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South Carolina



 
 
South Carolina is a state
U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 state of the United States that share sovereignty with the federal government of the United States . Because of this shared sovereignty, an United States is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of Domicile ....
 in the southern region
Southern United States

The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive region in the southeastern and south-central United States....
 (Deep South
Deep South

The Deep South is a descriptive category of cultural and geographic subregions in the Southern United States. Historically, it is differentiated from the "Upper South" as being the states which were most dependent on plantation type agriculture during the antebellum period....
) of the United States. It borders Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is a U.S. state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against United Kingdom rule in the American Revolution....
 to the south and North Carolina
North Carolina

North Carolina is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north....
 to the north. Originally part of the Province of Carolina
Province of Carolina

The Province of Carolina from 1663 to 1712, was a North American Kingdom of Great Britain proprietary colony, controlled by the Lords Proprietor, a group of eight English noblemen led informally by member Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury....
, the Province of South Carolina
Province of South Carolina

The South Carolina Colony was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered in 1663. The colony later became the U.S. state of South Carolina....
 was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence from the British Crown during the American Revolution
American Revolution

The American Revolution refers to the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen Colonies of North America overthrew the governance of the British Empire and then rejected the British monarchy to become the sovereign United States of America....
. The colony was originally named in honor of King Charles I of England, Scotland, and Ireland
Charles I of England

Charles I was List of English monarchs, List of monarchs of Scotland and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his capital punishment on 30 January 1649....
, as Carolus is Latin for Charles. South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 and was a founding state of the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America

The Confederate States of America formed as the government set up from 1861 to 1865 by eleven Southern United States U.S. state of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S....
.






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Timeline

1712   Tuscarora War: The Carolina militia of Native Americans and settlers from the South Carolina portion of the Province of Carolina arrives at Bath.

1718   Blackbeard leads 300 sailors in four ships to blockade the port of Charleston, South Carolina in late May. The "Queen Anne's Revenge" and "Adventure" are both lost in Beaufort Inlet, North Carolina one week later. Blackbeard allows Stede Bonnet to once again command the "Revenge", which is renamed the "Royal James". Bonnet rescues 25 sailors abandoned by Blackbeard on a sandbar and continues his life of piracy.

1729   Seven of the original eight Lords Proprietors sell their tracts within the Province of Carolina back to the crown. The Province is permanently divided and reorganized into the Royal Colonies of North Carolina and South Carolina.

1775   September 12 - "Independence Hurricane" from South Carolina to Nova Scotia kills 4170, mostly fishermen and sailors.

1775   American Revolutionary War: Colonel Richard Richardson's South Carolina revolutionaries march through Ninety Six District in what becomes known as the "Snow Campaign", effectively ending all major support for the Loyalist cause in the backcountry of South Carolina.

1776   American Revolutionary War: South Carolina Loyalists led by Robert Cunningham sign a petition from prison agreeing to all demands for peace by the newly formed state government of South Carolina.

1778   South Carolina becomes the first state to ratify the Articles of Confederation.

1788   South Carolina ratifies the United States Constitution and becomes the 8th U.S. state.

1798   The Mississippi Territory is organized from territory ceded by Georgia and South Carolina and is later twice expanded to include disputed territory claimed by both the U.S. and Spain

1856   Congressman Preston Brooks of South Carolina beats Senator Charles Sumner with a cane in the hall of the United States Senate for a speech Sumner had made attacking Southerners who sympathized with the pro-slavery violence in Kansas ("Bleeding Kansas"). Sumner was unable to return to duty for three years while he recovered. Brooks became a hero across the South.







Encyclopedia


South Carolina is a state
U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 state of the United States that share sovereignty with the federal government of the United States . Because of this shared sovereignty, an United States is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of Domicile ....
 in the southern region
Southern United States

The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive region in the southeastern and south-central United States....
 (Deep South
Deep South

The Deep South is a descriptive category of cultural and geographic subregions in the Southern United States. Historically, it is differentiated from the "Upper South" as being the states which were most dependent on plantation type agriculture during the antebellum period....
) of the United States. It borders Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is a U.S. state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against United Kingdom rule in the American Revolution....
 to the south and North Carolina
North Carolina

North Carolina is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north....
 to the north. Originally part of the Province of Carolina
Province of Carolina

The Province of Carolina from 1663 to 1712, was a North American Kingdom of Great Britain proprietary colony, controlled by the Lords Proprietor, a group of eight English noblemen led informally by member Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury....
, the Province of South Carolina
Province of South Carolina

The South Carolina Colony was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered in 1663. The colony later became the U.S. state of South Carolina....
 was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence from the British Crown during the American Revolution
American Revolution

The American Revolution refers to the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen Colonies of North America overthrew the governance of the British Empire and then rejected the British monarchy to become the sovereign United States of America....
. The colony was originally named in honor of King Charles I of England, Scotland, and Ireland
Charles I of England

Charles I was List of English monarchs, List of monarchs of Scotland and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his capital punishment on 30 January 1649....
, as Carolus is Latin for Charles. South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 and was a founding state of the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America

The Confederate States of America formed as the government set up from 1861 to 1865 by eleven Southern United States U.S. state of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S....
. According to an estimate by the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau

The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data....
, the state's population in 2008 was 4,479,800 and ranked 24th among the U.S. states.

Geography

National Atlas South Carolina
South Carolina is bordered to the north by North Carolina
North Carolina

North Carolina is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north....
; to the south and west by Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is a U.S. state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against United Kingdom rule in the American Revolution....
, located across the Savannah River
Savannah River

File:Savannah river cargo ship.jpgFile:Riverwalk Augusta in December.jpgThe Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the U.S....
; and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean.

South Carolina is composed of thirty six geographic areas, whose boundaries roughly parallel the northeast/southwest Atlantic coastline. The lowest part of the state is the Coastal Zone, which is divided into three separate areas(The Grand Strand, Santee River Delta, and the Barrier Islands), The second part going inland is the Coastal Plains, often divided into the Outer and Inner Coastal Plains, is also known as the Lowcountry. The land above the plains is known as the sandhills, which used to be South Carolina's fall line. above that is the piedmont, which contains many major cities and is hilly. The last region is the Blue ridge, which is the smallest region. It is mountainous. The Lowcountry is nearly flat and composed entirely of recent sediments such as sand, silt, and clay. Areas with better drainage make excellent farmland, though some land is swampy. The coastline contains many salt marshes and estuaries, as well as natural ports such as Georgetown
Georgetown, South Carolina

Georgetown is the third oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and the county seat of Georgetown County, South Carolina. Located on Winyah Bay at the confluence of the Great Pee Dee River, Waccamaw River, and Sampit River, Georgetown is the second largest seaport in South Carolina, handling over 960,000 tons of materials a year....
 and Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston is a city in Charleston County, South Carolina in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the largest city and county seat of Charleston County....
. An unusual feature of the coastal plain is a large number of Carolina bays, the origins of which are uncertain, though one prominent theory suggests that they were created by a meteor shower. The bays tend to be oval, lining up in a northwest to southeast orientation.
Palmetto State
State Symbols
State Capital: Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 116,278 according to the United States Census, 2000 ....
State Mottos
List of U.S. state mottos

File:Arizonastateseal.jpgFile:2000 NH Proof.pngFile:Seal of California.svgFile:2001 VT Proof.pngFile:Florida state seal.svgFile:2002 IN Proof.png...
:
Dum spiro spero
Dum spiro spero

Dum spiro spero means "While I breathe, I hope" in Latin Language and is generally attributed to Cicero.It is a motto of various places and families....
 
(While I breathe, I hope)
and Animis opibusque parati
(Prepared in Mind and Resources)
State Slogan
List of U.S. state slogans

This list of U.S. state slogans is made up the advertising slogans, currently and formerly used by U.S. states. Most states establish such slogans for the promotion of tourism....
:
Smiling Faces Beautiful Places
State Songs
List of U.S. state songs

Introduction Forty-nine U.S. state of the United States have one or more state songs, selected by the State legislature as a symbol of the state....
:
"Carolina
Carolina (song)

"Carolina" is the official state song of South Carolina since 1911. In 1984, it was joined by "South Carolina On My Mind"....
" and
"South Carolina On My Mind
South Carolina on My Mind

South Carolina On My Mind is a song written and recorded by native South Carolina Hank Martin and Buzz Arledge. It was adopted by South Carolina as a second state song1 on March 8, 1984.2 It joins "Carolina ," which has been a state song since 1911....
"
State Tree
List of U.S. state trees

This List of U.S. state trees includes official trees of the following U.S. state and U.S. possessions:...
:
Sabal palmetto
Sabal palmetto

Sabal palmetto, also known as Cabbage Palm, Palmetto, Cabbage Palmetto,Palmetto Palm, and Sabal Palm, is one of 15 species of Sabal Arecaceae ....
State Flower
List of U.S. state flowers

This is a list of U.S. state flowers:See also*List of U.S. state trees*Lists of U.S. state insigniaReferences *...
:
Yellow jessamine
State Bird
List of U.S. state birds

This is a list of U.S. state birds as designated by each state's legislature. The selection of state birds began in 1927, when the legislatures for Alabama, Florida, Maine, Missouri, Oregon, Texas and Wyoming selected their state birds....
:
Carolina Wren
Carolina Wren

The Carolina Wren is a common species of wren resident in the eastern half of the USA, the extreme south of Ontario and Quebec, Canada, and the extreme northeast of Mexico....
State Wild Game Bird: Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey

The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is one of two species of turkey , the other being the Ocellated Turkey, found in Central America....
State Dog: Boykin Spaniel
Boykin Spaniel

The Boykin Spaniel is a medium sized Dog breed of dog and a member of the Spaniel family. It is the List of U.S. state mammals of South Carolina and was originally bred there for hunting wild turkeys in the Wateree River Swamp in the early 1900s....
State Animal: White-tailed deer
White-tailed Deer

File:Wtdfishwild.jpgThe white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer, or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to all but five states in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and northern portions of South America as far south as Peru....
State Reptile: Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Loggerhead Sea Turtle

The Loggerhead Sea Turtle is a sea turtle and the only member of the genus Caretta. The genus name "Caretta" is a latinization of the French language "caret", meaning turtle, tortoise, or sea turtle....
State Amphibian: Salamander
Salamander

Salamander is a common name of approximately 500 species of amphibians. They are typically characterized by slender bodies, short noses, and long tails....
State Fish
List of U.S. state fish

This is a list of official and *unofficial U.S. state fish:The only states lacking a state fish as of 2008 are Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, and Ohio....
:
Striped bass
Striped bass

The striped bass is the List of U.S. state fish of Maryland, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and the state Saltwater fish of New York....
State Insect
List of U.S. state insects

State insects are designated by 41 individual states of the fifty United States. Some states have more than one designated insect, or have multiple categories ....
:
Carolina Mantis
Carolina mantis

The Carolina mantis is a praying mantis native to the Southern United States and one of six species found in North America. It grows to approximately in length....
State Butterfly
List of U.S. state butterflies

This is a list of official U.S. state butterflies:...
:
Eastern tiger swallowtail
Eastern tiger swallowtail

The Eastern tiger swallowtail, Papilio glaucus, is a large swallowtail butterfly. It is found in the Eastern United States, as far north as southern Vermont, and as far West as extreme Eastern Colorado....
State Fruit
List of U.S. state foods

This is a list of official U.S. state foods:...
:
Peach
Peach

The peach is known as a species of Prunus native to China that bears an edible juicy fruit also called a peach. It is a deciduous tree growing to 5?10 m tall, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae....
State Beverage
List of U.S. state beverages

This is a list of official state beverages:See also* Lists of U.S. state insigniaReferences ...
:
Milk
Milk

Milk is an opaque white liquid produced by the mammary glands of female mammals . It provides the primary source of nutrition for newborn mammals before they are able to digestion other types of food....
State Hospitality
Beverage
List of U.S. state beverages

This is a list of official state beverages:See also* Lists of U.S. state insigniaReferences ...
:
Tea
Tea

Tea refers to the agricultural products of the leaves, leaf buds, and internodes of the Camellia sinensis plant, prepared and cured by various methods....
State Gemstone
List of U.S. state minerals, rocks, stones and gemstones

Not every state has an official state mineral, rock, stone or gemstone. ...
:
Amethyst
Amethyst

Amethyst is a violet variety of quartz often used as an ornamental stone in jewelry. The name comes from the Ancient Greek a- and methustos , a reference to the belief that the stone protected its owner from drunkenness; the Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome wore amethyst and made drinking vessels of it in the belief that it would prev...
State Stone
List of U.S. state minerals, rocks, stones and gemstones

Not every state has an official state mineral, rock, stone or gemstone. ...
:
Blue
Blue

Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440?490 Nanometre....
 granite
Granite

Granite is a common and widely occurring type of Intrusion , felsic, igneous rock rock . Granite has a medium to coarse texture, occasionally with some individual crystals larger than the groundmass forming a rock known as Porphyry ....
State Popular Music: Beach music
Beach music

Beach music, also known as Carolina beach music, is a regional genre which developed from various musical styles of the forties, fifties and sixties....
State Dance
List of U.S. state dances

This is a list of official U.S. state dances:See also* Lists of U.S. state insigniaReferences ...
:
Shag
Carolina shag

Carolina Shag is a six count partner dance done mostly to moderate tempo music . During the dance the upper body and hips hardly move as the human leg do convoluted kicks and fancy footwork....
State Snack
List of U.S. state foods

This is a list of official U.S. state foods:...
:
Boiled peanuts
Boiled peanuts

Boiled peanut are popular in some places where peanuts are common. Fully mature peanuts do not make good quality boiled peanuts; rather raw or "green" ones are used....
State Craft: Sweetgrass Basket weaving
Basket weaving

Basket weaving is the process of weaving unspun vegetable fibers into a basket or other similar form.Basketry is made from a variety of fibrous or pliable materials?anything that will bend and form a shape....
State Mace South Carolina State Mace
State Sword South Carolina State Sword
State Quarter
50 State Quarters

The 50 State Quarters program is the release of a series of United States Commemorative Coins by the United States Mint. Between 1999 and 2008, it featured each of the 50 individual U.S....
South Carolina Quarter, Reverse Side, 2000


Just west of the coastal plain is the Sandhills
Sandhills (Carolina)

The Sandhills is a region in the interior of the U.S. states of North Carolina and South Carolina. It is a strip of ancient beach dunes which generally divides the Piedmont from the Atlantic Coastal Plain, and is the evidence of a former coastline when the ocean level was higher, or the land lower....
 region, also known as the Midlands. This region of the state is thought to contain remnants of old coastal dunes from a time when the land was sunken or the oceans were higher.

