North Carolina Provincial Congress
Encyclopedia
The North Carolina
Provincial Congresses were extra-legal unicameral legislative bodies formed in 1774 through 1776 by the people of the Province of North Carolina
, independent of the British colonial government.
in New Bern, North Carolina
from Aug. 25-27, 1774. It was the first such gathering anywhere in the Thirteen Colonies held in defiance of British orders.
Its moderator (president) was John Harvey
, who was concurrently the last speaker of the colonial House of Burgesses, or House of Commons (see North Carolina General Assembly
).
This assembly, with 71 delegates from 30 of the 36 counties, approved the calling of a continental congress
and elected William Hooper
, Joseph Hewes
, and Richard Caswell
as the colony's delegates to that congress. The provincial congress also approved a trade boycott to protest British actions against New England.
, who dissolved the assembly on April 8 and never called another.
from Aug. 20-Sept. 10, 1775.
Its president was Samuel Johnston
(Harvey had recently died). This congress, which included representatives of every county and town, officially established itself as the highest governmental body in the province (British Governor Martin had fled, ending royal government). To govern North Carolina when the congress was not in session, a 13-member Provincial Council, or Council of Safety, was elected, constituting the first executive body in a North Carolina free of British rule. Cornelius Harnett
was elected as the first president of the council. The congress divided the state into 6 military districts for purposes of organizing militia and for determining representation on the Council.
from April 4-May 14, 1776. Allen Jones
served as vice-president. This congress passed what became known as the Halifax Resolves
, the first "official" endorsement of independence from Great Britain by one of the Thirteen Colonies
. Joseph Hewes presented the Halifax Resolves to the Continental Congress on May 27, the same day that Virginia delegates presented similar resolves.
served as president, with Cornelius Harnett
as vice-president. This congress approved the first North Carolina Constitution
, along with a "Declaration of Rights." It elected Caswell to serve as acting governor until the province's first General Assembly
could meet to elect a governor.
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
Provincial Congresses were extra-legal unicameral legislative bodies formed in 1774 through 1776 by the people of the Province of North Carolina
Province of North Carolina
The Province of North Carolina was originally part of the Province of Carolina in British America, which was chartered by eight Lords Proprietor. The province later became the U.S. states of North Carolina and Tennessee....
, independent of the British colonial government.
First Provincial Congress
The first such congress met at the Tryon PalaceTryon Palace
Tryon Palace is a modern reconstruction of the historical colonial royal governors' palace of the Province of North Carolina. It was constructed in the 1950s across the original mansion site located in the city of New Bern, North Carolina. Today it is a State Historic Site. The Palace gardens are...
in New Bern, North Carolina
New Bern, North Carolina
New Bern is a city in Craven County, North Carolina with a population of 29,524 as of the 2010 census.. It is located at the confluence of the Trent and the Neuse rivers...
from Aug. 25-27, 1774. It was the first such gathering anywhere in the Thirteen Colonies held in defiance of British orders.
Its moderator (president) was John Harvey
John Harvey (NC politician)
John Harvey was a legislative leader in the colonial Province of North Carolina and subsequently a leader in the creation of the revolutionary movement in the province....
, who was concurrently the last speaker of the colonial House of Burgesses, or House of Commons (see North Carolina General Assembly
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
).
This assembly, with 71 delegates from 30 of the 36 counties, approved the calling of a continental congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
and elected William Hooper
William Hooper
William Hooper was an American lawyer, politician, and a member of the Continental Congress representing North Carolina from 1774 through 1777...
, Joseph Hewes
Joseph Hewes
Joseph Hewes was a native of Princeton, New Jersey, where he was born in 1730. Hewes’s parents were part of the Quaker Society of Friends. Immediately after their marriage they moved to New Jersey, which became Joseph Hewes’s home state. Hewes was formally educated at Princeton and after...
, and Richard Caswell
Richard Caswell
Richard Caswell was the first and fifth governor of the U.S. State of North Carolina, serving from 1776 to 1780 and from 1784 to 1787....
as the colony's delegates to that congress. The provincial congress also approved a trade boycott to protest British actions against New England.
Second Provincial Congress
The second congress also met at New Bern from April 3–7, 1775. John Harvey once again served as moderator. The congress met at the same place and almost the same time as the colonial assembly, and had almost exactly the same membership. This infuriated royal governor Josiah MartinJosiah Martin
Lieutenant-Colonel Josiah Martin was the last colonial governor of the Province of North Carolina .-Family and connections:...
, who dissolved the assembly on April 8 and never called another.
