Charlotte Mecklenburg Library

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1830 - Gold Fever

The gold rush attracts mining experts to Charlotte. Humphrey Bissell invests in the mines, and helps develop machines that drill for gold, then crush and compact it. Count Chevalier Vincent de Rivafinoli brings European workers to help increase the yield from the mines. Within just one, short three-month period, laborers will coax 3,800 ounces of gold from Charlotte's mines.

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1783 - Peace

September 3, 1783 - Great Britain has no choice. By signing the Treaty of Paris today, it must finally recognize the United States as a free and sovereign nation, as proclaimed by the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The U.S. borders now reach west to the Mississippi River, north to Canada, and south to Florida.

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1829 - President Jackson

The boy who grew up near Charlotte becomes America's seventh president. People think highly of Andrew Jackson. He has been an outspoken lawyer, military hero, and senator. As president, he will make decisions both to limit the power of the federal government and to assert it forcefully in its proper sphere. Some of his actions will bring great hardship to the Indian tribes that live in the Carolinas and neighboring states.

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1840 - Hard Times for Catawbans

The Treaty of Nation's Ford devastates the Catawba Indians, many of whom live along the border between North and South Carolina. South Carolina agrees to give the tribe $5000 to buy 300 acres of mountain land in Haywood County, N.C., then $2000 per year for five years. North Carolina refuses to give the tribe any money until the Catawbas actually give up the disputed land and leave. Many of the tribe will be left poor and homeless.

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1795 - Birth of a President

November 2, 1795 - James Knox Polk is born in Mecklenburg County. He is a descendant of Scottish religious reformer John Knox . As the 11th President of the United States, the country grows in size by half a million square miles with the inclusion of Texas, New Mexico and California.

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1776 - Common Sense

January, 1776 - Even among the delegates to the Continental Congress, there are disagreements. Some men, called Loyalists, still want to remain faithful to Britain. Others, including North Carolinians, demand complete independence. The turning point comes when Thomas Paine writes a pamphlet entitled Common Sense. His strong words convince the colonies to cut all ties with Britain. Finally, there is solid support for Independence.

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1819 - Economic Depression

North Carolina is in financial trouble. Many people do not like the paper money, called bank notes. Citizens demand that banks give them instead the gold or silver that the money represents. But there is not enough of the gold and silver to give everyone. Instead of spending their money, people hoard it. North Carolina slumps into an economic downturn, called a depression.

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1780 - Cornwallis Departs

October 12, 1780 - The people of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County continue to vex General Cornwallis. Skirmishes such as the Battle of the Bees just nine days earlier have shown the British commander that a military victory won't be easily won. Cornwallis calls this place a Hornet's Nest of rebellion, and leaves.

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1780-10-12

1792 - Cabarrus County

December 29, 1792 -  Cabarrus County is formed, created from the north-western section of Mecklenburg. No one yet suspects that in just a few years, the new county will draw everyone's attention when an important discovery is made there. The land in Cabarrus County contains gold.

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1800 - City of Churches

From now through the 1840s, Mecklenburg's churches will grow and become firmly established. Not only Presbyterians, but Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, Lutherans and Catholics will form congregations.

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