The Piedmont
Piedmont (United States)

Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south....
 (Upstate) region contains the roots of an ancient, eroded mountain chain. It is generally hilly, with thin, stony clay soils, and contains few areas suitable for farming. Much of the Piedmont was once farmed, with little success. It is now reforested. At the southeastern edge of the Piedmont is the fall line
Fall line

In geomorphology, a fall line marks the area where an upland region and a coastal plain meet. Technically, a fall line is an unconformity. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls....
, where rivers drop to the coastal plain. The fall line was an important early source of water power. Mills built to harness this resource encouraged the growth of several cities, including the capital, Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 116,278 according to the United States Census, 2000 ....
. The larger rivers are navigable up to the fall line, providing a trade route for mill towns.

The northwestern part of the Piedmont is also known as the Foothills. The Cherokee Parkway
South Carolina Highway 11

The Cherokee Foothills National Scenic Highway winds its way through the Upstate South Carolina of South Carolina. Following the southernmost peaks of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the route is surrounded with peach orchards, quaint villages, and parks....
 is a scenic driving route through this area. This is where Table Rock State Park
Table Rock State Park (South Carolina)

Table Rock State Park is a park at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is in the northern section of Pickens County, South Carolina. The state park houses the tallest mountain totally within the state, Pinnacle Mountain....
 is located.

Highest in elevation is the Blue Ridge Region, containing an escarpment of the Blue Ridge Mountains
Blue Ridge Mountains

The Blue Ridge, or Blue Ridge Mountains, is a Physiographic regions of the world of the larger Appalachian Mountains division. The province consists of the Northern and Southern physiographic sections, which divide near the Roanoke River gap....
, which continue into North Carolina and Georgia, as part of the southern Appalachian
Appalachian Mountains

The Appalachian Mountains or , often called the Appalachians, are a vast mountain range in eastern North America. Definitions vary on the precise boundaries of the Appalachians....
 chain. Sassafras Mountain
Sassafras Mountain

Sassafras Mountain is the highest point in the state of South Carolina, United States, with a summit elevation of 3560 feet above mean sea level....
, South Carolina's highest point at 3,560 feet (1,085 m
Metre

The metre or meter is a Unit of measurement of length. It is the SI base unit of length in the metric system and in the International System of Units , used around the world for general and scientific purposes....
) is located in this area. Also located in the Upcountry is Table Rock State Park
Table Rock State Park (South Carolina)

Table Rock State Park is a park at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is in the northern section of Pickens County, South Carolina. The state park houses the tallest mountain totally within the state, Pinnacle Mountain....
 and Caesars Head State Park
Caesars Head State Park

Caesars Head State Park is located in northern Greenville County, SC, only three miles from the North Carolina border. Along with Jones Gap State Park, the park forms the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area....
. The Chattooga River
Chattooga River

The Chattooga River is the main tributary of the Tugaloo River. Its headwaters are located southwest of Cashiers, North Carolina, and it stretches or 92 km to where it flows through Lake Tugalo and the Tugaloo Dam, then has its Confluence with the Tugaloo within Lake Yonah, held back by the Yonah Dam....
, located on the border between South Carolina and Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is a U.S. state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against United Kingdom rule in the American Revolution....
, is a favorite whitewater rafting destination.

Earthquakes do occasionally occur in South Carolina. The greatest frequency is along the central coastline of the state, in the Charleston area. The greatest earthquake in South Carolina occurred in Charleston on September 1, 1886. A 7.2 magnitude earthquake killed 60 people and destroyed much of the city. A 2007 earthquake affected the state capital, Columbia. The earthquake was centered near Cayce. South Carolina averages 10-15 earthquakes a year below magnitude 3 (FEMA). Multiple strikes are known to occur. On September 22, 2006 a 3.5 magnitude earthquake occurred in Marlboro county (in the northeastern part of the state). On September 25, 2006 a second 3.7 magnitude earthquake struck less than 10 miles from the first. Many homes near the epicenter, had cracks and a few windows were broken. The 3.5 quake caused beds to slightly shake about 15 miles to the south of the epicenter according to geologist Brian Schnirel from the Leeway Corucia Research Center (Marlboro Shopper September 2006).

Lakes

South Carolina has several major lake
Lake

A lake is a terrain feature , a body of liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the bottom of basin and moves slowly if it moves at all....
s covering over 683 square miles, or . The following are the lakes listed by size.
  • Lake Marion
    Lake Marion (South Carolina)

    Lake Marion is the largest lake in South Carolina, with a shoreline and covering nearly of land....
     }
  • Lake Strom Thurmond
    Lake Strom Thurmond

    Lake Strom Thurmond, known as Clarks Hill Lake in Georgia , is a reservoir at the border between Georgia and South Carolina in the Savannah River Basin....
     
  • Lake Moultrie
    Lake Moultrie

    Lake Moultrie is the third largest lake in South Carolina covering over ....
     
  • Lake Hartwell
    Lake Hartwell

    Lake Hartwell is an artificial lake bordering Georgia and South Carolina on the Savannah River, Tugaloo River, and Seneca River Rivers. The lake is created by Hartwell Dam located on the Savannah River seven miles below the point at which the Tugaloo and Seneca Rivers join to form the Savannah....
     
  • Lake Murray
    Lake Murray (South Carolina)

    Lake Murray is a lake in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is approximately 50,000 acres in size, and has roughly 500 miles of shoreline. It was impounded in the late 1920s to provide hydroelectricity to the state of South Carolina....
     
  • Russell Lake
    Richard B. Russell Lake

    Richard B. Russell Lake is a man-made lake created by the construction of Russell Dam on the Savannah River bordering Elbert County, Georgia, Georgia and Abbeville County, South Carolina, South Carolina....
     
  • Lake Keowee
    Lake Keowee

    Lake Keowee is a reservoir created by Keowee Dam and Little River Dam. It impounds the Keowee River and the Little River , each of which exits through its respective dam....
     
  • Lake Wylie
    Lake Wylie

    Lake Wylie is an artificial lake reservoir lake located in South Carolina and North Carolina. The lake has a surface area of and features of shore line....
     
  • Lake Wateree
    Lake Wateree

    Lake Wateree is a lake in Kershaw County, South Carolina in the United States. It is one of South Carolina's oldest man-made lakes. It has of shoreline and includes Lake Wateree State Recreation Area, a bird refuge, and Shaw Air Force Base Recreation center....
     
  • Lake Greenwood
    Lake Greenwood (South Carolina)

    Lake Greenwood is formed by a hydroelectric dam across the Saluda River. The lake has 212 miles of shoreline and 11,400 acres. The Reedy River joins the Saluda at Lake Greenwood....
     
  • Lake Jocassee
    Lake Jocassee

    Lake Jocassee is a , deep lake located in northwest South Carolina created by the state in partnership with Duke Power in 1973. The clean and cold Appalachian mountain rivers that feed the lake keep its waters cool year-round....
     

Climate

South Carolina has a humid subtropical climate
Humid subtropical climate

Humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and chilly to mild winters. This climate type covers a broad category of climates, and the term "subtropical" may be a misnomer for the winter climate....
 (Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification

The K?ppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classifications. It was developed by Wladimir K?ppen, a Russian climatologist, around 1900 ....
 Cfa), although high elevation areas in the "Upstate" area have less subtropical characteristics than areas on the Atlantic coastline. In the summer, South Carolina is hot and humid with daytime temperatures averaging between 86-103 °F (30-40 °C) in most of the state and overnight lows over 80 °F (26-27 °C) on the coast and in the high 70s°F (mid 20s°C) further inland. Winter temperatures are much less uniform in South Carolina. Coastal areas of the state have very mild winters with high temperatures approaching an average of 60 °F (16 °C) and overnight lows in the 40s°F (5-8 °C). Further inland, the average January overnight low is around 35 °F (2 °C) in Columbia and just below freezing in the Upstate. While precipitation is abundant the entire year in almost the entire state, the coast tends to have a slightly wetter summer, while inland March tends to be the wettest month.

Snowfall in South Carolina is not excessive with coastal areas receiving less than an inch (2.5 cm) annually on average. It is not uncommon for areas on the coast (especially the southern coast) to receive no recordable snowfall in a given year, although it usually receives at least a small dusting of snow annually. The interior receives a little more snow, although nowhere in the state averages more than 6 inches (15 cm) of snow annually. Additionally, freezing rain is more common in most of the state (except the extreme northwest corner of the state - the Upstate) than snowfall.

The state is prone to tropical cyclones. This is an annual concern during hurricane season, which is from June to November. The peak time of vulnerability for the southeast Atlantic coast is from early August to early October when the Cape Verde
Cape Verde

The Republic of Cape Verde , is an archipelago nation located in the Macaronesia ecoregion of the North Atlantic Ocean, off the western coast of Africa....
 hurricane season lasts. Two memorable Category 4 hurricanes to hit South Carolina were Hazel
Hurricane Hazel

Hurricane Hazel was the worst hurricane of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season and one of the worst hurricanes of the 20th century. Hazel killed as many as 1,000 people in Haiti before striking the United States just north of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and south of Wilmington, North Carolina as a Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale....
 (1954) and Hugo
Hurricane Hugo

Hurricane Hugo was a destructive Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale hurricane that struck Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, St. Croix, South Carolina and North Carolina in September of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season, killing 56 people and leaving 56,000 homeless....
 (1989). South Carolina averages around 50 days of thunderstorm
Thunderstorm

File:FoggDam-NT.jpgA thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its effect: thunder....
 activity a year, which is less than some of the states further south, and it is slightly less vulnerable to tornado
Tornado

A tornado is a violent, rotating column of air which is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud....
es than the states which border on the Gulf of Mexico. Still, some notable tornadoes have struck South Carolina and the state averages around 14 tornadoes annually.

Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various South Carolina Cities
City Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Charleston 59/37 62/39 69/46 76/52 83/61 88/68 91/72 89/72 85/67 77/55 70/46 62/39
Columbia 55/34 60/36 67/44 76/51 83/60 89/68 92/72 90/71 85/65 76/52 67/43 58/36
Greenville 50/31 55/34 63/40 71/47 78/56 85/64 89/69 87/68 81/62 71/50 61/41 53/34


History


The colony of Carolina was settled by English
English people

The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England who speak English language in England. The English identity as a people is of early medieval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn....
 settlers, mostly from Barbados
Barbados

Barbados , situated just east of the Caribbean Sea, is an independent Continental Island-island nation in the western Atlantic Ocean. Located at roughly 13? North of the equator and 59? West of the prime meridian, it is considered a part of the Lesser Antilles....
, sent by the Lords Proprietors in 1670, followed by French Huguenots. The original Carolina proprietors were aware of the threat posed by the French and Spanish presence to the south, whose Roman Catholic monarchies were enemies of England and English values. They needed to act swiftly to attract settlers. Therefore, they were one of the first colonies to grant liberty of religious practice in order to attract settlers who were Baptists, Quakers, Huguenots and Presbyterians. Jewish immigration was specifically encouraged in the Fundamental Constitutions, since Jews were seen as reliable citizens. The Jewish immigrants were fleeing the Spanish Inquisition
Spanish Inquisition

The Spanish Inquisition was an ecclesiastical tribunal established in 1478 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile....
, which was being perpetrated in the Spanish colonies in the New World. Most immigrants in the colonial period were African slaves, who constituted a majority of the colony's population throughout the period. The Carolina upcountry was settled largely by Scots-Irish migrants from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania , often colloquially referred to as PA by natives and Northeasterners, is a U.S. state located in the Northeastern United States and Mid-Atlantic States regions of the United States....
 and Virginia
Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia is an United States U.S. state on the East Coast of the United States of the Southern United States. The state is known as the "Old Dominion" and sometimes as "Mother of Presidents", because it is the birthplace of Lists of United States Presidents by place of birth#By state....
, following the Great Wagon Road
Great Wagon Road

The Great Wagon Road was a colonial American thoroughfare from Pennsylvania to North Carolina and from there to Georgia . It was the heavily traveled main route for settlement of the Southern United States, particularly the 'back country'....
. The formal colony of "The Carolinas" split into two in 1712.

Between 1715–1717 the Yamasee War
Yamasee War

The Yamasee War was a conflict between Province of Carolina and various Native Americans in the United States tribes including the Yamasee, Creek people, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Catawba , Apalachee, Apalachicola , Yuchi, Savannah River Shawnee, Congaree , Waxhaws, Pee Dee , Cape Fear Indians, Cheraw , and many others....
, between colonial South Carolina
Province of Carolina

The Province of Carolina from 1663 to 1712, was a North American Kingdom of Great Britain proprietary colony, controlled by the Lords Proprietor, a group of eight English noblemen led informally by member Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury....
 and several Indian tribes, was one of America’s bloodiest Indian Wars
Indian Wars

Indian Wars is the name generally used in the United States to describe a series of conflicts between the colonial or federal government and the indigenous peoples of North America....
, which for over a year seriously threatened the continued existence of South Carolina. South Carolina became a royal colony in 1719. The state declared its independence from Great Britain and set up its own government on March 15, 1776, becoming the first colony to do so. On February 5, 1778, South Carolina became the first state to ratify the document which created the "United States of America" as an entity - the Articles of Confederation
Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was the constitution of the revolutionary wartime alliance of the thirteen United States. The Articles' ratification was completed in 1781, and legally federated several sovereign and independent states, allied under the Articles of Association into a new federation styled the "United States...
. The current United States Constitution
United States Constitution

The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States. It is the foundation and source of the legal authority underlying the existence of the United States of America; the Federal Government of the United States; and all the State & local governments and Territorial Administrative bodies contained therein....
 was proposed for adoption by the States on September 17, 1787, and South Carolina was the 8th state to ratify it, on May 23, 1788.

The American Revolution caused a shock to slavery in the South. Tens of thousands of slaves fought with the British and thousands left with them; others secured their freedom by escaping. Estimates are that 25,000 slaves (30% of those in South Carolina) fled, migrated or died during the disruption of the war.

