Similar to debates taking place across America as a young nation, in North Carolina there were disagreements between Federalists, supporting a strong federal government, and anti-Federalists, who were more skeptical about strong central authority.  Through a series of state conventions, North Carolina leaders debated whether to join the union and sign the U.S. Constitution.

In the period after the ratification of the Constitution through the 1830s, North Carolina was referred to as the “Rip Van Winkle” state. According to historian, Harry Watson, “The label was not entirely fair, for the state was sleeping only in the sense that its society was relatively static” (p. 219).  In fact, during this period, although there was a relatively high birth rate, the population of North Carolina declined due to emigration to other states.  This demographic movement weakened the state’s economy and had political ramifications for the state’s representation in the U.S. Congress.

Reformers in North Carolina hoped to improve conditions within the state by focusing on improving transportation, including its railroad system, and education. It was also during this time, that North Carolinians, “sought to replace subsistence farming with an expanded system of slavery and commercial agriculture” (p. 226). The relatively small class of plantation owners in the state held great political sway. Therefore any discussion of “reform” during this era must be balanced with analysis of the experiences of ethnic minorities and the troubled history of human rights abuses in the state.  An investigation into the history of the Cherokee people and African slaves during this time highlights the moral crisis of the period.