Cary's Rebellion

Cary's Rebellion, also known as the Cary Rebellion, was an uprising against the governor of North Carolina in 1711, led by Thomas Cary who refused to give up his governorship to Edward Hyde. The rebellion was part of a long-standing tension between the religious and political groups in North Carolina, generally divided between the Quaker party, of which Cary was a part, and the Church of England party, to which Hyde belonged.

Background

At the time, the Province of Carolina was technically a single entity which encompassed all the land from Spanish Florida to the Colony of Virginia. However, transportation between the northern parts and the southern seat of the provincial government in Charleston was very difficult and in the late 17th century, a deputy governor for the northern section was appointed who was able to act with significant autonomy.