South Carolina politics between 1783 and 1795 were marred by rivalry between a Federalist Elite supporting the central government in Philadelphia and a large proportion of common people, often members of 'Republican Societies', supporting the Republican-Democrats headed by Jefferson and Madison who wanted more democracy in the US especially in South Carolina. Most people also supported the onset of the French Revolution (1789-1795) as anti-British feelings were still running high after the devastation of the war during the American Revolution and Charleston was the most French-influenced city in the USA after New Orleans. Leading South Carolina figures such as Pinckney and Governor Moultrie backed with money and actions the plans of the French to further their political, strategic, and commercial goals in North America. This pro-French stance and attitude of South Carolina ended soon due to the XYZ Affair
XYZ Affair

The XYZ Affair was a diplomatic incident that almost led to war between the United States and France. The scandal inflamed U.S. public opinion and led to the passage of the ALIEN AND SEDITION ACTS of 1798 ....
.

Antebellum, South Carolina
History of South Carolina

South Carolina is one of the thirteen original colonies of the United States. Part of the Southern United States, its history is marked by an enduring attachment to political independence, whether from overseas or Federal government of the United States control....
 did more to advance nullification
Nullification Crisis

The Nullification Crisis was a sectionalism crisis during the presidency of Andrew Jackson created by the Ordinance of Nullification, an attempt by the state of South Carolina to Nullification a federal law passed by the United States Congress....
 and secession
Secession in the United States

Attempts or aspirations of secession have been a feature of the politics of the United States since the country's birth. The line between actions based on a constitutional right of secession as opposed to actions justified by the extraconstitutional natural right of revolution has shaped the political debate....
 than any other Southern state. South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union
Union (American Civil War)

During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the Federal government of the United States of the United States, which was supported by the twenty-three states which were not part of the secession attempt by the 11 states that formed the Confederate States of America....
 on December 20, 1860. On April 12, 1861, Confederate batteries began shelling Fort Sumter and the American Civil War
American Civil War

The American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several Naming the American Civil War, was a civil war in the United States....
 began. Charleston was effectively blockaded and the Union Navy seized the Sea Islands
Sea Islands

The Sea Islands are a chain of tidal and barrier islands on the Atlantic Ocean coast of the United States. They number over 100, and are located between the mouths of the Santee River and St....
, driving off the plantation owners and setting up an experiment in freedom for the ex-slaves. South Carolina troops participated in the major Confederate campaigns, but no major battles were fought inland. General William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman

William Tecumseh Sherman was an United States soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched earth" policies that he implemente...
 marched through the state in early 1865, destroying numerous plantations, and captured the state capital of Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 116,278 according to the United States Census, 2000 ....
 on February 17. Fires began that night and by next morning, most of the central city was destroyed.

East Bay Street 2222
After the war, South Carolina was reincorporated into the United States during Reconstruction. Under presidential Reconstruction (1865-66), freedmen (former slaves) were given limited rights. Under Radical reconstruction (1867-1877), a Republican coalition of freedmen, carpetbaggers and scalawags was in control, supported by Union army forces. The withdrawal of Union soldiers as part of the Compromise of 1877
Compromise of 1877

The Compromise of 1877 was an informal, unwritten deal that settled the disputed U.S. presidential election, 1876. Through it, Republican Party Rutherford B....
 ended Reconstruction. Whites used paramilitary groups such as the Red Shirts to intimidate and terrorize black voters, and regained political control under conservative white "Redeemers
Redeemers

The "Redeemers" were a political coalition in the Southern United States during the Reconstruction era of the United States era, who sought to oust the Republican coalition of freedman, carpetbaggers and scalawags....
" and pro-business Bourbon Democrats.

The state became a hotbed of racial and economic tensions during the Populist and Agrarian movements of the 1890s. With the new conservative constitution of 1895, almost all blacks and many poor whites were effectively disfranchised by new requirements for poll taxes and literacy tests. By 1896, only 5,500 black voters remained on the registration rolls. The 1900 census demonstrated the extent of disfranchisement: African Americans comprised more than 58% of the state's population, with a total of 782,509 citizens essentially without any political representation. "Pitchfork Ben Tillman" controlled state politics from the 1890s to 1910 with a base among poor white farmers.

20th century and beyond

Early in the 20th century, South Carolina developed a thriving textile industry. By 2007, however, textile employment had dropped significantly. The state also converted its agricultural base from cotton to more profitable crops, attracted large military bases, created tourism industries. Most recently, the state has attracted European manufacturers. Like most states in the southern United States, South Carolina struggled with desegregation
Desegregation

'Desegregation' is the process of ending racial segregation, most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the African-American Civil Rights Movement , both before and after the Supreme Court of the United States decision in Brown v....
. Violence was relatively low in the state. The integration of Clemson University is an example of where an institution in South Carolina was able to achieve "integration with dignity".

Demographics


South Carolina Population Map
South Carolina's center of population
Center of population

In demographics, the center of population of a region is the geographical point nearest to all the inhabitants of that region, on average....
 is located in Richland County
Richland County, South Carolina

Richland County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The 2000 U.S. census recorded its population to be 320,677. In 2007, the U.S....
, in the city of Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 116,278 according to the United States Census, 2000 ....
.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2006, South Carolina has an estimated population of 4,321,249, which is an increase of 74,316, or 1.7%, from the prior year and an increase of 309,237, or 7.7%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 97,715 people (that is 295,425 births minus 197,710 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 151,485 people into the state. Immigration
Immigration to the United States

American immigration refers to the movement of World population to the United States. Immigration has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of history of the United States....
 from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 36,401 people, and migration
Human migration

Human migration denotes any movement by humans from one district to another, sometimes over long distances or in large groups.Migration is one of the four evolutionary forces ...
 within the country produced a net increase of 115,084 people. Based on the 2000 Census
United States Census, 2000

File:US-Census-2000Logo.svgThe Twenty-Second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the United States Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons Enumeration during the United States Census, 1990....
 South Carolina was ranked 21st in population density
Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans....
 with just over 133 persons per sq. mi
Square mile

The square mile is an Imperial system and US customary system of measure for an area equal to the area of a square of one mile. It should not be confused with miles square, which refers to the number of miles on each side squared....
.

According to the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health, Consortium for Latino Immigration Studies, South Carolina's foreign-born population grew faster than any other state between 2000-2005. The Consortium reports that the number of Hispanics in South Carolina is greatly undercounted by census enumerators and may be more than 400,000.

The five largest ancestry groups in South Carolina are African American
African American

African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the Black people populations of Africa....
 (29.5%), American (13.9%), English
English American

English Americans are citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England. According to United States Census, 2000 data, Americans claiming English descent form the Ethnic groups in the United States#Racial makeup of the U.S....
 (8.4%), German (8.4%) and Irish
Irish American

Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland. A total of 36,495,800 Americans reported Irish ancestry in the 2006 American Community Survey....
 (7.9%). For most of South Carolina's history, African slaves, and then their descendants, made up a majority of the state's population. Whites became a majority in the early 20th century, when tens of thousands of blacks moved north in the Great Migration
Great Migration (African American)

The Great Migration was the movement of 1.3 million African-Americans out of the Southern United States to the Northern United States, Midwestern United States and Western United States from 1916 to 1930....
. Most of the African-American population lives in the Lowcountry (especially the inland Lowcountry) and the Midlands; areas where cotton
Cotton

Cotton is a soft, staple fiber that grows in a form known as a boll around the seeds of the cotton plant a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas, India and Africa....
, rice
Rice

Rice is a staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in tropical Latin America, and East Asia, South Asia and Southeast Asia, making it the second-most consumed cereal grain, after maize....
, and indigo
Indigo

Indigo is the color on the electromagnetic spectrum between about 420 and 450 nanometre in wavelength, placing it between blue and violet . Although traditionally considered one of seven divisions of the optical spectrum, modern color scientists do not usually recognize indigo as a separate division and generally classify wavelengths shorter...
 plantations once dominated the landscape. 6.6% of South Carolina's population were reported as under 5 years old, 25.2% under 18, and 12.1% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 51.4% of the population in 2000.

Most-populated counties

(Projection) (Estimates)
County Seat 2007 Population 2010 Projection
Greenville
Greenville County, South Carolina

Greenville County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina, United States. The population was 395,357 at the United States Census, 2000, making it the most populous county in the state....
 
Greenville
Greenville, South Carolina

Greenville is a mid-sized city located in the upstate of South Carolina. It is the county seat of Greenville County, SC and the principal city in the Greenville-Mauldin, South Carolina-Easley, South Carolina Greenville-Mauldin-Easley metropolitan area ....
 
428,243 431,630
Richland
Richland County, South Carolina

Richland County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The 2000 U.S. census recorded its population to be 320,677. In 2007, the U.S....
 
Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 116,278 according to the United States Census, 2000 ....
 
357,734 354,380
Charleston
Charleston County, South Carolina

Charleston County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. According to a 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, its population was 330,368....
 
Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston is a city in Charleston County, South Carolina in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the largest city and county seat of Charleston County....
 
342,973 339,140
Spartanburg
Spartanburg County, South Carolina

Spartanburg County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The 2000 census recorded its population to be 253,791; in 2007, the U.S....
 
Spartanburg
Spartanburg, South Carolina

Spartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in Upstate South Carolina region of South Carolina....
 
275,534 300,500
Horry
Horry County, South Carolina

Horry County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. This name honored American Revolutionary War Hero, Peter Horry. Brigadier General Horry was born in South Carolina sometime around 1743 and started his distinguished military career in 1775 as one of 20 captains the Provincial Congress of South Carolina elected to serve...
 
Conway
Conway, South Carolina

Conway is a city in Horry County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 11,788 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Horry County, South Carolina....
 
249,925 251,390
Lexington
Lexington County, South Carolina

Lexington County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 216,014. The 2005 Census estimate placed the population at 235,272....
 
Lexington
Lexington, South Carolina

Lexington is a town in and the county seat of Lexington County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 9,793 at the United States Census, 2000....
 
243,270 254,920
York
York County, South Carolina

York County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. According to the 2005 estimate of the U.S. Census Bureau, the county's population was 190,097....
 
York
York, South Carolina

York is a city in York County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 6,985 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, South Carolina....
 
208,827 233,568

Cities and Towns



Largest Cities (estimates)

  • Columbia
    Columbia, South Carolina

    Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 116,278 according to the United States Census, 2000 ....
     - 124,000
  • Charleston
    Charleston, South Carolina

    Charleston is a city in Charleston County, South Carolina in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the largest city and county seat of Charleston County....
     - 125,000
  • North Charleston - 91,000
  • Rock Hill
    Rock Hill, South Carolina

    Rock Hill is the largest city in York County, South Carolina, and a satellite city of Charlotte, North Carolina. The population was 49,765 at the 2000 census....
     - 64,000
  • Mount Pleasant
    Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

    Mount Pleasant is a suburban town in Charleston County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States, within the Charleston, South Carolina–North Charleston, South Carolina–Summerville, South Carolina Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metropolitan area....
     - 64,000
  • Greenville
    Greenville, South Carolina

    Greenville is a mid-sized city located in the upstate of South Carolina. It is the county seat of Greenville County, SC and the principal city in the Greenville-Mauldin, South Carolina-Easley, South Carolina Greenville-Mauldin-Easley metropolitan area ....
     - 58,000
  • Summerville
    Summerville, South Carolina

    Summerville is a town in Berkeley County, South Carolina, Charleston County, South Carolina, and Dorchester County, South Carolina counties in the U.S....
     - 49,000
  • Sumter
    Sumter, South Carolina

    Sumter is a city in and the county seat of Sumter County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. Its population was 39,159 at the United States Census, 2000....
     - 39,000
  • Goose Creek
    Goose Creek, South Carolina

    Goose Creek is a city in Berkeley County, South Carolina and Charleston County, South Carolina counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 29,208 at the United States Census, 2000....
     - 38,000
  • Spartanburg
    Spartanburg, South Carolina

    Spartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in Upstate South Carolina region of South Carolina....
     - 37,000
  • Hilton Head Island
    Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

    Hilton Head Island or Hilton Head is a town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. It is 20 miles north of Savannah, Georgia, and 95 miles south of Charleston, South Carolina....
     - 33,000
  • Florence
    Florence, South Carolina

    Florence is the largest city in and the county seat of Florence County, South Carolina, United States. This 1997 All-America City finalist, with its historic homes and medical center towers, came together to form a cultural center for the northeastern portion of South Carolina....
     - 31,000
  • Myrtle Beach
    Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

    Myrtle Beach is a coastal resort town in Horry County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. It is the de facto hub of both the Myrtle Beach metropolitan area and the Grand Strand, a complex of beach towns and barrier islands stretching from Little River, South Carolina to Georgetown, South Carolina....
     - 29,000
  • Aiken
    Aiken, South Carolina

    Aiken, South Carolina is a city in the United States state of South Carolina.It is the county seat of Aiken County, South Carolina, and with Augusta, Georgia is one of the two largest cities of the Central Savannah River Area....
     - 29,000
  • Anderson
    Anderson, South Carolina

    Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Anderson County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 25,514 at the United States Census, 2000, and the city was the center of an urbanized area of 70,530....
     - 26,000
  • James Island
    James Island, South Carolina

    James Island is a town in Charleston County, South Carolina,South Carolina, United States. It is located in the central and southernparts of James Island ....
     - 26,000
  • Greer
    Greer, South Carolina

    Greer is a city in Greenville County, South Carolina and Spartanburg County, South Carolina counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina, between Greenville, South Carolina and Spartanburg, South Carolina....
     - 23,000
  • Greenwood
    Greenwood, South Carolina

    Greenwood is a city in and the county seat of Greenwood County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 22,071 at the United States Census, 2000....
     - 21,000
  • Easley
    Easley, South Carolina

    Easley is a city in Anderson County, South Carolina and Pickens County, South Carolina counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is a principal city of the Greenville, South Carolina–Mauldin, South Carolina–Easley Greenville-Mauldin-Easley metropolitan area....
     - 20,000
  • North Augusta - 17,000
  • Hanahan
    Hanahan, South Carolina

    Hanahan is a city in Berkeley County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 13,818 at the 2005 census estimate. As defined by the U.S....
    - 15,500


Largest City Areas

South Carolina's cities are actually much larger than their city population counts suggest. South Carolina law makes it difficult to annex unincorported areas into the city limits, so city proper populations look smaller than they actually are. For example, Spartanburg and Myrtle Beach have populations over 180,000, and their metropolitan areas are much larger. Anderson city population is smaller than Sumter, but the Anderson area is much larger. The Sumter area population is under 100,000, but Andersons is over 120,000, while Anderson counties population is nearing 200,000.

