1. On December 7, 1612, the English colony of Virginia officially claimed the land that now makes up North Carolina. The land was part of the larger Virginia colony at the time, but would eventually become its own separate entity.
2. In 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred on December 7, which ultimately led to the United States entering into World War II. North Carolina played a significant role in the war effort, with establishments such as Camp Lejeune and Fort Bragg serving as training grounds for soldiers.
3. On December 7, 1957, singer-songwriter and North Carolina native James Taylor was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Taylor later moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where he attended UNC-Chapel Hill and began his music career.
4. December 7, 1971 marked the end of the longest student strike in UNC-Chapel Hill's history. Students had gone on strike to protest the university's involvement with the Vietnam War, and the strike lasted for over two months.
5. On December 7, 1983, the first Boeing 767 assembly facility outside of the company's headquarters in Seattle, Washington, opened in Greensboro, North Carolina. The facility employed over 2,000 workers and produced over 400 planes throughout its operation.