protest that spread to surrounding cities and states.
In 1903, North Carolina was the location of the famous first flight by the Wright Brothers. The strong winds in the town of Kitty Hawk helped the brothers make aviation history.