The first North Carolina General Assembly was convened on April 7, 1777 in New Bern, North Carolina.
  It consisted of  Senate with one member from each county of 38 existing counties and one district (Washington District which later became part of the Southwest Territory and then Tennessee) and a House of Commons with two members representing each of the existing 38 counties, plus one member from each of the large towns/districts (Edenton, Halifax, Hillsborough, New Bern, Salisbury, and Wilmington Districts).
 Districts continued to be represented in the Senate until 1835.
 Only land-owning (100 acres (0.4 km²) for the House of Commons and 300 acres (1.2 km²) for the Senate), Protestant men could serve.

The first 18 General Assemblies met in various locations, including New Bern, Hillsboro, Halifax, Smithfield, and Wake Court House, Fayetteville.
 It was not until 1794 that the General Assembly met in the new state capital, Raleigh where it has met ever since.
 
The constitution provided for more rights for freedmen and free men of color.
The 9th Amendment] on the 1776 constitution states, "That no freeman shall be convicted of any crime, but by the unanimous verdict of a jury of good lawful men, in open court, as heretofore used."
 Free men of color with sufficient property were allowed to vote.
Following Nat Turner's slave rebellion of 1831, the state legislature passed more restrictive laws, making it illegal to teach a slave how to read or write.
They also narrowed rights of free people of color, rescinding their franchise and the right to bear arms, and forbidding them from attending school or learning to read and write, as well as forbidding them from preaching in public.
The first North Carolina General Assembly was convened on April 7, 1777 in New Bern, North Carolina.   It consisted of  Senate with one member from each county of 38 existing counties and one district (Washington District which later became part of the Southwest Territory and then Tennessee) and a House of Commons with two members representing each of the existing 38 counties, plus one member from each of the large towns/districts (Edenton, Halifax, Hillsborough, New Bern, Salisbury, and Wilmington Districts).  Districts continued to be represented in the Senate until 1835.  Only land-owning (100 acres (0.4 km²) for the House of Commons and 300 acres (1.2 km²) for the Senate), Protestant men could serve. 
The first 18 General Assemblies met in various locations, including New Bern, Hillsboro, Halifax, Smithfield, and Wake Court House, Fayetteville.  It was not until 1794 that the General Assembly met in the new state capital, Raleigh where it has met ever since.  
The constitution provided for more rights for freedmen and free men of color. The 9th Amendment] on the 1776 constitution states, "That no freeman shall be convicted of any crime, but by the unanimous verdict of a jury of good lawful men, in open court, as heretofore used."  Free men of color with sufficient property were allowed to vote. Following Nat Turner's slave rebellion of 1831, the state legislature passed more restrictive laws, making it illegal to teach a slave how to read or write. They also narrowed rights of free people of color, rescinding their franchise and the right to bear arms, and forbidding them from attending school or learning to read and write, as well as forbidding them from preaching in public.
North Carolina General Assembly