1. In 1664, the first land grant in North Carolina was issued to Sir William Berkeley and Sir George Cartaret for the territory south of Virginia. This grant later became known as the Carolina Colony.

2. On July 8, 1777, the Battle of Hubbardton was fought in Vermont during the American Revolution. Many soldiers from North Carolina participated in this battle, including Colonel Francis Rawdon and his troops who helped defeat the British forces.

3. In 1865, Confederate General Robert E. Lee officially surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant on April 9th, effectively ending the American Civil War. However, many Confederate soldiers did not surrender until months later. On July 8th, 1865, the last Confederate forces under Lieutenant General Edmund Kirby Smith surrendered at Galveston, Texas, bringing an end to the war.

4. In 1898, the first recorded automobile accident in North Carolina occurred in Raleigh. A man named Henry Banning was driving his automobile on Fayetteville Street when he collided with a streetcar. Banning was not seriously injured, but his car was severely damaged.

5. On July 8, 1961, the first official performance of the outdoor drama "The Lost Colony" was held in Manteo, North Carolina. This play tells the story of the disappearance of the Roanoke Island colonists in 1587 and has become a beloved tradition in North Carolina. The show still runs every summer in the outdoor amphitheater of the Waterside Theatre.