North Carolina played a pivotal role in the struggle for independence, from the decisive Patriot victory at Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge to the hard-fought clash at Battle of Guilford Courthouse that weakened British resolve in the South. Its patriots, challenging terrain, and determined spirit helped turn the tide of the war and hasten the road to American independence.
Explore the many guided tours of The Liberty Trail
William Tryon rose through family connections and military service to become one of Britain’s most powerful—and polarizing—colonial governors. Though an efficient administrator loyal to the Crown, he was remembered in America as a tyrant whose taxes, executions, and brutality left a deeply bitter legacy.
Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee was a distinguished cavalry commander during the American Revolution, known for leading "Lee's Legion" and his daring raids in the Southern Campaigns.
Andrzej Tadeusz Bonawentura Kościuszko, a Polish-Lithuanian nobleman and revolutionary, played a pivotal role as a military engineer in the American Revolution and later led a failed uprising to liberate Poland from Russian and Prussian control, leaving a legacy of unwavering commitment to the ideals of liberty across multiple nations.
Tarleton, active in the Southern Campaign, came to be known as the ‘butcher’ after Continental soldiers accused his dragoons of disregarding a Patriot surrender by attacking the Americans after they laid down their arms at the Battle of Waxhaws.