Columbia, Charleston, and Greenville all area have "urbanized area" populations of around 400-420,000, while their metro area populations are all over 700,000. If Greenville-Spartanburg is considered one metro, as it was in the past before being split, its population is over 1 million. Similarly, Columbia's MSA population would top 1 million if the Sumter Metropolitan and Orangeburg Micropolitan areas were added.

Religion

South Carolina, like most other Southern states, has a Protestant Christian majority, and a lower percentage of non-religious people than the national average. The religious affiliations of the people of South Carolina are as follows:
  • Christian
    Christianity

    Christianity is a Monotheistic religion #Christian view religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus as New Testament view on Jesus' life....
    : 92%
    • Protestant
      Protestantism

      Protestantism is a movement within Christianity that originated in the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation. It is considered to be one of the three principal traditions of Christianity, together with Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy....
      : 84%
      • Southern Baptist: 45%
      • Methodist
        Methodism

        Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by John Wesley and his younger brother Charles Wesley that sought to keep Methodism as a Revivalism movement within the Church of England....
        : 15%
      • Presbyterian
        Presbyterianism

        Presbyterianism is a group of Christian congregations adhering to the Calvinism theological tradition within Protestantism. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Bible and the necessity of Divine grace through faith in Christ....
        : 5%
      • Other Protestant: 19%
    • Roman Catholic
      Roman Catholicism in the United States

      Roman Catholic Church in the United States has grown dramatically over the country's history, from being a tiny minority faith during the time of the Thirteen Colonies to being the country's largest minority profession of faith today....
      : 7%
    • Other Christian: 1%
  • Other Religions: 1%
  • Non-Religious: 7%


Sephardic Jews have lived in the state for more than 300 years, especially in and around Charleston . Until about 1830, South Carolina had the largest population of Jews in North America. Many of South Carolina's Jews have assimilated into Christian society, shrinking Judaism down to less than 1% of the total religious makeup. In addition, Roman Catholicism is growing in South Carolina due to immigration from the North.

Economy

As of 2004, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, South Carolina's gross state product was $. As of 2000, the per capita income was $24,000, which was 81% of the national average.

Major agricultural outputs of the state are: tobacco, poultry, cattle, dairy products, soybeans, and hogs. Industrial outputs include: textile goods, chemical products, paper products, machinery, automobiles and automotive products and tourism.

The state sales tax
Sales tax

A sales tax is a consumption tax charged at the point of purchase for certain goods and services. The tax is usually set as a percentage by the government charging the tax....
 is 6% for non-grocery goods and no tax for grocery goods. Counties have the option to impose an additional 2% sales tax. Citizens 85 or older get a one-percent exclusion from the state's sales tax. Property tax
Property tax

Property tax, or millage tax, is an ad valorem tax that an owner is required to pay on the value of the property being taxed.There are three species or types of property: Land, Improvements to Land , and Personal ....
 is administered and collected by local governments with assistance from the South Carolina Department of Revenue. Both real
Real property

In the common law, real property refers to one of the two main classes of property, the other class being personal property . Real property generally encompasses Estate in land, land improvements resulting from human effort including buildings and machinery sited on land, and various property rights over the preceding....
 and personal property
Personal property

Personal property is a type of property. In the common law systems personal property may also be called chattels or personalty. It is distinguished from real property, or real estate....
 are subject to tax. Approximately two-thirds of county-levied property taxes are used for the support of public education. Sales tax on groceries has been eliminated. Municipalities levy a tax on property situated within the limits of the municipality for services provided by the municipality. The tax is paid by individuals, corporations and partnerships owning property within the state. South Carolina imposes a casual excise tax of 5% on the fair market value of all motor vehicles, motorcycles, boats, motors and airplanes transferred between individuals. The maximum casual excise tax is $300. In South Carolina, intangible personal property is exempt from taxation. There is no inheritance tax
Inheritance tax

Inheritance tax, estate tax and death duty are the names given to various taxes which arise on the death of an individual. It is a tax on the estate, or total value of the money and property, of a person who has died....
.

Even though the State of South Carolina does not allow legalized casino gambling, it did allow the operation of video poker machines throughout the state with approximately $2 billion dollars per year deposited into the state's coffers. However, at midnight on July 1, 2000 a new law took effect which outlawed the operation, ownership and possession of video poker machines in the state with machines required to be shut off at that time and removed from within the state's borders by July 8 or owners of such machines would face criminal prosecution.

Transportation


Major highways

Major interstate highways passing through the state include: I-20
Interstate 20 in South Carolina

Interstate 20 is a major thoroughfare cutting across the state of South Carolina, linking the state with important transportation and business hubs to the north, west and south, including Atlanta, Georgia, Charlotte, North Carolina , Savannah, Georgia and Washington, D.C....
 which runs from Florence in the east through Columbia to the southwestern border near Aiken; I-26
I-26

I-26 may refer to:*Interstate 26*Japanese submarine I-26...
 which runs from Charleston in the southeast through Columbia to Spartanburg and the northern border in Spartanburg County; I-77
Interstate 77 in South Carolina

Interstate 77 through South Carolina begins its journey in Cayce, South Carolina - south-southwest of Columbia, South Carolina - at an expansive interchange with Interstate 26....
 which runs from York County in the north to Columbia; I-85
Interstate 85 in South Carolina

In the U.S. state of South Carolina, Interstate 85 runs northeast-southwest through Greenville and Spartanburg . It follows the general corridor of U.S....
 which runs from Cherokee County in the north through Spartanburg and Greenville to the southwestern border in Oconee County; I-385 which runs from Greenville and intersects with I-26
I-26

I-26 may refer to:*Interstate 26*Japanese submarine I-26...
 near Clinton; and I-95
Interstate 95 in South Carolina

Interstate 95 is a major Interstate Highway, running along the East Coast of the United States of the United States from Florida to Maine. In South Carolina, I-95 runs approximately parallel to the Atlantic Ocean shore although about inland, from Hardeeville, South Carolina in the south to Dillon, South Carolina in the northeast....
 which runs from the northeastern border in Dillon County to Florence and on to the southern border in Jasper County.

  • Interstate 20
    Interstate 20 in South Carolina

    Interstate 20 is a major thoroughfare cutting across the state of South Carolina, linking the state with important transportation and business hubs to the north, west and south, including Atlanta, Georgia, Charlotte, North Carolina , Savannah, Georgia and Washington, D.C....
  • Interstate 26
    Interstate 26

    Interstate 26 is a nominally east-west main route of the Interstate Highway System in the Southeastern United States. I-26 runs from the junction of U.S....
  • I 73
    Interstate 73
    Interstate 73

    Interstate 73 is a main route of the Interstate Highway System, currently located entirely within the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of a longer planned corridor, defined by various Federal laws to run from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to Sault Ste....
     (proposed)
  • Interstate 77
    Interstate 77 in South Carolina

    Interstate 77 through South Carolina begins its journey in Cayce, South Carolina - south-southwest of Columbia, South Carolina - at an expansive interchange with Interstate 26....
  • Interstate 85
    Interstate 85 in South Carolina

    In the U.S. state of South Carolina, Interstate 85 runs northeast-southwest through Greenville and Spartanburg . It follows the general corridor of U.S....
  • Interstate 95
    Interstate 95 in South Carolina

    Interstate 95 is a major Interstate Highway, running along the East Coast of the United States of the United States from Florida to Maine. In South Carolina, I-95 runs approximately parallel to the Atlantic Ocean shore although about inland, from Hardeeville, South Carolina in the south to Dillon, South Carolina in the northeast....
  • Interstate 526
  • Us 1
    U.S. 1
    U.S. Route 1 in South Carolina

    U.S. Route 1 traverses the state of South Carolina completely from north to south, passing through such major cities as Columbia, South Carolina and Aiken, South Carolina....
  • Us 17
    U.S. 17
    U.S. Route 17 in South Carolina

    U.S. Route 17 in South Carolina runs north-south near the Atlantic Ocean, serving Charleston, South Carolina and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on its path from Georgia at the Savannah River to North Carolina near Calabash, North Carolina....
  • Us 25
    U.S. 25
  • Us 52
    U.S. 52
  • Us 221
    U.S. 221
  • Us 278
    U.S. 278
  • Us 321
    U.S. 321
  • Us 378
    U.S. 378


  • In March 2008, "The American State Litter Scorecard," presented at the American Society for Public Administration
    American Society for Public Administration

    The American Society for Public Administration is a membership association in the United States sponsoring conferences and providing professional services primarily to those who study the implementation of government policy, public administration, and, to a lesser degree, programs of civil society....
     conference, rated South Carolina a nationally "Worst" state for removing litter from public properties such as highways. The state has an extremely high fatality rate from litter/debris-related vehicle accidents, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
    National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is an agency of the Executive Branch of the United States Government, part of the United States Department of Transportation....
     data.

    Rail

    Amtrak
    Amtrak

    The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 to provide Inter-city rail train#Passenger trains service in the United States....
     operates four passenger routes in South Carolina: the Crescent
    Crescent (Amtrak)

    The Crescent is a passenger train operated by Amtrak in the eastern part of the United States. It runs daily from Pennsylvania Station in New York City to New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal in New Orleans, Louisiana as train 19 and returns on the same route as train 20....
    , the Palmetto
    Palmetto (Amtrak)

    he Palmetto is an 829-mile passenger train service operated by Amtrak from New York City south to Savannah, Georgia via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, DC, then via Richmond, Virginia, Fayetteville, North Carolina and Charleston, South Carolina....
    , the Silver Meteor
    Silver Meteor

    [Image:Silver meteor.JPG|thumb|250px|Inside the Silver Meteor train]]The Silver Meteor is a 1389-mile passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Silver Service brand, running from New York City south to Miami, Florida via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, DC, then via Richmond, Virginia, Fayetteville, North Carolina, Charle...
    , and the Silver Star
    Silver Star (Amtrak)

    e Silver Star is a 1522-mile passenger train route in the Silver Service brand operated by Amtrak, running from New York City south to Miami, Florida via the Northeast Corridor to Washington, DC, then via: Richmond, Virginia; Raleigh, North Carolina; Columbia, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; Jacksonville, Florida; Orlando, Florida...
    . The Crescent route serves the Upstate cities, the Silver Star serves the Midlands cities, and the Palmetto and Silver Meteor routes serve the Lowcountry cities.

    Station stops
    StationConnections
    Aiken
    Anderson
    Camden
    Camden (Amtrak station)

    The Seaboard Air Line Railroad Depot is an Amtrak train station in Camden, South Carolina. It is located on 1100 West DeKalb Street although some give the address as being at 1060 West DeKalb Street....
    Charleston
    Charleston, South Carolina (Amtrak station)

    The Charleston Amtrak station is a train station actually located in North Charleston, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system....
    Columbia
    Columbia (Amtrak station)

    The Columbia Amtrak Station, located in Columbia, South Carolina, is served by the Amtrak passenger train Silver Star . The street address is 850 Pulaski Street, about three miles southeast of the downtown....
    Clemson
    Clemson (Amtrak station)

    The Clemson Amtrak Station, located in Clemson, South Carolina, is served by the Crescent passenger train. The street address is Calhoun Memorial Highway and College Avenue, in the heart of downtown Clemson....
    Denmark
    Denmark (Amtrak station)

    The Denmark Amtrak station is a train station in Denmark, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system....
    Dillon
    Dillon (Amtrak station)

    The Dillon Amtrak station is a train station in Dillon, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system. It was originally built by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad....
    Florence
    Florence (Amtrak station)

    The Florence Amtrak station is a train station in Florence, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system....
    Gaffney
    Georgetown
    Greenville
    Greenville (Amtrak station)

    The Greenville Amtrak Station, located in Greenville, South Carolina, is served by the passenger train. The street address is 69 Thornbridge Drive, just outside downtown Birley School....
    Hardeeville
    Hartsville
    Kingstree
    Kingstree (Amtrak station)

    The Kingstree Amtrak station is a train station in Kingstree, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States served by Amtrak, the national railroad passenger system....
    Myrtle Beach
    Newberry
    Spartanburg
    Spartanburg (Amtrak station)

    The Spartanburg Amtrak Station, located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, is served by the Crescent passenger train. The street address is 290 Magnolia Street....
    Sumter
    Yemassee
    Yemassee (Amtrak station)

    The Yemassee Amtrak station is an Amtrak station in Yemassee, South Carolina. Located at 15 Wall Street , the station consists of a covered platform on the northwest side of the northeast-southwest tracks, a small parking lot, and a building....


    Major and regional airports

    There are six significant airports in South Carolina, all of which act at regional airport hubs. The busiest by passenger volume is Charleston International Airport. Just across the border in North Carolina is Charlotte/Douglas International Airport
    Charlotte/Douglas International Airport

    Charlotte Douglas International Airport is a joint civil-military public international airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, in 1954 the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport after former Charlotte mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr....
    , the 30th busiest airport in the world, in terms of passengers.
    • Columbia Metropolitan Airport
      Columbia Metropolitan Airport

      Columbia Metropolitan Airport is the main airport for Columbia, South Carolina, South Carolina, located in the suburb of West Columbia, South Carolina....
       - Columbia
    • Charleston International Airport
      Charleston International Airport

      Charleston International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in the city of North Charleston, South Carolina in Charleston County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States....
       - Charleston
    • Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport
      Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport

      Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport , also known as GSP International Airport or Roger Milliken Field, is a public airport located in unincorporated area Greenville County, South Carolina and Spartanburg County, South Carolina counties in South Carolina, United States, 3 miles south of central Greer, South Carolina; the...
       - Greenville/Spartanburg
    • Florence Regional Airport
      Florence Regional Airport

      Florence Regional Airport is a public airport located three miles east of the central business district of Florence, South Carolina, a city in Florence County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States....
       - Florence
    • Myrtle Beach International Airport
      Myrtle Beach International Airport

      Myrtle Beach International Airport is a county-owned, public-use airport located three miles southwest of the central business district of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, a city in Horry County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States....
       - Myrtle Beach
    • Hilton Head Airport
      Hilton Head Airport

      Hilton Head Airport , also known as Hilton Head Island Airport, is a county-owned, public-use airport located in northeastern Hilton Head Island, South Carolina in Beaufort County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States....
       - Hilton Head Island/Beaufort


    Government and politics

    Sccapitol0270
    South Carolina's state government consists of the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. The bicameral South Carolina General Assembly
    South Carolina General Assembly

    The South Carolina General Assembly, also called the South Carolina Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of South Carolina....
     consists of the 46-member Senate and the 124-member House of Representatives. The two bodies meet in the South Carolina State House
    South Carolina State House

    The South Carolina State House is the state capitol building of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The building houses the South Carolina General Assembly and the offices of the Governor of South Carolina and Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina....
    . The Judicial Branch consists of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the Circuit Court, Family Court, and other divisions.

