The General Assembly collection includes items from 1709 to 1999, with the digital collection highlighting the earliest materials, from 1709 until 1872. These materials are primarily session records, which document legislative proceedings, and minutes from the Clerk’s Office of the House and Senate. The records include lists of General Assembly members present at sessions, capture the passage of laws, and document other business proceedings.

Selections from the following series are included in North Carolina Digital Collections:

About the General Assembly

The General Assembly, North Carolina’s bicameral legislature, is the government institution responsible for creating and modifying state laws. Mirroring the United States Congress, the General Assembly consists of two chambers: the House of Representatives, originally known as the House of Commons, and the Senate.

 

The makeup of the General Assembly has shifted over time due to changes in state population, but it currently consists of 50 members in the Senate and 120 members in the House of Representatives. These chambers meet for a long session, typically six to seven months in odd-numbered years, and for shorter sessions in even-numbered years.

Colonial Roots and Early Statehood

Prior to the United States’ independence from Great Britain, North Carolina maintained a Colonial Assembly that met at the discretion of the governor. Consisting of elected members from each represented county, the Assembly passed laws, granted the governor a salary, and decided how to spend tax revenue.

 

The North Carolina General Assembly was officially established in 1777 following the Revolutionary War. The Assembly met in various locations across the state including Halifax, Hillsborough, New Bern, Fayetteville, Smithfield, and Tarboro. In 1794, Raleigh became North Carolina’s permanent capital city, and the General Assembly has since convened there.

Federal and State Constitutional Materials

Federal and state constitutional materials found in the Vault Collection at the State Archives of North Carolina.

Revolutionary War Era

Materials relating to the Revolutionary War in North Carolina.

Senate Audio

Audio recordings of selected legislative sessions in the General Assembly Senate chamber.

NCPedia: General Assembly

NCPedia article providing more information about the General Assembly, including resources for educators.