Charlotte is the largest metropolitan area in North Carolina. Founded in 1796, it was once called Charlottetown, and was named after the British Queen Charlotte Sophia, wife of King George the III of England. Discovery of a 17-pound gold nugget drew crowds of immigrants to the area, the boom was short-lived though as California drew a larger calling. Agriculture, mainly tobacco and cotton, was the major revenue provider up until the Civil War.[1] North Carolina seceded from the U.S. on May 20, 1861; coincidently it was also the 76th anniversary of the North Carolina Declaration of Independence during the America Revolutionary War. Charlotte’s war efforts were centered on the Navy Yard, where shells, gunpowder and ammunition were made. It was destroyed in 1864 after an explosion caused a terrible fire. North Carolina sent and lost more troops than any other state in the Confederacy. Strangely enough though their where not a lot of battles around Charlotte. Many happened to the east of her on North Carolina’s coast and to the North West of her along the border of Tennessee. North Carolina was accepted back in to the United States on July 4, 1868 at the clause of approving the 14th amendment that gave African Americas the same liberties whites enjoy. Soon after the textile companies took hold of Charlotte and it became part of the industrial south.
Today
Charlotte has been named one of the top ten places to live. It is one of the
Nations leading financial city, only second to New York. Charlotte got its
banking start in 1991 when NationsBank, now called Bank of America, was
announced as a new institution. It was created by the merging of Charlotte
based North Carolina National Bank and Atlanta’s C&S Sovran. Charlotte's 16
county region is the largest and most accessible city between Washington, D.C.
and Dallas, TX, garnering its nickname the “International Gateway to the
South.” It reminds me a lot of Austin in that is has a plethora of outdoor
activities. With access to mountains, rock climbing and hiking are among some
of the top things to do. It is also home to the US National Whitewater Center.
“The U.S. National Whitewater Center (USNWC) is the world’s premier outdoor
adventure and environmental education center. Situated on over 400 acres of
woodlands, the USNWC fosters an environment for people to come together to play
outside”(usnwc.org). It contains a man-made whitewater river, offering not only
activities on the water but also on land.
[1] All
information found from http://www.charlottesgotalot.com/default.asp?charlotte=174,
works cited 1 under Charlotte, NC
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