Artifacts | america250

Everyday objects left their mark on North Carolina's history, from tea caddies to compasses, the items left behind tell the story of the revolutionary people who lived in our state. Explore their stories with the objects below.

An antique metal key laying horizontally on against light background.

Key, circa 1700s. North Carolina Museum of History.

Why is this a revolutionary artifact? It may not look like much, but this object held the key (wink, wink) to making North Carolina “First in Freedom.” It opened the door to the building in Halifax where the Fourth Provincial Congress approved the Halifax Resolves on April 12, 1776. That document instructed the colony’s delegates to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia to vote for independence—making us the first colony to officially call for freedom from Great Britain.

Blue and white porcelain bottle with a gold-accented lid, decorated with a landscape scene featuring trees, water, and a building. The item is photographed against a blue background.

Tea Caddy, circa 1774-1784 North Carolina Museum of History.

What are these objects and what do they have to do with the Edenton Tea Party? Historians don’t believe that the 51 women who signed the 1774 Edenton Resolves gathered (or held a party) for the signing. But their pledge not to buy British tea and other goods was one of the earliest organized political actions by American women. These tea caddies—special containers used to store loose tea leaves—descended in the families of women who signed the Resolves. This one was from the family of Mary and Lydia Bonner.

A white tea caddie with a floral design, blue accents, and a chipped lid.

Tea Caddy, circa 1774-1784 North Carolina Museum of History.

What are these objects and what do they have to do with the Edenton Tea Party? Historians don’t believe that the 51 women who signed the 1774 Edenton Resolves gathered (or held a party) for the signing. But their pledge not to buy British tea and other goods was one of the earliest organized political actions by American women. These tea caddies—special containers used to store loose tea leaves—descended in the families of women who signed the Resolves. This one was from the family of Penelope Barker.

A white ceramic plate with a floral design and a chip at the top set against a blue background.

Plate, mid 1700s. North Carolina Museum of History.

What does a broken plate have to do with a Revolutionary War battle? British officers often traveled and camped in relative luxury, with nice furniture—and even fancy dishes! Colonel Joseph McDowell from North Carolina reportedly took this plate from British major Patrick Ferguson’s baggage after Ferguson was killed during the Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780.

An antique brass compass featuring a sundial raised over the face, photographed over a light background.

Pocket Sundial with Compass, circa 1770. North Carolina Museum of History.

Do you know what this object is? It’s shaped like an old-fashioned pocket watch, but it is an even older way of telling time. When the compass is pointing to true north, the user lifts the foldable sundial (called a gnomon) upright and lines it up with the compass needle. Then the sun casts a shadow from that standing piece across the correct hour. (Numbers for the hours are engraved along the outer rim.) French naval officer Gabriel du Brutz, who later settled in Fayetteville, owned this sundial and had it with him during the Battle of Yorktown in 1781.

A tan horn with carved decorative patterns and a capped end over a blue background.

Powder Horn, late 1700s. North Carolina Museum of History.

Revolutionary War soldiers had to carry gunpowder for their muskets in a separate container to keep it safe, dry, and ready to load when needed. Many soldiers used a “powder horn” for this—and most of these were made from actual animal horns. (This example is from a cow.) Joel Lane—who sold the land used to found our state capital, Raleigh—carried this hand-carved powder horn during the war.

An aged title page of a book titled Regulations for The Order and Discipline of The Troops of The United States.

Military Manual, circa 1779. North Carolina Museum of History.

This book, opened to its title page, is an example of the kind of training manuals used by soldiers in the Continental Army. During the 1700s, battles required soldiers to successfully march and fire in formation. So soldiers drilled over and over to learn the complex moves and commands necessary. A period newspaper account of the 1776 Battle of Moores Creek Bridge (the first military action of the war in North Carolina) is pasted into the back of this manual.

Two white deerskin gloves, one facing upwards and one facing downward, on a black background.

Gloves, late 1700s. North Carolina Museum of History.

Samuel Alexander reportedly wore these white deerskin gloves at the Battle of Ramsour’s Mill on June 20, 1780. The battle, in Lincoln County, was a confrontation between local Patriots and Loyalists. (Patriots welcomed the fight for independence from Great Britain, while Loyalists considered rebelling against the government treason.) Divisions among North Carolina’s backcountry colonists often led to neighbor-against-neighbor fighting during the Revolution. The Patriot victory at Ramsour’s Mill helped weaken local support for the Loyalist cause.