    Executive branch


    The leader of the executive branch is the governor. The governor is elected for a four-year term and may serve two consecutive terms. The current governor is Republican
    Republican Party (United States)

    The Republican Party is one of the two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party . It is often called the Grand Old Party or the GOP....
     Mark Sanford
    Mark Sanford

    Marshall Clement "Mark" Sanford, Jr. is an United States Republican Party politician who has been Governor of South Carolina of South Carolina since 2003....
    . Governor Sanford was elected in 2002 and re-elected in 2006.

    South Carolina has historically had a weak executive branch. Before 1865, governors in South Carolina were appointed by the General Assembly, and held the title "President of State." The 1865 Constitution changed this process, requiring a popular election. In 1926 the governor's term was changed to four years, and in 1982 governors were allowed to run for a second term. In 1993 a limited cabinet was created, all of which must be popularly elected.

    The Constitution requires that the governor, lieutenant governor, and most cabinet-level executive officers be elected separately. Other elected positions include the Adjutant General, Attorney General, Commissioner of Agriculture, Comptroller General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, and Superintendent of Education. Each officer is elected at the same time as the Governor. The separately elected positions allow for the possibility of multiple parties to be represented in the executive branch. The Governor's Cabinet also contains several appointed positions. In most cases, persons who fill cabinet-level positions are recommended by the governor and appointed by the Senate.

    Legislative branch

    South Carolina has historically operated a weak executive which is countered by a strong, bi-cameral legislative branch known as the General Assembly. The General Assembly is composed of two branches, the House of Representatives and the Senate. There are 124 House members who serve two-year terms, and there are 46 Senators serve who four-year terms.

    Judicial branch

    The Family Court deals with all matters of domestic and family relationships, as well as generally maintaining exclusive jurisdiction over cases involving minors under the age of seventeen, excepting traffic and game law violations. Some criminal charges may come under Circuit Court jurisdiction.

    The Circuit Court is the general jurisdiction court for South Carolina. It comprises the Civil Court, the Court of Common Pleas, and the Court of General Sessions, which is the criminal court. The court maintains limited appellate jurisdiction over the Probate Court, Magistrate's Court, Municipal Court, and the Administrative Law Judge Division. The state has sixteen judicial circuits, each with at least one resident circuit judge.

    The Court of Appeals handles Circuit Court and Family Court appeals, excepting appeals that are within the seven classes of exclusive Supreme Court jurisdiction. The Court of Appeals is selected by the General Assembly for staggered, six-year terms. The court comprises a chief judge, and eight associate judges, and may hear cases as the whole court, or as three panels with three judges each. The court may preside in any county.

    The Supreme Court
    South Carolina Supreme Court

    The South Carolina Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The court is composed of a Chief Justice and four Associate Justices....
     is South Carolina's highest court. The Chief Justice and four Associate Justices are elected to ten year terms by the General Assembly. Terms are staggered, and there are no limits on the number of terms a justice may serve, but there is a mandatory retirement age of 72. The overwhelming majority of vacancies on the Court occur when Justices reach this age, not through the refusal of the General Assembly to elect a sitting Justice to another term.

    South Carolina Constitution

    South Carolina has had seven constitutions:
    • 1776 - SC's first constitution
    • 1778 - Disestablished the Anglican Church, created a popularly elected upper house
    • 1790 - Expanded upcountry representation, further established General Assembly control over all aspects of government
    • 1861 - Confederate constitution
    • 1865 - Required to be readmitted to the Union, abolished property owning qualifications to vote, created popularly elected governor and granted veto power
    • 1868 - Only constitution to be ratified by popular vote, provided for public education, abolished property ownership as a qualification for office holding, created counties, race abolished as limit on male suffrage
    • 1895 - established attempts to disenfranchise black voters such as the option for poll taxes, literacy tests, etc


    Since 1895, there have been many calls for a new Constitution, one that is not based on the politics of a post-Civil War population. The most recent call for reformation was by Governor Mark Sanford in his 2008 State of the State speech. Several hundred amendments have been made to the 1895 Constitution (in 1966 there were 330 amendments). Amendments have been created to comply with Federal acts, and for many other issues. The most recent was in 1988. The volume of amendments makes South Carolina's Constitution one of the longest in the nation.

    Other laws
    • The South Carolina Constitution contains provisions which, when compared to the Constitutions of other States, are unusual. For example, a constitutional amendment must be approved by two-thirds of each house of the legislature, approved by the people in an election, and then ratified by a majority of each house of the legislature. If the legislature fails to ratify it, the amendment does not take effect, even though it has been approved by the people. See S.C. Const. art. XVI, s. 1.
    • Prior to April 15, 1949, Article XVII, Section 3, of the South Carolina Constitution prohibited divorce for any reason. Since that date, South Carolina permits divorce for certain reasons. It is believed that South Carolina is the only State in the Union that lists the grounds for divorce in its Constitution. The effect of doing so is that the Legislature is prohibited from creating additional grounds for divorce beyond those specified in the South Carolina Constitution. See S.C. Const. art. XVII, Section 3.
    • Due to extremely strict annexation laws passed by the General Assembly in 1976, incorporated municipalities in South Carolina are usually much smaller in area and population than those elsewhere in the fast-growing Southeast. However, when a South Carolina city's proximal suburbs that would otherwise be annexed into their city limits are blended in with its core population, they exhibit similar sizes and rates of growth as many municipalities in neighboring states, such as Georgia and North Carolina. This takes many first-time visitors to South Carolina's main cities by surprise, as many are expecting much less urbanization
      Urbanization

      Urbanization is the physical growth of rural or natural land into urban areas as a result of population im-migration to an existing urban area....
       in what has historically been thought of as an almost completely rural state.


    Law enforcement agencies

    • South Carolina Department of Public Safety
      South Carolina Department of Public Safety

      The South Carolina Department of Public Safety exists to ensure the safety of South Carolina's citizens and visitors. The employees of the Department of Public Safety fulfill this mission by:...
      • South Carolina Highway Patrol Division
        South Carolina Highway Patrol

        The South Carolina Highway Patrol is a division of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety responsible for enforcing the traffic laws of the U.S....
      • South Carolina State Transport Police Division
        South Carolina State Transport Police Division

        The South Carolina State Transport Police Division of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety is primarily responsible for enforcing state and federal laws governing commercial motor vehicles....
      • South Carolina Bureau of Protective Services
    • South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy
    • South Carolina Department of Corrections
      South Carolina Department of Corrections

      The South Carolina Department of Corrections is the agency responsible for corrections in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It currently has about 6,000 employees and 23,000 inmates, in 28 institutions....
    • SC Department of Corrections Training Academy
    • SC Department of Corrections Tactical Teams (Rapid Response Team-S.O.R.T.-Sitcon)
    • SC department of Juvenile Justice
    • South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services
    • South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED)
      • Homeland Security
        Homeland security

        The term homeland security refers to a security effort by a government to protect a nation against perceived external or internal threat.The term is almost exclusively used in the United States; elsewhere, the activities of "homeland security" fall under a combination of national security and associated security services or the customs...
    • South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
      South Carolina Department of Natural Resources

      The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is a South Carolina Government agency charged with regulating hunting, fishing, boating, duck stamp orders, state parks, and the conservation efforts of the South Carolina State governments of the United States....
    • South Carolina Swamp Hunters Team (Alligators,Snakes)


    Federal representation

    Like most Southern states, South Carolina consistently voted Democratic
    Democratic Party (United States)

    The Democratic Party is one of two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party . It is the oldest political party in continuous operation in the United States and it is one of the oldest parties in the world....
     in the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century as a part of the Democrats' Solid South
    Solid South

    Solid South refers to the electoral support of the Southern United States for the Democratic Party candidates for nearly a century from 1877, the end of the Reconstruction era of the United States, to 1964, during the middle of the African-American Civil Rights Movement ....
    . The Republican Party
    Republican Party (United States)

    The Republican Party is one of the two major party contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party . It is often called the Grand Old Party or the GOP....
     became competitive in the 1960 presidential election when Richard Nixon
    Richard Nixon

    Richard Milhous Nixon was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States and the only president to resign the office....
     lost the state to John F. Kennedy
    John F. Kennedy

    John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States, serving from 1961 until John F....
     by just two percentage points. In 1964, Barry Goldwater
    Barry Goldwater

    Barry Morris Goldwater was a five-term United States Senate from Arizona and the History of the United States Republican Party's nominee for President of the United States in the U.S....
     became the first Republican to win the state since Reconstruction. Since then, South Carolina has voted for a Republican in every presidential election from 1964 to 2008, with the exception of 1976 when Jimmy Carter
    Jimmy Carter

    James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States from 1977 to 1981 and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize....
    , from neighboring Georgia
    Georgia (U.S. state)

    Georgia is a U.S. state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against United Kingdom rule in the American Revolution....
    , won the state over Gerald Ford
    Gerald Ford

    Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the List of Vice Presidents of the United States Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974....
    . John McCain
    John McCain

    John Sidney McCain III is the senior senator United States United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican Party presidential nominee in the 2008 United States presidential election....
     won the state in 2008 with 54% of the statewide vote over Barack Obama
    Barack Obama

    Barack Hussein Obama II is the List of Presidents of the United States and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office....
    . Republicans now hold the governor's office and eight of nine statewide offices, control both houses of legislature, and include both U.S. Senators, and four of six members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Every presidential election year, the South Carolina primary is the first such primary in the South
    South

    South is one of the cardinal directions and is opposite to the north.By Western world Norm , the bottom side of a map is south; the southern direction has azimuth or bearing of 180?....
     and holds importance to both the Republicans and the Democrats. The primary is important to the Republicans because it is a conservative testing ground, and it holds importance to the Democrats because of the large proportion of African-Americans that vote in that primary. From 1980 to 2008 the winner in the Republican primary has gone on to become the party nominee.

    US Senate
    In the 110th United States Congress
    110th United States Congress

    The One Hundred Tenth United States Congress was the List of United States Congresses of the United States Congress of the United States Federal government of the United States, between January 3, 2007, and January 3, 2009, during the last two years of the George W....
    , the South Carolina delegation to the U.S. Senate are:
    • Lindsey Graham
      Lindsey Graham

      Lindsey Olin Graham is an United States politician from South Carolina. A member of the Republican Party , he is currently the senior United States Senate from that state....
       (R)
    • Jim DeMint
      Jim DeMint

      James Warren DeMint has been a U.S. Senator from South Carolina since 2005. He had previously represented South Carolina's 4th congressional district from 1999 to 2005....
       (R)


    US House of Representatives
    South Carolina currently has six representatives in Congress:
    • District 1 - Henry E. Brown, Jr.
      Henry E. Brown, Jr.

      Henry Edward Brown, Jr. is a politician and from the U.S. state of South Carolina, currently representing the state's South Carolina's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives....
       (R)
    • District 2 - Joe Wilson
      Joe Wilson (U.S. politician)

      Addison Graves Wilson, Sr., usually known as Joe Wilson is a Republican Party politician from the U.S. state of South Carolina, currently representing the state's South Carolina's 2nd congressional district , in the United States House of Representatives....
       (R)
    • District 3 - J. Gresham Barrett
      J. Gresham Barrett

      James Gresham Barrett is an United States politician from South Carolina. Since 2003 Barrett serves as a Republican Party United States House of Representatives, representing , which runs along the Savannah River in the northwestern part of the state....
       (R)
    • District 4 - Bob Inglis
      Bob Inglis

      Robert Durden "Bob" Inglis, Sr. is a United States congressman from the Republican Party . He has represented South Carolina's 4th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2005....
       (R)
    • District 5 - John M. Spratt, Jr.
      John M. Spratt, Jr.

      John McKee Spratt, Jr. is a Democratic Party member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the South Carolina's 5th congressional district of South Carolina since 1983 ....
       (D)
    • District 6 - James Clyburn (D)


    A district map is found here
    List of United States congressional districts

    This is a complete list of congressional Electoral district for representation in the United States House of Representatives. The quantity and boundaries of districts are determined after each census, although in some cases states have changed the boundaries more than once per census....
    .

    Education


    Institutions of higher education

    (In order of foundation date)

    South Carolina hosts a diverse cohort of institutions of higher education, from large state-funded research universities to small colleges that cultivate a liberal arts, religious or military tradition.

    Founded in 1770 and chartered in 1785, the College of Charleston
    College of Charleston

    The College of Charleston is a public university, sea-grant, and space-grant university located in historic downtown Charleston, South Carolina....
     is the oldest institution of higher learning in South Carolina, the 13th oldest in the United States, and the first municipal college
    Municipal college

    A municipal college is a city-supported institution of higher learning.The oldest municipal college in the United States is the College of Charleston located in historic Charleston, South Carolina....
     in the country. The College is in company with the Colonial Colleges
    Colonial colleges

    The Colonial Colleges are nine institutions of higher education chartered in the Thirteen Colonies before the American Revolution . These nine have long been considered together, notably in the survey of their origins in the 1907 The Cambridge History of English and American Literature....
     as one the original and foundational institutions of higher education in the United States. Its founders include three signers of the United States Declaration of Independence
    United States Declaration of Independence

    The United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the Thirteen Colonies then at war with Kingdom of Great Britain were now independent states, and thus no longer a part of the British Empire....
     and three signers of the United States Constitution
    United States Constitution

    The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States. It is the foundation and source of the legal authority underlying the existence of the United States of America; the Federal Government of the United States; and all the State & local governments and Territorial Administrative bodies contained therein....
    . The College's historic campus, which is listed on the U.S. Department of the Interior's National Register of Historic Places
    National Register of Historic Places

    The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation....
    , forms an integral part of Charleston's colonial-era urban center. As one of the leading institutions of higher education in its class in the Southeastern United States
    Southeastern United States

    The US Southeast is the eastern portion of the Southern United States, but the Census Bureau does not provide a standard definition of a "Southeast" region of the United States, and organizations that need to subdivide the US are free to define a "Southeast" region to fit their needs....
    , the College of Charleston is celebrated nationally for its focus on undergraduate education with strengths in Marine Biology, Classics, Art History and Historic Preservation. The Graduate School of the College of Charleston, offers a number of degree programs and coordinates support for its nationally recognized faculty research efforts. According to the Princeton Review, C of C is one of the nation's best institutions for undergraduate education and U.S. News and World Report regularly ranks C of C among the best masters level universities in the South. C of C presently enrolls approximately 10,000 undergraduates and 2,000 graduate students.

