Question: How did the University of North Carolina become the nation’s first public university?
Answer: The University of North Carolina became the nation’s first public university after the 1776 state constitution mandated education—unique among early state charters in explicitly calling for state-supported higher education. William Richardson Davie introduced a charter bill in 1789. Trustees selected land in 1792, built Old East in 1793, and opened it to students in 1795—graduating them in the 18th century, unlike later-established rivals.
