Locals refer to North Carolina as the “Tarheel State” because in the past, calling someone a “rosin heel” or “tar heel” was an insult to those who worked in a lowly trade. But, during the Civil War, North Carolina soldiers brought new meaning to the term and wore the moniker of “tar heel” with pride. Then the sporting teams of the University of North Carolina adopted the name and, these days, “tar heel” is a nickname for the state and its inhabitants.