North Carolina Facts Learning About US States in Special Ed

Welcome to North Carolina

If you are teaching about the US states, here are some facts about North Carolina you may want to know.

North Carolina is located in the southeastern United States. It borders Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, and the Atlantic Ocean. Raleigh is the capital.

Let’s learn a little more about this great state.

Be sure to scroll to the end to get a free word search about North Carolina.

A brief history of North Carolina

North Carolina became a state in 1789 and was the 12th state to join the United States.

North Carolina was named for King Charles by his son, King Charles II. In Latin, Carolus translates to Charles.

The first settlers arrived in the Carolinas in the 1500s. One of the first settlements on Roanoke Island has a fascinating history.

The first group of English settlers built a colony on Roanoke Island in 1585. It failed, so a second colony was built in 1587. That colony mysteriously disappeared in 1591. It is now known as The Lost Colony. All that remains is a carving of the word “Croatan” on a tree.

In 1789, North Carolina became the 12th state in the United States and was the 12th of the original 13 colonies.

In 1799, gold was discovered for the first time in America, in North Carolina, by a 12-year-old boy named Conrad Reed.

At the start of the Civil War, North Carolina seceded from the Union in 1861.

In 1868, following the end of the Civil War, North Carolina rejoined the United States.

Finally, another important event in North Carolina’s history was the Wright Brothers’ first flight in 1903. The flight lasted 12 seconds and covered a distance of 120 feet. It was the start of the aviation industry.

The geography of North Carolina

North Carolina is divided into three main geographical regions: the Mountain Region, the Piedmont Region, and the Coastal Region.

The Appalachian Mountains comprise a significant portion of the western part of the state. It is where you will find the highest point east of the Mississippi River, Mount Mitchel. It is almost 7000 feet high.

The Piedmont region is located in the center of the state and is characterized by a vast plateau. It is high and flat, with a lot of fertile farmland and metropolitan cities.

Finally, to the East, you will find the Coastal Region. This land is flatter and swampier or sandy. There are miles and miles of sandy beaches and small towns where tourists come for the summer.

Additionally, the Outer Banks, a group of barrier islands, are also part of this region. We will examine the Outer Banks more closely later.

North Carolina's resources and industries

Many resources in North Carolina originate from agriculture.

In the past, tobacco was the most significant economic resource produced in North Carolina. It still leads the country in tobacco production, but the demand has decreased as fewer and fewer people smoke.

Today, North Carolina grows more sweet potatoes than any other state in the country.

It is also a significant producer of cotton, soybeans, corn, and peanuts.

North Carolina is second in the US when it comes to raising pigs and turkeys.

About 60% of the state is covered with forests. This wood makes North Carolina one of the largest producers of furniture in the country.

North Carolina also produces 15-20% of the live Christmas trees bought every year.

Technology is an important industry in North Carolina. Many innovations in fields such as biotechnology, information technology, and clean energy originate from the central part of the state.

Ultimately, banking and financing play a crucial role in the economic growth of this state. It is the home to many large financial institutions.

Fun places to visit in North Carolina

If you plan to visit North Carolina, there are some things you’ll want to know and make sure to see. This state boasts a diverse landscape, ranging from mountains to beaches, and features some fantastic sites to visit.

North Carolina is home to the largest house in the US: The Biltmore Estate, located in Asheville, in the western part of the state.

Biltmore Estate was built between 1889 and 1895 for George Washington Vanderbilt II. Today, it is a huge tourist attraction. Visitors can visit the 255 rooms inside or explore the amazing gardens outside.

Afterwards, you can take a scenic drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway. This road travels 469 miles along the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is America’s longest linear park.

On the other side of the state, you will find a popular summer tourist destination, the Outer Banks. This is a 200-mile stretch of barrier islands known for its wide beaches and waterways.

Hundreds of ships have wrecked off the shores of the Outer Banks. It has gained the nickname “Graveyard of the Atlantic.”You will find a very special lighthouse on one of these islands, Cape Hatteras. The Cape Hatteras lighthouse is the country’s tallest (not highest) lighthouse. It also has very distinctive candy cane black and white stripes. In 1999, engineers carefully relocated the lighthouse further inland to prevent it from being lost to the sea due to erosion.

Also on the Outer Banks is Kill Devil Hills. This was formerly known as Kitty Hawk and is the site of the Wright Brothers’ first flight. There is a museum and memorial on site where you can learn much about those first and subsequent flights.

Finally, near the Outer Banks and closer to shore, you will find the Battleship North Carolina docked in Wilmington, near the Cape Fear River. This battleship served in World War II, and today, you can walk aboard and imagine what it would have been like to live at sea for months at a time.

Fun facts about North Carolina

Here are a few fun facts you might not know about North Carolina. The American Dogwood is the state flower, and the Cardinal is the state bird.

North Carolina is known as the Tar Heel State.

North Carolina was one of the country’s biggest producers of tar. The tar was used to build and mend ships. The legend is that the sticky tar slowed down the British soldiers during the Revolutionary War and got stuck to the bottom of their shoes.

This is the state flag of North Carolina. It is composed of three main colors: red, white, and blue. The two dates symbolize important events when North Carolina declared their independence from Britain. The star represents the fact that it was the first of the 13 colonies to declare its independence; however, historians often dispute this claim.

North Carolina is one of the few places in the world where you can find Venus Flytraps growing. They grow in the boggy, nutrient-poor soils of wetlands surrounding Wilmington in the eastern part of the state.