Immigration to NC

Immigration to NC

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Many New Groups

Most ethnic groups came to North Carolina as immigrants. An immigrant is a person who moves to one country from another country. Europeans began immigrating to what is now North Carolina in the late 1500s, when they settled Roanoke Island. Today, almost three out of four North Carolinians have European ancestors.

Open Ended

Write a sentence using the word "immigrant".

European Immigrants

The English were among the first European immigrants to North Carolina. They started North Carolina’s first settlements. Over time, the English settled in all regions of North Carolina. They became the largest ethnic group in the state.

The Scottish began moving to North Carolina in the early 1700s. They founded Campbellton, later known as Fayetteville. Scottish people whose ancestors had moved from Scotland to Ireland were known as Scotch-Irish. They built the town of Charlotte in the 1730s. Many Scotch-Irish also moved to western North Carolina. By 1800, they were the largest group in the Mountain region.

French, German, Swiss, Irish, and Welsh settlers also came to North Carolina during the 1700s. In 1710, German and Swiss settlers founded the town of New Bern. This town became the capital of the colony in 1770. German Moravians settled in the Piedmont in 1753. In 1766, they founded Salem.

At first, European immigrants came to North Carolina from their home countries. Later, many Europeans moving to North Carolina came from other colonies in North America.

Open Ended

Look back in the previous slides. List 3 European groups to immigrate to NC.

African Americans

About one out of five North Carolinians is African American. Many are descendants of people who were brought to the colonies from Africa as enslaved workers.

Not all African Americans in North Carolina were enslaved. Throughout the 1700s, some free African Americans lived in North Carolina. A law from 1741 allowed enslaved people to be set free for good work. Many free African Americans owned their own land and businesses. Slavery was abolished in 1865 through the 13th amendment.

Multiple Choice

How many years passed between the law in 1741 allowing slaves to be freed for good work and the abolishment of slavery in 1865?

• 65 years

• 24 years

• 124 years

• 98 years

Later Immigrants

People continue to move to North Carolina from other parts of the world. Some belong to ethnic groups that have been in North Carolina for generations. Others belong to ethnic groups that are new to the state.

Today, immigrants from many countries live in North Carolina. Australia, Micronesia, Nigeria, Sudan, and Ukraine are just a few of the places from which immigrants have come. New immigrants continue to make North Carolina’s population more diverse.

Asian Immigrants

In 1990, about 53,000 Asian Americans lived in North Carolina. This number has grown since then to more than 170,000. Most Asian immigrants come from the countries of India, China, and Taiwan. Others have come from Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, and the Philippines.

Hispanic Immigrants

Today, almost 600,000 Hispanics live in North Carolina. They are one of the largest ethnic groups in the state. About 7 out of 100 North Carolinians are Hispanic.

The Hispanic population has grown rapidly in recent years. Eight times as many Hispanics live in North Carolina today as in 1990. About four of every ten Hispanics come from Puerto Rico or from Latin American countries, such as Mexico and Cuba. Another four of every ten Hispanics come from other states. About two out of ten Hispanics are born in the state.

Multiple Choice

Which group forms one of North Carolina’s largest immigrant groups today?

• Hispanic

• Asian

• German

• Scotch-Irish

In the past, many Hispanic immigrants came to North Carolina as migrant workers. A migrant worker is a person who moves from farm to farm to harvest crops. In recent years, some migrant workers have taken year-round agricultural jobs in eastern North Carolina.

Multiple Choice

What is a migrant worker?

• someone who moves from one country to another

• someone who fights for freedom

• someone who rents out land to farm

• a person who moves from farm to farm to harvest crops

Many Hispanic immigrants have settled in the state’s larger cities to work in all kinds of jobs. Today, about one-third of new jobs in the state are held by Hispanics.

Multiple Choice

Why is North Carolina’s population diverse?

• North Carolina is the tenth-largest state in population.

• People of many different ethnic

  groups live in North Carolina.

• North Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states.

• Some migrant workers have chosen to settle in one place.