    The University of South Carolina
    University of South Carolina

    The University of South Carolina is a state university , co-educational, research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States....
     is a public, co-educational, research university located in Columbia. The University's campus covers over in the urban core less than one city block from the South Carolina State House
    South Carolina State House

    The South Carolina State House is the state capitol building of the U.S. state of South Carolina. The building houses the South Carolina General Assembly and the offices of the Governor of South Carolina and Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina....
    . The University of South Carolina maintains an enrollment of over 27,000 students on the Columbia campus. The institution was founded in 1801 as South Carolina College in an effort to promote harmony between the Lowcountry
    South Carolina Low Country

    The South Carolina Lowcountry is a term used to describe South Carolina's coastal counties, generally south of and including, Charleston, South Carolina....
     and the Upstate
    The Upstate

    The Upstate is the region in northwestern South Carolina, United States, also known as The Upcountry, which is the historical term. Although loosely defined among locals, the general definition includes the 10 counties of the commerce-rich I-85 corridor in the northwest corner of South Carolina....
    . The College became a symbol of the South in the antebellum period as its graduates were on the forefront of secession from the Union. From the Civil War
    American Civil War

    The American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several Naming the American Civil War, was a civil war in the United States....
     to World War II
    World War II

    World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
    , the institution lacked a clear direction and was constantly reorganized to meet the needs of the political power in office. In 1957, the University expanded its reach through the University of South Carolina System
    University of South Carolina System

    The University of South Carolina System, also referred to as the Carolina System, is a state university system of eight campuses set up in 1957 to expand the educational opportunities of the citizens of South Carolina as well as extend the reach of the University of South Carolina throughout the state....
    .

    Furman University
    Furman University

    Furman University is a Private university, coeducational, non-sectarian university in Greenville, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States....
     is a private, coeducational, non-sectarian, liberal arts university in Greenville
    Greenville, South Carolina

    Greenville is a mid-sized city located in the upstate of South Carolina. It is the county seat of Greenville County, SC and the principal city in the Greenville-Mauldin, South Carolina-Easley, South Carolina Greenville-Mauldin-Easley metropolitan area ....
    . Founded in 1826, Furman enrolls approximately 2,600 undergraduate and 500 graduate students. Furman is the oldest and largest private institution in South Carolina. The university is primarily focused on undergraduate education (only two departments, education and chemistry, offer graduate degrees).

    The Citadel
    The Citadel (military college)

    |}The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, is a State university, comprehensive college located in Charleston, South Carolina, USA....
    , The Military College of South Carolina, is a state-supported, comprehensive college located in Charleston. Founded in 1842, the college is best known for its undergraduate Corps of Cadets military program for men and women, which combines academics, physical challenges and military discipline. In addition to the cadet program, civilian programs are offered through the Citadel's College of Graduate and Professional Studies with its evening undergraduate and graduate programs. The Citadel enrolls almost 2,000 undergraduate cadets in its residential military program and 1,200 civilian students in the evening programs.

    Wofford College
    Wofford College

    Wofford College is a small liberal arts college located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, South Carolina. Wofford was founded in 1854 with a bequest of $100,000 from the Rev....
     is a small liberal arts college located in Spartanburg
    Spartanburg, South Carolina

    Spartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in Upstate South Carolina region of South Carolina....
    . Wofford was founded in 1854 with a bequest of $100,000 from the Rev. Benjamin Wofford (1780–1850), a Methodist minister and Spartanburg native who sought to create a college for "literary, classical, and scientific education in my native district of Spartanburg." Wofford is one of the few four-year institutions in the southeastern United States founded before the American Civil War
    American Civil War

    The American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several Naming the American Civil War, was a civil war in the United States....
     and still operating on its original campus.

    Presbyterian College
    Presbyterian College

    Presbyterian College is a Private university Liberal arts colleges in the United States in Clinton, South Carolina, United States. Presbyterian College, or PC, is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA....
     is a private liberal arts college founded in 1880 in Clinton. Presbyterian College, is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA, and enrolls around 1300 undergraduate students. In 2007, Washington Monthly ranked PC as the #1 Liberal Arts College in the nation.

    Clemson University
    Clemson University

    Clemson University is a state university , coeducational, Land-grant_university, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States....
    , founded in 1889 is a public, coeducational, land-grant
    Land-grant university

    Land-grant universities are institutions of higher education in the United States that have been designated by each state to receive the benefits of the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act....
     research university located in Clemson
    Clemson, South Carolina

    Clemson is a city in Anderson County, South Carolina and Pickens County, South Carolina counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 11,939 at the 2000 census and center of an urban cluster with a total population of 42,199....
    . Clemson The University currently enrolls more than 17,000 students from all 50 states and from more than 70 countries. Clemson is currently in the process of expanding, by adding the CU-ICAR, or the Center for Automotive Research, in partnership with BMW
    BMW

    , is an independent German automotive industry founded in 1916. It also produces BMW Motorrad, is the owner of the MINI brand and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars....
     and Michelin
    Michelin

    Michelin based in Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne r?gion of France, is primarily a tire manufacturer, currently the world's second largest....
    . The facility will offer an M.S. and Ph.D in Automotive Engineering. Clemson is also the home to the South Carolina Botanical Garden
    South Carolina Botanical Garden

    The South Carolina Botanical Garden is located in Clemson, South Carolina on the campus of Clemson University. This garden has nature trails, pathways, ponds, streams, woodlands, trial gardens, the Bob Campbell Geology Museum, and the Fran Hanson Discovery Center, which has exhibits by local artists....
    .

    South Carolina State University
    South Carolina State University

    South Carolina State University , is a Historically black colleges and universities located in Orangeburg, South Carolina. It is the only state funded, historically black land-grant institution in South Carolina and is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund....
    , founded in 1896, is a historically Black university located in Orangeburg. It is the only state-supported land grant institution in the state of South Carolina. SCSU has a current enrollment of nearly 5,000, and offers undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate degrees. SCSU boasts the only Doctor of Education program in the state.

    Anderson University
    Anderson University (South Carolina)

    Anderson University is a private university located in Anderson, South Carolina, offering bachelors and masters degrees in approximately 50 areas of study....
    , founded in 1911 is a selective comprehensive university located in Anderson
    Anderson, South Carolina

    Anderson is a city in and the county seat of Anderson County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 25,514 at the United States Census, 2000, and the city was the center of an urbanized area of 70,530....
    , offering bachelors and masters degrees in approximately 50 areas of study. Anderson University currently enrolls around 1800 undergraduate students.

    Bob Jones University
    Bob Jones University

    Bob Jones University is a private university, Protestant Fundamentalist Christianity, liberal arts university in Greenville, South Carolina, South Carolina....
    , founded in 1927, is a non-denominational University founded on fundamentalist Christian beliefs. Originally based in Florida, after a move to Tennessee, the school finally settled in South Carolina. With 5000 students, the school is larger than Wofford, Furman and Presbyterian College. BJU also offers over 115 undergraduate majors and has over 70 graduate programs.

    Sports in South Carolina

    South Carolina has no major professional franchise of the NFL
    National Football League

    The National Football League is the Major North American professional sports leagues American football Sports league in the United States. It is an unincorporated 501#501.28c.29.286.29 association controlled by its members....
    , NHL
    National Hockey League

    The National Hockey League is a professional ice hockey league composed of 30 teams in North America. It is considered to be the premier professional ice hockey league in the world, and one of the North American Major professional sports leagues of the United States and Canada....
    , NBA
    National Basketball Association

    The National Basketball Association is North America's premier professional men's basketball league, composed of thirty teams: twenty-nine in the United States and one in Canada....
    , or MLB located in the state; however the NFL's Carolina Panthers
    Carolina Panthers

    The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina, representing both North Carolina and South Carolina in the National Football League....
     (based in Charlotte, North Carolina
    Charlotte, North Carolina

    Charlotte is the largest city in the state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The List of United States cities by population in the United States....
    ), and the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes
    Carolina Hurricanes

    The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, North Carolina. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play home games at the 18,680 capacity RBC Center....
     (based in Raleigh, North Carolina
    Raleigh, North Carolina

    Raleigh is the Capital of the state of North Carolina and the List of North Carolina county seats of Wake County, North Carolina. Raleigh is known as the ?City of Oaks? for its many oaks....
    ) represent both North and South Carolina. In addition, the Panthers played their first season in Clemson
    Clemson, South Carolina

    Clemson is a city in Anderson County, South Carolina and Pickens County, South Carolina counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 11,939 at the 2000 census and center of an urban cluster with a total population of 42,199....
    , and maintain training facilities near Wofford College
    Wofford College

    Wofford College is a small liberal arts college located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, South Carolina. Wofford was founded in 1854 with a bequest of $100,000 from the Rev....
     in Spartanburg
    Spartanburg, South Carolina

    Spartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in Upstate South Carolina region of South Carolina....
    . There are numerous minor league
    Minor league

    Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities....
     teams that are either based in the state, or play much of their schedule within its borders. The highest level of minor league sports played in South Carolina is the USL Division 1 Soccer team, the Charleston Battery
    Charleston Battery

    Charleston Battery is an American professional soccer team, founded in 1993. The team is a member of the USL First Division, the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid....
    . The team plays in the soccer-specific Blackbaud Stadium, located on Daniel Island in Charleston. Currently, only Greenville
    Greenville, South Carolina

    Greenville is a mid-sized city located in the upstate of South Carolina. It is the county seat of Greenville County, SC and the principal city in the Greenville-Mauldin, South Carolina-Easley, South Carolina Greenville-Mauldin-Easley metropolitan area ....
    , Myrtle Beach
    Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

    Myrtle Beach is a coastal resort town in Horry County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. It is the de facto hub of both the Myrtle Beach metropolitan area and the Grand Strand, a complex of beach towns and barrier islands stretching from Little River, South Carolina to Georgetown, South Carolina....
    , and Charleston
    Charleston, South Carolina

    Charleston is a city in Charleston County, South Carolina in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the largest city and county seat of Charleston County....
     still boast any other level (in each case single-A) of professional baseball
    Baseball

    Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport of nine players each. The goal of baseball is to score run by hitting a thrown Baseball with a baseball bat and touching a series of four markers called base arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot square, or diamond. Players on one team take turns hitting against...
    . Curiously enough, for a state where natural ice is a rarity, professional ice hockey
    Ice hockey

    Ice hockey, often referred to simply as hockey, is a team sport played on ice. It is a fast paced and physical sport. Ice hockey is most popular in areas that are sufficiently cold for natural reliable seasonal ice cover such as Canada, the northern United States, Scandinavia and Russia, though with the advent of indoor artificial ice r...
     has been popular in a number of areas of the state since the 1990s. Though 4 teams competed at one time in South Carolina, the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL
    ECHL

    The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada, generally regarded as a tier below the American Hockey League....
    ) currently oversees operations of only two franchises, one, the Columbia Inferno
    Columbia Inferno

    The Columbia Inferno are an ECHL team based in Columbia, South Carolina, South Carolina. They play their home games at the Carolina Coliseum. The Inferno first took the ice in 2001 as an expansion team after a group of physicians dubbed the "Hockey Docs" sought to purchase a team....
    , the other, the South Carolina Stingrays
    South Carolina Stingrays

    The South Carolina Stingrays are an ECHL team based in the city of North Charleston, South Carolina, a suburb of Charleston, South Carolina. Since 2004, the team has been affiliated with the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League....
     (who play in Charleston
    Charleston, South Carolina

    Charleston is a city in Charleston County, South Carolina in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the largest city and county seat of Charleston County....
    ). According to the league, however, Myrtle Beach is slated to receive a franchise when their new arena is completed in 2008/9.

    College sports in particular are very big in South Carolina. Clemson University
    Clemson University

    Clemson University is a state university , coeducational, Land-grant_university, research university located in Clemson, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States....
    's Tigers and the University of South Carolina
    University of South Carolina

    The University of South Carolina is a state university , co-educational, research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States....
    's Gamecocks regularly draw more than 80,000 spectators at the schools' home football games. Smaller universities located in South Carolina also have very competitive sports programs, including The Citadel
    The Citadel (military college)

    |}The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, is a State university, comprehensive college located in Charleston, South Carolina, USA....
    , Coastal Carolina
    Coastal Carolina University

    'Coastal Carolina University' is an independent, state-supported university in Conway, South Carolina, located eight miles west of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina....
    , College of Charleston
    College of Charleston

    The College of Charleston is a public university, sea-grant, and space-grant university located in historic downtown Charleston, South Carolina....
    , Francis Marion
    Francis Marion University

    Francis Marion University is a U.S. state-supported liberal arts university located seven miles east of Florence, South Carolina, South Carolina, USA....
    , Furman
    Furman University

    Furman University is a Private university, coeducational, non-sectarian university in Greenville, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States....
    , Anderson University
    Anderson University (South Carolina)

    Anderson University is a private university located in Anderson, South Carolina, offering bachelors and masters degrees in approximately 50 areas of study....
    , North Greenville University
    North Greenville University

    North Greenville University is a university governed by the South Carolina Baptist Convention. It is a Christian liberal arts college located in the foothills of the Appalachians in northern Greenville County, South Carolina....
    , Presbyterian College
    Presbyterian College

    Presbyterian College is a Private university Liberal arts colleges in the United States in Clinton, South Carolina, United States. Presbyterian College, or PC, is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church USA....
    , Lander University
    Lander University

    Lander University is a Public university university located in Greenwood, South Carolina, South Carolina. It is the U.S. state smallest publicly-funded baccalaureate institution....
    , SC State
    South Carolina State University

    South Carolina State University , is a Historically black colleges and universities located in Orangeburg, South Carolina. It is the only state funded, historically black land-grant institution in South Carolina and is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund....
    , Southern Wesleyan University
    Southern Wesleyan University

    Southern Wesleyan University is a four-year and graduate Christian college, with its main campus in the town of Central, South Carolina. The university was founded in 1906 by what is now The Wesleyan Church....
    , Spartanburg Methodist College
    Spartanburg Methodist College

    Spartanburg Methodist College is a private, two-year institution of higher learning, or junior college, located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It is the only independent, regionally-accredited, residential two-year college in South Carolina....
    , USC Upstate
    University of South Carolina Upstate

    The University of South Carolina Upstate is a public university located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Formerly known as the University of South Carolina Spartanburg, the school changed its name in the summer of 2004....
    , Winthrop
    Winthrop University

    Winthrop University is an American public, four-year liberal arts college in Rock Hill, South Carolina, United States. In 2006-07, Winthrop University had an enrollment of 6,292 students....
    , Wofford
    Wofford College

    Wofford College is a small liberal arts college located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, South Carolina. Wofford was founded in 1854 with a bequest of $100,000 from the Rev....
    .

    NASCAR
    NASCAR

    The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is the largest sanctioning body of stock cars in the United States. The three largest racing series sanctioned by NASCAR are the Sprint Cup Series, the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series....
     racing was born in the South
    The South

    The South may refer to:...
    , and South Carolina has in the past hosted some very important NASCAR races, mainly at the Darlington Raceway
    Darlington Raceway

    Darlington Raceway is a race track built for NASCAR racing located near Darlington, South Carolina. It is nicknamed the "Lady in Black" and "The Track Too Tough to Tame" by many NASCAR fans and drivers and advertised as "A NASCAR Tradition"....
    . Darlington Raceway still has the one NASCAR race weekend, usually Mother's Day
    Mother's Day

    Mother's Day was created as a day for each family to honor their mother, celebrated on various days in many places around the world. It complements Father's Day, the celebration honoring fathers....
     weekend. All four of NASCAR's series come to Darlington including Feather light, Craftsman Trucks, Busch Cars, and NEXTEL Cup
    NEXTEL Cup

    The Sprint Cup Series is the top racing series of the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing . It was formerly known as the Strictly Stock Series and Grand National Series ....
     cars.

    South Carolina is a popular golf destination. Myrtle Beach/Grand Strand has more than a hundred golf courses. Myrtle Beach has more public golf courses per capita than any other place in the country. Some have hosted PGA and LGPA events in the past, but most have been designed for the casual golfer. Hilton Head Island & Kiawah Island have several very nice golf courses and host professional events every year. The upstate of South Carolina also has many nice golf courses, most of the nicer courses are private including the Cliff's courses and Cross Creek Plantation (the Cliff's courses host the annual BMW PRO/AM that brings many celebrities and professionals to South Carolina. Cross Creek Plantation located in Seneca, also private hosted a PGA Qualifier in the 90's). Oconee Country Club also in Seneca, is an extremely nice course, very well-kept, and is open to the public. In 2007, "The Ocean Course" On Kiawah Island was ranked #1 in Golf Digest Magazine's "America's 50 Toughest Golf Courses" and #38 on their "America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses".

    Watersports are also an extremely popular activity in South Carolina. With a large coast line, South Carolina has many different beach activities such as surfing, boogie boarding, deep sea fishing, and shrimping. The Pee Dee region of the state offers exceptional fishing. Some of the largest catfish ever caught were caught in the Santee Lakes. The Upstate of South Carolina also offers outstanding water activities. The Midlands region also offers water-based recreation revolving around Lakes Marion
    Lake Marion (South Carolina)

    Lake Marion is the largest lake in South Carolina, with a shoreline and covering nearly of land....
     and Murray
    Lake Murray (South Carolina)

    Lake Murray is a lake in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is approximately 50,000 acres in size, and has roughly 500 miles of shoreline. It was impounded in the late 1920s to provide hydroelectricity to the state of South Carolina....
     and such rivers as the Congaree
    Congaree River

    The Congaree River is a short but wide river in South Carolina in the United States; It flows for only 47 miles . The river serves an important role as the final outlet channel for the entire Lower Saluda and Lower Broad watersheds, before merging with the Wateree River just north of Lake Marion to form the Santee River....
    , Saluda
    Saluda River

    The Saluda River is a principal tributary of the Congaree River, about 200 mi long, in northern and western South Carolina in the United States....
    , Broad
    Broad River (South Carolina)

    The Broad River is a tidal channel, in Beaufort County, South Carolina and Jasper County, South Carolina County, South Carolina. The channel flows mainland and Port Royal and Parris Island ....
    , and Edisto
    Edisto River

    File:Edistorivermap.pngThe Edisto River is the longest completely undammed / unleveed blackwater river in North America, flowing 206 meandering miles from its sources in Saluda and Edgefield counties, to its Atlantic Ocean mouth at Edisto Beach, SC....
    .

    While there are no race tracks with betting in South Carolina there is significant horse training activity, particularly in Aiken
    Aiken

    Aiken can refer to:*Aiken, Texas*Aiken County, South Carolina*Aiken, South Carolina, Aiken County's county seat*The University of South Carolina Aiken...
     and Camden
    Camden, South Carolina

    Camden is a city in and the county seat of Kershaw County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 6,682 at the United States Census, 2000....
    , which hold steeplechase races.

    Professional bass fishing tournaments are also found in South Carolina. Lake Hartwell and Lake Murray both host Bassmasters Classic
    Bassmasters Classic

    The Bassmaster Classic is a competition in professional bass fishing. It was first held in 1971 in Lake Mead, Nevada. After years of being held in July, the Bassmasters Classic was moved to February in 2006....
     tournaments.

    National Parks

    • Charles Pinckney National Historic Site
      Charles Pinckney National Historic Site

      Charles Pinckney National Historic Site preserves a portion of Charles Pinckney Snee Farm. The site is located at 1254 Long Point Road, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina....
       at Mt. Pleasant
    • Congaree National Park
      Congaree National Park

      Congaree National Park preserves the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States. Located in South Carolina, the park is 22,000 acre ....
       in Hopkins
      Hopkins, South Carolina

      Hopkins is an unincorporated area in Richland County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. It is located eleven miles from downtown Columbia, South Carolina and is part of the Columbia Columbia, South Carolina metropolitan area....
    • Cowpens National Battlefield
      Cowpens National Battlefield

      Cowpens National Battlefield is a unit of the National Park Service just east of Chesnee, South Carolina, not far from the North Carolina state line....
       near Chesnee
      Chesnee, South Carolina

      Chesnee is a city in Cherokee County, South Carolina and Spartanburg County, South Carolina counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. Population was 1,003 at the 2000 census....
      ,
    • Fort Moultrie National Monument
      Fort Moultrie National Monument

      Fort Moultrie is the name of a series of forts on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, built to protect the city of Charleston, South Carolina. The first fort, built of Cabbage Palmetto logs, inspired the Flag of South Carolina and nickname of South Carolina....
       at Sullivan's Island
      Sullivan's Island, South Carolina

      Sullivan's Island is a town in Charleston County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States, on a similarly-named island at the entrance to Charleston Harbor....
    • Fort Sumter National Monument in Charleston Harbor
      Charleston, South Carolina

      Charleston is a city in Charleston County, South Carolina in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the largest city and county seat of Charleston County....
    • Kings Mountain National Military Park
      Kings Mountain National Military Park

      Kings Mountain National Military Park is a National Military Park near Blacksburg, South Carolina, South Carolina, close to the North Carolina border....
       at Blacksburg
      Blacksburg, South Carolina

      Blacksburg is a town in Cherokee County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,880 at the United States Census, 2000....
    • Ninety Six National Historic Site
      Ninety Six National Historic Site

      Ninety Six National Historic Site, also known as Old Ninety Six and Star Fort, is a United States National Historical Park located about 60 miles south of Greenville, South Carolina....
       in Ninety Six
      Ninety Six, South Carolina

      Ninety Six is a town in Greenwood County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,936 at the 2000 census....
    • Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
      Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail

      The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail is part of the United States National Trails System. The OVHT follows the Revolutionary War route of Patriot militia men from Abingdon, Virginia, fording the Watauga River at Sycamore Shoalsthrough present day Elizabethton, Tennessee, crossing the Doe River twice near both Hampton, Tennessee...


    National Monuments

    • Fort Moultrie National Monument
      Fort Moultrie National Monument

      Fort Moultrie is the name of a series of forts on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina, built to protect the city of Charleston, South Carolina. The first fort, built of Cabbage Palmetto logs, inspired the Flag of South Carolina and nickname of South Carolina....
    • Fort Sumter National Monument


    Miscellaneous topics


    Famous people from South Carolina

    Some of the most influential individuals in American life from South Carolina include:
    • Rudolph Anderson, Jr.(1927-1962), born in Greenville
      Greenville, South Carolina

      Greenville is a mid-sized city located in the upstate of South Carolina. It is the county seat of Greenville County, SC and the principal city in the Greenville-Mauldin, South Carolina-Easley, South Carolina Greenville-Mauldin-Easley metropolitan area ....
      , U.S. Air Force major and U-2 pilot shot down during the Cuban Missle Crisis. Awarded the first Air Force Cross
      Air Force Cross (United States)

      The Air Force Cross is the second highest Awards and decorations of the United States military that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force....
      , posthumously.
    • Rosalie Anderson "Andie" MacDowell (born April 21, 1958) is an American model and actress. She is the winner of two Golden Globe Awards.
    • Mary McLeod Bethune
      Mary McLeod Bethune

      Mary Jane McLeod Bethune was an American educator and civil rights leader best known for starting a school for black students in Daytona Beach, Florida that eventually became Bethune-Cookman University and for being an adviser to President Franklin D....
       (born July 10, 1875 in Maysville, South Carolina, died May 18, 1955). African American educator and civil rights leader.
    • James Butler Bonham ( born February 20, 1807 in Saluda, South Carolina
      Saluda, South Carolina

      Saluda is a town in Saluda County, South Carolina, South Carolina, along the Saluda River#Principal tributaries. The population was 3,066 at the 2000 census....
      , died March 6, 1836) 19th century American lawyer
      Lawyer

      A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an Attorney at law, counsel or solicitor; a person licensed to practice fraud." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain stability, and deliver justice....
       and soldier
      Soldier

      A soldier is a general English term that refers to a land component of national armed forces.In most societies of the world, "soldier" is also a general term for any member of the land forces including Commissioned officer and non-commissioned officers....
      . Defender at the Alamo.
    • James Brown
      James Brown

      James Joseph Brown, Jr. was an United States entertainer. He is recognized as one of the most influential figures in 20th century popular music and was renowned for his vocals and feverish dancing....
       (born May 4, 1933 in Barnwell
      Barnwell, South Carolina

      Barnwell is a city in Barnwell County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 5,035 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Barnwell County, South Carolina....
      , died December 25, 2006). The "Godfather of Soul", legendary singer and member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
    • John C. Calhoun
      John C. Calhoun

      John Caldwell Calhoun was the List of Vice Presidents of the United States Vice President of the United States. He was a leading United States Southern politician from South Carolina during the first half of the 19th century....
       (1782-1850), born near Abbeville
      Abbeville, South Carolina

      For other communities of the same name, see Abbeville .Abbeville is a city in Abbeville County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States, 86 miles west of Columbia, South Carolina....
      , a statesman and political philosopher. From 1811 until his death, Calhoun served in the federal government successively as congressman, secretary of war, vice president, senator, secretary of state and again as senator.
    • Chubby Checker
      Chubby Checker

      Chubby Checker is an United States singer-songwriter best known for popularizing the Twist with his 1960 hit record cover version of Hank Ballard's Rhythm and blues hit "The Twist "....
      , singer, born Ernest Evans in Spring Gulley, on October 3, 1941.
    • Stephen Colbert
      Stephen Colbert

      Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an United States comedian, Satire, actor and writer, known for his ironic style , and for his deadpan comedic delivery....
      , host of The Colbert Report on Comedy Central since 2005; previously a correspondent for Comedy Central's The Daily Show. A native of Charleston, he attended Porter Gaud School. Colbert also ran as a favorite son
      Favorite son

      A favorite son is a politics term that can refer to two different types of politicians:*A politician whose electoral appeal derives from his or her regional appeal, rather than his or her political views....
       candidate for the 2008 presidential election in his native South Carolina.
    • John Edwards
      John Edwards

      Johnny Reid "John" Edwards is an American politician who served one term as United States Senate from North Carolina. He was the Democratic Party nominee for Vice President of the United States in United States presidential election, 2004, and was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in Democratic Party presidential prima...
      , former N.C. Senator & 2004 Democratic Vice Presidential candidate, born in Seneca
      Seneca, South Carolina

      Seneca is a city in Oconee County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 7,652 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Seneca Micropolitan Statistical Area , an which includes all of Oconee County and which is further included in the greater Greenville, South Carolina-Spartanburg, South Carolina-Ander...
       in 1953.
    • Joe Frazier
      Joe Frazier

      Joseph William Frazier, known as Smokin' Joe, is a former Olympic and World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, active mostly from the later 1960s to the mid 1970s....
      , 1964 Olympic heavyweight champion and the world heavyweight champ 1970-73; fought Muhammad Ali
      Muhammad Ali

      Muhammad Ali is a retired United States boxing and former three-time List of heavyweight boxing champions.As an amateur, Ali won a gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games in the light heavyweight division gold medal....
       for the heavyweight title three times. He is most remembered for the fight at Madison Square Garden
      Madison Square Garden

      Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, has been the name of four arenas in New York City....
       in March 1971, where he defeated Ali to become the undisputed heavyweight champ. Frazier was born in Beaufort
      Beaufort, South Carolina

      Beaufort is a city in Beaufort County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States, situated on the Beaufort River. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston, South Carolina....
       on January 12, 1944.
    • David du Bose Gaillard
      David du Bose Gaillard

      David du Bose Gaillard was a U.S. Army engineer instrumental in the construction of the Panama Canal. He was born in Manning, S.C.Gaillard graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1884....
      , (1859-1913) was a U.S. Army engineer instrumental in the construction of the Panama Canal
      Panama Canal

      The Panama Canal is a man-made canal which joins the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean oceans. One of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken, it had an enormous impact on shipping between the two oceans, replacing the long and treacherous route via the Drake Passage and Cape Horn at the southernmost tip of South Am...
      . He was born in Manning, South Carolina
      Manning, South Carolina

      Manning is a city in Clarendon County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 4,025 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Clarendon County, South Carolina....
      .
    • Althea Gibson
      Althea Gibson

      Althea Gibson was an United States sportswoman who became the first African-American woman to be a competitor on the world tennis tour and the first to win a Grand Slam title in 1956....
       (1927-2003), the first black female player to win the Wimbledon
      The Championships, Wimbledon

      The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon, is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and is widely considered the most prestigious....
       singles tennis
      Tennis

      Tennis is a sport played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a strung racquet to strike a hollow rubber Tennis ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's tennis court....
       title, was born in Silver.
    • Dizzy Gillespie
      Dizzy Gillespie

      John Birks "Dizzy" Gillespie [/g?'l?spi/] was an United States jazz trumpeter, bandleader, singer, and composer. He was born in Cheraw, South Carolina, the youngest of nine children....
       (1917-1993), John Birks 'Dizzy' Gillespie, considered by some to be the greatest jazz
      Jazz

      Jazz is a primarily American musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions....
       trumpet
      Trumpet

      The trumpet is a musical instrument with the highest Register in the brass instrument family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BC....
      er of all time, was born in Cheraw
      Cheraw, South Carolina

      Cheraw is a town in Chesterfield County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 5,524 at the 2000 census and center of an urban cluster with a total population of 9,069....
      .
    • Thomas Heyward, Jr.
      Thomas Heyward, Jr.

