- South Carolina's state seal was commissioned in 1776 and is symbolic of the same battle that gave …
On December 20, 1860, South Carolina became the first Southern state to withdraw from the United States over the issue of slavery. It feared that its economy, which was based on plantations (large farms) using slave labor, would fall apart if the United States no longer allowed slavery. South Carolina later became the scene of the first battle of the American Civil War, which began on April 12, 1861, near Charleston. Soldiers from the Confederacy—the new government formed by states that had withdrawn from the Union—opened fire on Fort Sumter, which was held by the United States Army. Upon the Confederacy's defeat in 1865, South Carolina faced many economic and social problems. The state today does not depend nearly as much on agriculture as it once did. Instead, many types of manufacturing are found within the state. Much progress also has been made in the area of race relations. The state capital is Columbia. GeographySouth Carolina is located in the southeastern part of the United States. It covers an area of 31,113 square miles (80,583 square kilometers). South Carolina is shaped sort of like a triangle. It borders North Carolina on the north, Georgia on the west, and the Atlantic Ocean on the east. - The Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, near the Santee delta in South Carolina, is part of the …
The southern and eastern parts of South Carolina are covered by a broad coastal plain. Along the coast are sandy islands separated from the mainland by marshes and lagoons. The western part of South Carolina is mainly a plateau with rolling hills. A portion of the Blue Ridge Mountains rises in the northwest corner of the state. The state's highest peak, Sassafras Mountain, is in the Blue Ridge; it reaches a height of 3,560 feet (1,085 meters). South Carolina's major river systems are the Savannah, the Santee, and the Pee Dee. The state has long, hot, humid summers and mild winters. Plants and animalsForests cover roughly two thirds of the state's land area. South Carolina is nicknamed the Palmetto State, and the palmetto is the state tree. Southern pine, cypress, and oak trees are also plentiful. Wildlife in South Carolina includes wild pigs, deer, wild turkeys, alligators, and a variety of poisonous snakes. People and cultureNative Americans lived in the South Carolina region for thousands of years before white settlement. By the 21st century Native Americans made up less than 1 percent of the state's population. The largest remaining group is the Catawba. The first settlers to arrive in South Carolina from overseas came from England and Barbados. They were followed by Scots and French Huguenots (Protestants) in the 1680s. German and Welsh immigrants arrived in the 18th century. The state remains heavily populated by people of European heritage. Before the American Civil War many blacks were brought to South Carolina as slaves. At times in the state's history blacks outnumbered whites. In the early 20th century many African Americans began to move to other states seeking better lives. At the start of the 21st century African Americans made up about 30 percent of the state's population. CitiesColumbia, South Carolina's capital and largest city, is located near the center of the state. Charleston, which was once the capital, remains an important seaport and is one of the great historic cities of the United States. Greenville and Spartanburg are industrial cities at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. RecreationSouth Carolina is a state with a deep history. Sites dating from the American Revolution and American Civil War are popular tourist attractions. South Carolina is also known for its many parks and gardens. Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island are popular ocean resorts. EducationFree schools in South Carolina began in 1811, but black children were not admitted until after the American Civil War. When African Americans began to attend public schools, many white families sent their children to different schools. During the civil rights movement of the 1960s South Carolina was the last state to adopt integration (the mixing of races) in its schools. The state's largest institution of higher learning is the University of South Carolina, which has its main campus at Columbia. The Citadel, at Charleston, is one of the best-known military academies in the United States. The state's oldest college is the College of Charleston, which was founded in 1770. EconomyIndustrySouth Carolina is known for the production of textiles. Although the textile industry has declined since the early 20th century, it remains a leading part of the state's economy. Chemicals, industrial machinery, and motor vehicles are also produced. Tourism is another important industry. Agriculture and fishingThe number of farms in South Carolina has dropped greatly since World War II. Today less than one quarter of the state's area is farmland. The main crops include tobacco, soybeans, cotton, corn, and peaches. Livestock income comes from poultry, cattle and calves, and dairy products. Shrimp, crabs, and oysters are the main products of the coastal fishing industry. ResourcesSouth Carolina's forests are a valuable natural resource that provide lumber and pulp for paper production. The state's mineral resources include clay, sand, gravel, and crushed stone. HistoryThe first people to live in present-day South Carolina were hunters and gatherers who arrived more than 10,000 years ago. About 30 Native American tribes lived in the area when Europeans arrived. Among them were the Catawba, Cherokee, and Yamasee. Settlement and revolutionSpanish and French attempts to settle in the region during the 16th century were unsuccessful. In 1665 King Charles II of England gave permission to a group of men to start the colony of Carolina. The first permanent English settlement was Charles Town, established in 1670 and named for the king. The settlers moved their town to the present site of Charleston in 1680. The colony was divided into North and South Carolina in 1729. South Carolina prospered during the colonial period. Planters grew wealthy through vast rice and indigo crops. Charleston became the commercial and cultural center of the southeastern coast. By 1775, however, the people of South Carolina were unhappy with British rule. They joined with other American colonies in the American Revolution. Many battles were fought in South Carolina. After Britain's defeat, South Carolina entered the Union in 1788 as the eighth state. From revolution to the Civil WarAfter the revolution South Carolina struggled to rebuild itself. The invention of the cotton gin (a machine that removes cotton seed from raw cotton) in 1793 changed the state's economy. Cotton became the main crop, and slavery became more widespread. Like other Southern states, South Carolina disagreed with Northern states over slavery. These tensions eventually resulted in South Carolina leaving the Union in 1860 to join the Confederacy. The American Civil War soon followed. Reconstruction and beyondAfter the South's defeat, South Carolina once again had to rebuild. The difficult years after the war are known as the Reconstruction period (1865–77). South Carolina was readmitted to the Union in 1868. In the 20th century many New England textile mills relocated to the South. Although pockets of poverty still existed, overall income for the state's workers greatly increased. The national civil rights movement of the 1960s led to changes in state policies that were unfair to African Americans. In 1989 Hurricane Hugo caused great damage to the South Carolina coast. Population (2000 census), 4,012,012. |