1. North Carolina Declared Independence from Britain on July 2, 1776
North Carolina played a significant role in the American Revolution and was one of the first colonies to declare independence from Britain. On July 2, 1776, the North Carolina Provincial Congress resolved that the colony was independent from Great Britain, making it the first colony to take such a step.

2. Atlanta Campaign Began on July 2, 1864
During the American Civil War, Confederate forces under General Joseph E. Johnston faced off against Union forces in the Atlanta Campaign. The campaign began on July 2, 1864, with the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, which was fought in Georgia but involved many soldiers from North Carolina.

3. Wilmington Insurrection of 1898 Began on July 2
The Wilmington Insurrection of 1898, also known as the Wilmington Massacre, was a white supremacist uprising against the city's elected government and black residents. It began on July 2, 1898, and lasted for several days. The insurrection resulted in the overthrow of the elected government and the establishment of a white supremacist regime that lasted for decades.

4. Orville Wright Crashed a Plane on July 2, 1908
Orville Wright, of the Wright Brothers fame, crashed a plane in Fort Myer, Virginia, on July 2, 1908. The crash killed his passenger, Army Signal Corps Lieutenant Thomas Selfridge, and injured Wright. The Wright Brothers had previously conducted their first powered flight on December 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

5. North Carolina Ratified the US Constitution on July 2, 1788
North Carolina was one of the original 13 colonies that formed the United States of America. However, the state initially refused to ratify the US Constitution, which was written in 1787. Eventually, on July 2, 1788, North Carolina became the twelfth state to ratify the Constitution.