Theme: Resist

The Regulator Movement, also known as the Regulator Insurrection or the War of Regulation, was an uprising that was in Provincial North Carolina. 

During the year of 1766 to 1771, citizens took up arms against colonial officials who they viewed as corrupt. 


The regulators were fighting against regulation by British officials and for the autonomy and freedom of the colonists themselves. 

The targets of the colonists' aggression were the appointed officials of the local government. ]

These officials financially abused the colonists and were believed to be corrupt. 

They were known as the "courthouse ring" because they would use the court to extort and mistreat the people. 


The war of regulation marks the formation of a group called the regulators. 


These colonists are attributed with assisting in the development of the resistance movement against corrupt British officials.


The regulators did not want to change the form of their government, but just wanted to make the colony's political process equal and fair. 

They wanted better economic conditions for everyone instead of a process that just benefited colonial officials.


The parties involved were George Sim, Governor Tryon, the Regulators, and the “courthouse ring.

” Governor Tryon had recruited almost 1,000 militia to fight the Regulators. 

Even when he did not know of the numbers the Regulators had, Governor Tryon was confident that his men could defeat their opponents because he knew the strength of his militia. 


On the day of the Battle, nearly 2,000 Regulators fought against the militia; however, despite having nearly double the number of men, the Regulators were quickly defeated.

 They had insufficient supplies, limited weapons, and were lacking strong leadership which, coupled with the military training and preparedness of the militia, resulted in a swift defeat. 


The impact of the Regulator War was that it laid the foundation for the American Revolution. 

The goal of the war was to regulate the government and abolish the corruption that festered within it. 

There were no talks of overthrowing the government as there would be a few years later in the American Revolution.


The war of Regulation represented a revolt and a resistance from excessive regulation by a corrupted government This is relevant because it allowed the colonists to have a voice.It seen today as a significant example of a successful revolt against excessive regulation in American history.

William Driver