250th Anniversary of New Bern Resolves

August 24, 2024

The first Provincial Congress held in America in open defiance of royal authority was conducted in the Craven County Court House, New Bern, NC, in August 1774. The courthouse was located at the current intersection of Middle and Broad Streets until the building was destroyed by fire in January 1861. During August 25 – 27, 1774, seventy-one elected delegates representing 30 of 36 counties and 6 of 9 boroughs, met to discuss the grievances against numerous taxes and laws imposed on the Colonists by the Royal Crown and the British Parliament.

In response to the unjust taxes and laws, especially those outlined in the Intolerable Acts, twenty-eight (28) resolutions or “resolves” focusing upon “the rights of British American subjects” and “economic sanctions against Great Britain and their trading partners” were issued. William Hooper, Joseph Hewes and Richard Caswell were elected as delegates to the 1st Continental Congress and were instructed to present the “resolves” to the 1st Continental Congress as actionable redress of grievances against the Royal Crown.

These “resolves” were presented and discussed at the 1st Continental Congress held in Carpenters’ Hall, Philadelphia, PA during September 5, through October 26, 1774. They helped form the basis of the Continental Association (aka Articles of Association or just The Association) that was signed on October 20, 1774, and are recognized as one of our nations six (6) founding documents.

The men attending the 1st North Carolina Provincial Congress acted in defiance of the British Royal Crown, an act that served a catalyst to the American Revolutionary movement.

Join us on August 24th, 2024, as we celebrate the NEW BERN RESOLVES!

Parade to Ceremony on Tryon Palace’s South Lawn

Schedule of Morning Events

9:30 a.m. – Parade

Begins at the North Carolina History Center, traverses down Metcalf Str., turns left onto Pollock Str. and then continues through the Palace front gates to the Palace’s south lawn (15 min. to walk the route)

Tryon Palace Fife and Drum, 1^st Regiment NC Continental Line, New Bern and State SAR, Richard Dobbs Spaight Chapter of DAR, Saint John’s Masonic Lodge No. 3, SAR Color Guard, Scouting of America, Alamance Battleground participants, National Sojourners, Scottish Rite, York and other patriotic and civil organizations.

10:00 a.m. – Ceremony begins on Tryon Palace Historic Site South Lawn

• Posting of Colors and Pledge of Allegiance
• Keynote Address by Chief Justice Paul Newby, NC Supreme Court
• Rendering of Honors to the 71 Delegates and the Resolves of the 1^st NC Provincial Congress

11:00 a.m. – Closing of Ceremony

• Firing of Verbruggen 3-lb. Cannon
• Tryon Palace Fife and Drum Corps perform

North Carolina History Center

10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. – Family-friendly Activities

• Engage with members from participating groups and the team of the DNCR America 250 NC Airstream to learn more about the American Revolution and upcoming events celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary.
• Children’s activities in Mattocks Hall, and light refreshments in Wainwright Activity Room.
• One-Day Wonder – For one day on loan from NC DNCR Archives and History, “Journal with Notes from the First Provincial Congress.”

Visit the Pepsi Can at the event for a FREE Pepsi, water or Pepsi product, courtesy of Minges Bottling Group.