North Carolina – named after King Charles II of England – is one of the thirteen colonies that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution.

The capital of North Carolina is Raleigh. Its largest cities are Charlotte, Greensboro, Durham, Winston-Salem, Fayetteville, Cary, High Point, Wilmington, and Asheville.

The Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates the total gross state product of North Carolina as an impressive $314 billion in 2003.

The major agricultural outputs in North Carolina are poultry and eggs, tobacco, hogs, milk, nursery stock, cattle, and soybeans. The state has also begun to take an enthusiastic stab at industrial products like tobacco, textile goods, chemical products, electric equipment and machinery. Charlotte – the largest city in the North Carolina – is a close contender for New York City in the banking industry. Tourism plays a part in additional revenue-making for the state by selling the gorgeous North Carolina landscape and scenery to the random passers-by.

North Carolina is known as a favorite location in the movie and television industry outside of California. A number of movie studios are located in Shelby, Raleigh, Durham, Charlotte, and – the most popular – Wilmington. Famous films and television shows that have been filmed in North Carolina include One Tree Hill, Cape Fear, Maximum Overdrive, The Crow, and the long-running television series: Dawson's Creek.

North Carolina's state flower is the American Dogwood or Cornus florida. Its blossoms, which emerge in early spring, are often in the colors of white and pink.

The USS North Carolina was named in honor of this state.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill