Cary's Rebellion in North Carolina
- When
- 1708–1711
- Where
- North Carolina; Chowan River
- Episodes
- 2
Cary's Rebellion was a 1711 uprising in North Carolina led by Thomas Cary against Deputy Governor Edward Hyde. Rooted in Quaker-Anglican tensions, the conflict escalated when Cary refused to yield his office, culminating in a failed riverine attack and the eventual suppression of the revolt.
Episodes
- Cary Ousts Glover
Cary and supporters remove Governor Glover from office in 1708.
- Attack on Pollock Plantation
Cary attacks Hyde's forces at Colonel Pollock's home on the Chowan River.
Background and detail
Political Tensions. The rebellion stemmed from long-standing divisions between the Quaker party, led by Cary, and the Church of England party, aligned with Hyde. After Cary ousted Governor Glover in 1708, he dominated the government until the Lords Proprietors intervened to remove him and appoint Hyde as Deputy Governor.
Military Confrontation. Hyde arrived in North Carolina in January 1711 with letters from the Lords Proprietors. Cary resisted the transfer of power, leading to a direct confrontation. On June 30, 1711, Cary launched an armed attack on Hyde's fortified position at Colonel Thomas Pollock's home on the Chowan River, which failed to dislodge the new governor.
Suppression and Consequences. The rebellion weakened the colonial position during a period of instability. It marked the end of Quaker dominance in North Carolina governance. The dissension caused by the conflict also impeded the colonial response to the subsequent Tuscarora War, which began in September 1711.
People involved
- Thomas Cary · Rebel Leader and former Deputy Governor
- Edward Hyde · Appointed Deputy Governor
- Lords Proprietors · Appointing Authority
Sources
- Cary's Rebellion Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-25
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.