4.1 - Supporting Question 1
Introduction to Supporting Question 1
There are two examples offered here to describe some of the major tensions experienced by the people of North Carolina in the period leading up to the war. The first is the Regulator movement. This movement pitted North Carolinians from poor, rural regions in the western (“backcountry”) part of the colony against wealthier elites in the eastern part of the colony. It is important to remember that much of the power in North Carolina during this time was consolidated in the hands of wealthy landowners from the east. This group mainly controlled the legislative assembly. The Regulators (1768), a group representative of western “pioneers” in the colony challenged the authority of local officials they believed to be corrupt. Issues included poll taxes and land ownership. The movement ended in defeat at the Battle of Alamance (May 1771). Although not directly connected to the American Revolution, the Regulator movement is an important antecedent for understanding the internal politics of the colony as it moved toward statehood. According to “The various grievances that drove the Regulators still were alive after revolutionaries began putting together a state government following the Declaration of Independence. Land remained in foremost” (Troxler, p. 124). These grievances would continue to challenge the state as it moved towards democracy. At the same time, “The idea of conspiracy and the demand for more responsive government characterized both the Regulators of the 1760s and the revolutionaries of the 1770s. And, of course, the Regulation served as an object lesson to later revolutionaries in the use of armed resistance to authority and provided provincial leaders with valuable experience in dealing with a divided populace” (Watson, 1984, p. 109).
The second example, the Edenton Tea Party (1774), describes one episode in which North Carolina colonist responded to British efforts to tax its American colonies. 51 women in Edenton gathered to sign an agreement to boycott British goods. It was dubbed the “Edenton Tea Party” by the British press.
Further, on the eve of the revolution sentiments were divided among North Carolina colonists regarding whether to openly revolt against Great Britain leading some to join groups like the Loyalists/Tories and the Whigs. This supporting question focuses particularly on those living in the colony at the time who retained political power. Of course, the experiences and perspectives of African slaves, freed Blacks and Native Americans would have differed on issues related to independence from Britain. Members of various religious groups including the Quakers would also have differed based on their views of pacifism. Therefore, this study is intended to lay some of the groundwork for understanding the civil unrest surrounding the beginning of the revolution as well as to introduce students to emerging democratic sentiments that would evolve in the colony and, later in the state. Notable political issues included tensions between placing power in the hands of a central authority or favoring the will of the people as represented by an elected assembly.
Here students will explore primary and secondary sources from both the Regulator Movement, the Edenton Tea Party, and the Tories/Loyalists and Whigs to understand the varied political and social contexts in the colony prior to the American Revolution. Of course these are just a few examples from the pre-revolutionary period and teachers may choose to supplement with other sources.
Supporting Question 1
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How did North Carolinians respond to British attempts to take more control of the colonies?
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| Click next to look at the secondary sources for supporting question one. |
