The Road to War

   Unrest in Backcountry

    In 1759,Taxes had to be paid in gold or silver.  If a farmer did not pay the expense, then his farmland would be taken away. 

   In 1766, Regulators (westerners who wanted more control) had their first meeting in Orange County.  They met to reject the illegal taxes and fees.  The Regulators would send their proposals to Governor Tryon to look into, and most was peaceful.  However, in 1767, Tryon Palace was built using the Regulator's taxes, the Backcountry was "outraged."

   In April 1768, a sheriff of Orange County took a Regulator's horse for not paying taxes.  Sixty to seventy Regulators rode into Hillsborough where they "took back the farmer's property."  Edmund Fanning, a member of the Assembly, helped the sheriff arrest two leaders of the Regulation, Herman Husband and William Butler.  In the fall of 1768, Husband and Butler were then taken to Hillsboro, being charged with starting the riot.  Husband was relived of all charges, but Butler and two other regulators were convicted but were given a pardon.  

    In 1769, Governor Tryon dissolved the Assembly, and arranged new elections.  Several counties then elected Regulators, but before they had a chance to enact reforms, Tryon dissolved the Assembly again.

    In 1770, 150 Regulators started a riot by disrupting the court sessions, used aggression toward judges and lawyers, beat Fanning, and entered and destroyed Fanning's house.

    In December, 1770, Herman Husband was elected into the Assembly.  However, he did not get a seat.  The Assembly then passed the Johnston Riot Act, which was presented by Samuel Johnston.  This law allowed the attorney general to move cases involving riots from the county in which they took place to any county in the colony.  People who disobeyed a court summon would be named outlaws, and could then be shot on sight.  Tryon then called the militia to enforce this act.

The Battle of Alamance

    In the months that passed, Regulators continued to disagree with Tryon and the Assembly, refused to pay taxes, and threatened to kill Edmund Fanning.  Tryon was asked to become governor of New York, and had accepted.  However, he was determined to clear up the Regulator problem in North Carolina.  Trying to surround the Regulators' army in 1771, Hugh Waddell led a group of Cape Fear militia towards Salisbury.  However, Regulators from Mecklenburg County stopped him.  During that time, Tryon marched a group of 1,500 men to the banks of Alamance Creek. On May 16, 1771, 2,000 Regulators met Tryon and his militia.  This battle, known as the Battle of Alamance Creek, lasted for 2 hours until Tryon defeated the Regulators with only 9 of his men killed and 61 wounded.  Almost 100 Regulators were killed.  

    After the Battle of Alamance, Tryon offered to pardon any Regulators who laid down arms and swore allegiance to the government.  Over 6,000 Regulators took advantage of Tryon's offer, others fled to the mountains.    

    In 1772, Josiah Martin became Governor of North Carolina.  While in office, the Regulators demanded the protection of their rights and property against the colonial and local governments. 

Britain's Tightening Control

    Britain, after defeating the French in the war, had many problems facing them.  Consequently, they needed to pay off war debts, keep peace between Indians, protect the land they gained from the war, enforce trade laws, and bring the American colonies under better control.  The Sugar act of 1764 was designed to raise money to to defend the colonies, and taxed imported goods including sugar, molasses, coffee, wine, and silk.  In 1765, the Stamp Act was passed by parliament.  This act required stamps on all kinds of documents including legal documents, pamphlets, newspapers, and playing cards.  Britain promised to use the tax money to defend the American Colonies.

     "No taxation without representation" became a common cheer by colonists from New England to Georgia that protested the new tax.  Many people began boycotting (refusing to buy) goods from Great Britain.  In October 1765, about 500 people came to Wilmington and forced William Houston, a stamp act agent, to resign.  In 1766, Parliament repealed (officially withdrew) the Stamp Act.  Later that year, Parliament passed the Declaratory Act, which meant that they did have the authority to tax colonists. 

   In 1667, Parliament passed the Townshed Acts, which placed taxes on wine, tea, paper, glass, and lead that was brought into the colonies.  The money made from this were to go to the governors and judges as salaries.  Hohn Harvey presented a Virginia proposal to form a "non-importation association," which meant that the colonies would agree not to import any of the items on which a tax had to be paid.  When Governor Tryon dissolved the Assembly, legislatures officially signed a document supporting the non importation association.  Finally, in 1770, all the taxes except the ones on tea were repealed.  

Tea Parties and Congress

    In the 1770s, groups were set up to keep each colony informed of British actions.  These groups were called committees of correspondence.  After the Boston Tea Party, the First Provincial Congress took place in August 1774.  Seventy-one delegates from different counties arrived in New Bern.  During this meeting, congress condemned Parliament's tax policies, approved a general congress and a boycott jof British goods, and pledged support for Boston.  William Hooper, Richard Caswell, and Joseph Hewes were then named delegates.

    The women in North Carolina showed support by organizing the "Edenton Tea Party."  On October 25, 1774, 51 women signed an "Association" where the women agreed not to drink any more tea or wear any more British clothing. 

The Road to War

 The tension between Britain’s colonies increased.  Governor Martin became angry and frustrated.  John Harvey and Governor Martin came together as a team.    On April 8, 1775, Martin dissolved the last royal Assembly to meet in North Carolina.  Minutemen: local military that had to be ready to fight at a minute’s notice.  On April 19, 1775, “the shot heard around the world” was fired in Lexington green.  North Carolina’s patriots took part in action in July 1775.  Cornelius Harnett, John Ashe, and Robert Howe captured Fort Johnston, along with their five hundred minutemen.  The fort was burned to the ground.  The congress divided North Carolina into six military districts.  Loyalists: are people who support the crown and do not wish to have independence.  Slaves were jailed and lashed when they tried to run away.  Lord Dunmore convinced run away slaves to join his troops.  Robert Howe led a Continental force from Edenton to Norfolk, VA in December 1775.

The Battle of Moore’s Creek B ridge

            On February 27, 1776, Caswell’s troops met up with Lillington’s troops at the bridge of Moore’s Creek.  The patriots removed planks from the bride and greased the ones that remained.  When Loyalists tried to cross the bridge, they slipped.  As the Loyalists struggled to cross the bridge, patriots shot them.