Third Provincial Congress
The third congress met in Hillsborough, North CarolinaHillsborough, North Carolina
Hillsborough is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 5,653 at the 2008 census. It is the county seat of Orange County....
from Aug. 20-Sept. 10, 1775.
Its president was Samuel Johnston
Samuel Johnston
Samuel Johnston was an American planter, lawyer, and statesman from Chowan County, North Carolina. He represented North Carolina in both the Continental Congress and the United States Senate, and was the sixth Governor of North Carolina.-Early Life and Revolutionary Politics:Johnston was born in...
(Harvey had recently died). This congress, which included representatives of every county and town, officially established itself as the highest governmental body in the province (British Governor Martin had fled, ending royal government). To govern North Carolina when the congress was not in session, a 13-member Provincial Council, or Council of Safety, was elected, constituting the first executive body in a North Carolina free of British rule. Cornelius Harnett
Cornelius Harnett
Cornelius Harnett was an American merchant, farmer, and statesman from Wilmington, North Carolina. He was a leading American Revolutionary in the Cape Fear region, and a delegate for North Carolina in the Continental Congress from 1777 to 1779.Harnett was born to Cornelius and Elizabeth Harnett in...
was elected as the first president of the council. The congress divided the state into 6 military districts for purposes of organizing militia and for determining representation on the Council.
Fourth Provincial Congress
In the present day, the fourth North Carolina Provincial Congress is sometimes referred to as the "Halifax Assembly". The fourth congress, also presided over by Samuel Johnston, met in Halifax, North CarolinaHalifax, North Carolina
Halifax is a town in Halifax County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 344 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Halifax County...
from April 4-May 14, 1776. Allen Jones
Allen Jones (delegate)
Allen Jones was an American planter and statesman from Northampton County, North Carolina. During the Revolutionary War he was a Brigadier General in the state militia. He was a delegate for North Carolina to the Continental Congress in 1779 and 1780...
served as vice-president. This congress passed what became known as the Halifax Resolves
Halifax Resolves
The Halifax Resolves is the name later given to a resolution adopted by the Fourth Provincial Congress of the Province of North Carolina on April 12, 1776, during the American Revolution...
, the first "official" endorsement of independence from Great Britain by one of the Thirteen Colonies
Thirteen Colonies
The Thirteen Colonies were English and later British colonies established on the Atlantic coast of North America between 1607 and 1733. They declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States of America...
. Joseph Hewes presented the Halifax Resolves to the Continental Congress on May 27, the same day that Virginia delegates presented similar resolves.
Fifth Provincial Congress
The fifth and final congress met at Halifax from Nov. 12-Dec. 23, 1776. Richard CaswellRichard Caswell
Richard Caswell was the first and fifth governor of the U.S. State of North Carolina, serving from 1776 to 1780 and from 1784 to 1787....
served as president, with Cornelius Harnett
Cornelius Harnett
Cornelius Harnett was an American merchant, farmer, and statesman from Wilmington, North Carolina. He was a leading American Revolutionary in the Cape Fear region, and a delegate for North Carolina in the Continental Congress from 1777 to 1779.Harnett was born to Cornelius and Elizabeth Harnett in...
as vice-president. This congress approved the first North Carolina Constitution
North Carolina Constitution
The Constitution of the State of North Carolina governs the structure and function of the state government of North Carolina, United States; it is the highest legal document for the state and subjugates North Carolina law...
, along with a "Declaration of Rights." It elected Caswell to serve as acting governor until the province's first General Assembly
North Carolina General Assembly of 1777
The North Carolina General Assembly of 1777 met in two sessions in New Bern, North Carolina, from April 7 to May 9, 1777, and from November 15 to December 24, 1777. This was the first North Carolina legislature elected after the last provincial congress wrote the first North Carolina Constitution...
could meet to elect a governor.
Further reading
- William S. PowellWilliam S. PowellWilliam S. Powell is an American historian, writer and academic. He is professor emeritus of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, having retired in 1986.He received the North Carolina Award for literature in 2000...
, editor. 2006. Encyclopedia of North Carolina. In one volume. University of North Carolina Press. 1328 pp. pp. 40–41 ("American Revolution" by Alan Lamm) and pp. 917–918 ("Provincial Congresses" by Lindley Butler). - William S. PowellWilliam S. PowellWilliam S. Powell is an American historian, writer and academic. He is professor emeritus of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, having retired in 1986.He received the North Carolina Award for literature in 2000...
. 1988. North Carolina: A History. University of North Carolina Press. 248 pp - NC Manual of 1913 by Robert D. W. Connor