Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Happy Birthday, North Carolina!

Today is the anniversary of North Carolina's ratification of the US Constitution, agreeing to be one of the original Thirteen Colonies.




Date of Ratification:

November 21, 1789


Parentage: Named after King Charles I of England, whose Latin name is "Carolus." Originally part of Virginia and then known as The Carolina Providence, it was divided into North and South in 1729. 



Place in the Family 
Number 12
Almost didn't make it after
New York (July 1788)
and Rhode Island (May 1790), 
the last of the Original Thirteen



Motto
"To Be Rather Than To Seem"
that's a pretty good one, actually


Nick-Name
The Tar-Heel State
From the number of pines that create tar in the state. 
It's a long story. 

On the License Plate
"First In Flight"
and an illustration of the Wright Brothers' first airplane


State Flag
A red, white, and blue banner with the state initials, one star, 
and the dates of May 20, 1775 on top
and April 12, 1776 on the bottom. 
I wonder if the people of NC know that these dates 
are the ratification dates of the Mecklenburg Declaration
of Independence and the Halifax Resolves. 
I don't even know what those ARE!


First City You Probably Think of
When You Think "North Carolina"
Charlotte
Actual State Capital: Raleigh



State Size (Area) is 28th of 50
Population is closer to 11th of 50
(per 2000 Census figures)





North Carolina Sports:
NFL (Carolina Panthers)
 

NBA (Charlotte Bobcats)



NHL (Carolina Hurricanes)
 




Anybody From North Carolina
Ever Grow Up To Be President?

Yep! 
11th President James K. Polk 

and 

17th President Andrew Johnson


Good vs Evil 
Edward R. Murrow
Journalist
 
 Jesse Helms 
US Senator




Musical North Carolinians
Ben E. King
"Stand By Me"
 

Charlie Daniels
"The Devil Went Down to Georgia"
 


James Taylor
"Fire & Rain"
  

Randy Travis
"Three Wooden Crosses"

Ben Folds
"Effington"
 


Clay Aiken
"This Is The Night"
  
  
Eric Church
"Springsteen"
  




Celebrities From North Carolina



Richard Gatling
creator of The Gatling Gun
O. Henry 
short-story author


Caleb Bradham 
creator of Pepsi-Cola


Ava Gardner
actress, "Mogambo" 
 
Billy Graham 
Evangelist
 

Andy Griffith
actor, "Matlock"
 

Howard Cosell
announcer, "Monday Night Football"
Richard Petty
NASCAR racer
 

Dale Earnhardt 
NASCAR racer
 

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
NASCAR racer


Mike Evans
actor, "All In The Family," "The Jeffersons"
producer, "Good Times"
 
Gallagher
comedian
 
 Julianne Moore 
actress, "The Kids Are All Right"
Michael C. Hall
actor, "Dexter"

Zach Galifianakis 
actor, "The Hangover"


Ken Jeong 
actor, "The Hangover," "Community"
 



A Song For You.... 
"Carolina In My Mind" 
Written & Sung by James Taylor
(I think I like this more now that I know he is *from* Carolina!)

1 comment:

  1. For a guy who claims to be "purple", your record for calling Republicans evil and Democrats good is amazingly consistent. Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving.

    ReplyDelete