Liberty
NC 250
As America nears its 250th anniversary, this is an opportunity for North Carolina to reflect on its longstanding contributions to the nation’s history. Throughout the commemoration, the John Locke Foundation will share content and highlight stories that recognize the state’s role in shaping America.
NC 250
The Declaration of Independence was just the beginning
The smoke from the fireworks has cleared. The memories of parades and picnics have faded. The 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence has come and gone.…
NC 250
What’s 222 times 8?
One day when I was boy learning how to do multiplication, my mother asked me, “What’s 222 times 8?” I thought about it for a second and realized it would…
NC 250
Here’s how you can celebrate America’s 250th birthday
July 4, 2026, is just days away. It’s the semiquincentennial celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which marked the birth of our country 250 years ago. In…
NC 250
Richard Caswell: Leader of men
One gentleman in North Carolina stood out during the American Revolution as the ultimate leader of men. Whether fighting on the battlefield, speaking in the colonial assembly room, watching over…
NC 250
This July 4, celebrate more than just fireworks
What follows is one of the great “Did You Knows” of history. Two of America’s Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, both died on July 4, 1826 — 50…
NC 250
Cornelius Harnett: Patriot without a pardon
Did you know that Cornelius Harnett was one of two men that the English Crown refused to pardon in 1776 when it offered to pardon every other North Carolina militiaman…
NC 250
John Locke: The philosopher behind America’s freedom
As we get closer to the 250th celebration of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, it’s important to go back and explore the roots of the document. Much of…
NC 250
The Mecklenburg Declaration: Fact or fiction?
Today is the 251st anniversary of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. The document was joyously celebrated last year in Charlotte with heightened pageantry on its 250th birthday, and this year…
NC 250
Stamp Act revisited
Before the Edenton Tea Party’s 1774 protest against the tax on tea, before the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence on May 20, 1775 (it’s on the North Carolina flag!), and before…
Liberty
Before the Kentucky Derby: North Carolina’s Colonial Horse Racing Roots
I can’t watch the Kentucky Derby without thinking of North Carolina’s heritage of horse racing, particularly in the region around the colonial town of Halifax. The staff at the Halifax…
NC 250
Celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Halifax Resolves this week
This Sunday, April 12, North Carolinians celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Halifax Resolves being adopted by the Fourth Provincial Congress in Halifax, North Carolina. The Halifax Resolves represent the…
Liberty
The Battle of Moores Creek Bridge
A cold dawn in February 1776. A small, humble bridge in southeastern North Carolina becomes the unlikely stage for a turning point in the birth of a nation. The Battle…