Pundits have labeled North Carolina a “battleground” state in recent election cycles. But the state’s role as a key player in national debates and controversies goes back to the nation’s founding.

That was a key theme from Dr. Troy Kickler, founding director of the N.C. History Project, during a speech to the John Locke Foundation’s Shaftesbury Society. Kickler highlighted the Regulator movement, North Carolina’s role in the American Revolution, and the state’s contributions to both the Constitutional Convention and the effort to secure a Bill of Rights.

In the video clip below, Kickler notes the critical efforts of one unsung Founder.

3:35 p.m. update: Watch video of the full presentation below.