Tar Heel (or Tarheel) is a nickname applied to the U.S. state of North Carolina and its people. It is also the nickname of athletic teams at the University of North Carolina. The origins of the nickname trace back to North Carolina's prominence—from the mid-18th century through the 19th century—as a producer of tar, pitch, turpentine, and other materials from its plentiful pine trees. "Tar Heel" (and a related version, "Rosin Heel") was often applied to the Poor White laborers who worked to produce tar, pitch, and turpentine. The nickname was embraced by Confederate North Carolina soldiers during the American Civil War, and it grew in popularity as a nickname for the state and its citizens following the war. - Source: Wikipedia
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