      Thomas Heyward, Jr. , was a signer of the United States United States Declaration of Independence and of the Articles of Confederation as a representative of South Carolina....
       (1746-1809) Signer of the Declaration of Independence. Born In St. Luke's Parish, South Carolina.
    • Andrew Jackson
      Andrew Jackson

      Andrew Jackson was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States . He was List of governors of Florida of Florida , commander of the American forces at the Battle of New Orleans , and eponym of the era of Jacksonian democracy....
       (1767-1845), President of the United States; born near Lancaster
      Lancaster, South Carolina

      Lancaster is a city in Lancaster County, South Carolina, South Carolina which is in the United States and is located 32 miles south of Charlotte North Carolina ....
       but emigrated to Tennessee
      Tennessee

      Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States United States. In 1796, it became the sixteenth state to join the United States....
       as an adult. He was the hero of the Battle of New Orleans
      Battle of New Orleans

      The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815, and was the final major battle of the War of 1812. United States forces, with General Andrew Jackson in command, defeated an invading British Army intent on seizing New Orleans and America's vast western lands....
       and 7th President, from 1829 to 1837.
    • Jesse Jackson
      Jesse Jackson

      Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an American civil rights activism and Baptist Minister of religion. He was a candidate for the Democratic Party presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as "shadow senator" for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997....
      , famous political and social figure, originally from Greenville
      Greenville, South Carolina

      Greenville is a mid-sized city located in the upstate of South Carolina. It is the county seat of Greenville County, SC and the principal city in the Greenville-Mauldin, South Carolina-Easley, South Carolina Greenville-Mauldin-Easley metropolitan area ....
      , born on October 8, 1941.
    • 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson (1887–1951). Considered to be one of the most outstanding hitters in the history of baseball
      Baseball

      Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport of nine players each. The goal of baseball is to score run by hitting a thrown Baseball with a baseball bat and touching a series of four markers called base arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot square, or diamond. Players on one team take turns hitting against...
      , his career .356 batting average
      Batting average

      Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball measuring the performance of batsman and hitter, respectively. The two statistics are related, in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages....
       is the third highest in history, after Ty Cobb
      Ty Cobb

      Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was a Major league baseball player and is regarded by historians and journalists as the best player of the dead-ball era and as one of the greatest players of all time....
       and Rogers Hornsby
      Rogers Hornsby

      Rogers Hornsby , nicknamed "The Rajah", was a Major League Baseball second baseman and manager . Hornsby's first name, Rogers, was his mother's maiden name....
      . He was born in Brandon Mills
      Greenville, South Carolina

      Greenville is a mid-sized city located in the upstate of South Carolina. It is the county seat of Greenville County, SC and the principal city in the Greenville-Mauldin, South Carolina-Easley, South Carolina Greenville-Mauldin-Easley metropolitan area ....
      .
    • Eartha Kitt
      Eartha Kitt

      Eartha Mae Kitt was an American actor, singer, and cabaret star. She was perhaps best known for her 1953 Christmas song "Santa Baby". Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the world." She took over the role of Catwoman for the third season of the 1960s Batman television series, replacing Julie Newmar, who was unavaila...
       (1927–2008), from North, South Carolina
      North, South Carolina

      North is a town in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 813 at the 2000 census....
      , American actress
      Actor

      An actor or actress is a person who acting in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio programming in that capacity....
      , singer, and cabaret
      Cabaret

      Cabaret is a form of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue — a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance being introduced by a master of ceremonies, or MC....
       star. She was perhaps best known for her role as Catwoman
      Catwoman

      Catwoman is a fictional character associated with DC Comics' Batman media franchise. The supervillainess was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, partially inspired by Kane's second cousin by marriage, Ruth Steel....
       in the 1960s TV series Batman
      Batman (TV series)

      Batman is a 1960s United States television series, based on the DC Comics comic book Batman. It aired on the American Broadcasting Company network for two and a half seasons from January 12, 1966 in television to March 14, 1968 in television....
      .
    • Thomas Lynch, Jr.
      Thomas Lynch, Jr.

      Thomas Lynch, Jr. , was a signer of the United States United States Declaration of Independence as a representative of South Carolina.He was born at Prince George Parish, Winyah, in what is now South Carolina, South Carolina, the son of Thomas Lynch ....
       (born August 4, 1749 in South Carolina
      South Carolina

      South Carolina is a U.S. state in the Southern United States of the United States. It borders Georgia to the south and North Carolina to the north....
      , died 1779) Signer of the Declaration of Independence.
    • Arthur Middleton
      Arthur Middleton

      Arthur Middleton , of Charleston, South Carolina, South Carolina, was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence.His parents were Henry Middleton and Mary Baker Williams....
       (1742-1787) born in Charleston, S.C. Signer of the Declaration of Independence. Later Governor (1810-1812), Representative (1815-1819) and Minister to Russia(1820-1830).
    • Kary Mullis
      Kary Mullis

      Kary Banks Mullis, Ph.D. is an American biochemistry and Nobel Prize laureate.Mullis shared the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Michael Smith ....
       (1944-), grew up Columbia
      Columbia, South Carolina

      Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 116,278 according to the United States Census, 2000 ....
       and graduated from high school there. Nobel laureate in Chemistry 1993.
    • Bill Pinkney
      Bill Pinkney

      Bill Pinkney was an United States performer and singer. Pinkney is often incorrectly said to be the last surviving original member of The Drifters, who achieved international fame with numerous hit records....
      , born in Dalzell
      Dalzell, South Carolina

      Dalzell is a census-designated place in Sumter County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,260 at the United States Census, 2000....
      , on August 15, 1925, died July 4, 2007. Pinkney was a pitcher in the Negro League and served in World War II. But he is remember most because of his singing role in The Drifters
      The Drifters

      The Drifters are a long-lived American doo wop/R&B vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1962, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today....
       and his sound influenced many artists in blues and soul music.
    • William C. Westmoreland, (March 26, 1914 – July 18, 2005) born in Spartanburg County, S.C. Westmoreland was an American General who commanded American military operations in the Vietnam War at its peak from 1964 to 1968 and who served as U.S. Army Chief of Staff from 1968 to 1972.
    • Melvin Purvis
      Melvin Purvis

      Melvin Horace Purvis, Jr. was an United States lawman and Federal Bureau of Investigation agent. He had the nickname "Little Mel."Birth...
      , born in Timmonsville
      Timmonsville, South Carolina

      Timmonsville is a town in Florence County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,315 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Florence, South Carolina Florence, South Carolina metropolitan area....
       on October 24, 1903, died February 29, 1960 in Florence
      Florence, South Carolina

      Florence is the largest city in and the county seat of Florence County, South Carolina, United States. This 1997 All-America City finalist, with its historic homes and medical center towers, came together to form a cultural center for the northeastern portion of South Carolina....
      , FBI agent responsible for ending the crimal careers of Baby Face Nelson
      Baby Face Nelson

      Lester Joseph Gillis , known under the pseudonym George Nelson, was a bank robbery in the 1930s better known as Baby Face Nelson due to his youthful appearance and small stature....
      , Pretty Boy Floyd
      Pretty Boy Floyd

      Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd was an United States bank robbery and alleged killer, romanticized by the press and by folk singer Woody Guthrie in his song "Pretty Boy Floyd"....
      , and John Dillinger
      John Dillinger

      John Herbert Dillinger was a Bank robbery in the midwestern United States during the 1930s. Some considered him a dangerous criminal, while others idolized him as a present-day Robin Hood....
      .
    • Edward Rutledge
      Edward Rutledge

      Edward Rutledge , was an USA politician and a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. He later served as governor of South Carolina....
       November 23 1749-January 23 1800. Youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence. Later governor of South Carolina.
    • William Barret Travis (August 9, 1809 – March 6, 1836) born in Saluda County, South Carolina
      Saluda County, South Carolina

      Saluda County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The 2000 census recorded its population to be 19,181, while the 2005 census estimate placed the population at 18,895....
      , 19th century American lawyer
      Lawyer

      A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an Attorney at law, counsel or solicitor; a person licensed to practice fraud." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain stability, and deliver justice....
       and soldier
      Soldier

      A soldier is a general English term that refers to a land component of national armed forces.In most societies of the world, "soldier" is also a general term for any member of the land forces including Commissioned officer and non-commissioned officers....
      . At the age of 26, he was a Lieutenant
    • Monique Coleman
      Monique Coleman

      Monique Adrienne Coleman is an American actress, dancer and singer known for being one of the co-stars in the High School Musical movies, in which she plays High School Musical#Lead characters....
       born in Orangeburg, South Carolina. Colman can be seen in the hit movie High School Musical


    Alcohol laws


    Prohibition was a major issue in the state's history. Voters endorsed prohibition in 1892 but instead were given the "Dispensary System" of state-owned liquor stores, They soon became symbols of political corruption controlled by Ben Tillman's machine and were shut down in 1907. Today, the retail sale of liquor statewide is permitted from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday - Saturday, and Sunday sales are banned by state law. However counties and/or cities may hold referendums to allow Sunday sales of beer and wine only. Six counties currently allow Sunday beer and wine sales; Richland, Lexington, Georgetown, Charleston, Beaufort and Horry. Cities and towns that have passed laws allowing Sunday beer and wine sales include Columbia, Spartanburg, Greenville, Aiken, Rock Hill, Summerville, Santee, Daniel Island and Tega Cay.

    While there are no dry counties in South Carolina, and retail liquor sales are uniform statewide, certain counties may enforce time restrictions for beer and wine sales in stores (e.g., no sales after 2 a.m. in Pickens County) while others do not (in-store beer and wine sales are allowed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in Charleston). Columbia, the state's capital, largest city, and the home of the University of South Carolina, takes one of the more relaxed stances on alcohol sales in bars compared to other cities in the state. Many bars, especially those catering to younger crowds in the busy Five Points district, serve alcohol until sunrise, and it is not unheard of for bars and clubs to serve alcohol until 7 or 8 a.m., although the legality of this practice is questionable. In Greenville city limits, it is illegal to serve alcohol after 2 a.m. at bars and restaurants unless the establishment continues to serve food. There are a few bars that take advantage of this loophole.

    Before 2006, South Carolina was infamous amongst tourists and residents alike for being the last state in the nation to require cocktails and liquor drinks to be mixed using minibottles, like those found on airplanes, instead of from free-pour bottles. The original logic behind this law was twofold: it made alcohol taxation simpler and allowed bar patrons to receive a standardized amount of alcohol in each drink. However, minibottles contain 1.75 oz (52 ml) of alcohol, approximately 30% more than the typical 1.2 oz (35 ml) found in free-pour drinks, with the obvious result of overly strong cocktails and inebriated bar customers. The law was changed in 2006 to allow both free-pour and minibottles in bars, and the vast majority of bars quickly eschewed minibottles in favor of free-pour. On 2008 Nov 4 a referendum was voted on to allow alcohol sales on Sundays won and will now allow Sunday sales.

    Indoor Smoking Laws

    • No statewide smoking ban. On March 31, 2008, the South Carolina Supreme Court
      South Carolina Supreme Court

      The South Carolina Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The court is composed of a Chief Justice and four Associate Justices....
       ruled that cities, counties, and towns may enact smoking bans which are more stringent than state law.
    • Beaufort County
      Beaufort County, South Carolina

      Beaufort County is a county located in the U.S. state of South Carolina. In 2000, its population was 120,937; in 2005 the population was estimated to have reached 137,849....
      , banned in all workplaces, including restaurants and bars, within unincorporated areas of Beaufort County. January 10, 2007.
    • Bluffton
      Bluffton, South Carolina

      Bluffton is a town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,275 at the 2000 census and center of the Bluffton Urban Cluster with a total population of 5,848....
      , banned in all workplaces, including restaurants and bars. January 10, 2007.
    • Charleston
      Charleston, South Carolina

      Charleston is a city in Charleston County, South Carolina in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It is the largest city and county seat of Charleston County....
      , July 23, 2007, prohibited in all restaurants, bars, and workplaces. Cigar bars, theatrical performances involving smoking, and 25% of designated hotel and motel smoking rooms are exempt.
    • Clemson
      Clemson, South Carolina

      Clemson is a city in Anderson County, South Carolina and Pickens County, South Carolina counties in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 11,939 at the 2000 census and center of an urban cluster with a total population of 42,199....
      , July 1, 2008, banned in all enclosed workplaces, including bars and restaurants
    • Columbia
      Columbia, South Carolina

      Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 116,278 according to the United States Census, 2000 ....
      , July 1, 2008, banned in all workplaces, except for bars where 85% of revenue comes from the sale of alcohol.
    • Greenville
      Greenville, South Carolina

      Greenville is a mid-sized city located in the upstate of South Carolina. It is the county seat of Greenville County, SC and the principal city in the Greenville-Mauldin, South Carolina-Easley, South Carolina Greenville-Mauldin-Easley metropolitan area ....
      , January 1, 2007, banned in all workplaces, restaurants, and bars.
    • Hilton Head Island
      Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

      Hilton Head Island or Hilton Head is a town in Beaufort County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States. It is 20 miles north of Savannah, Georgia, and 95 miles south of Charleston, South Carolina....
      , Indoor smoking ban in restaurants, bars, and public places will take effect May 1, 2007.
    • Mount Pleasant
      Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

      Mount Pleasant is a suburban town in Charleston County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States, within the Charleston, South Carolina–North Charleston, South Carolina–Summerville, South Carolina Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metropolitan area....
      , September 1, 2007, banned in all restaurants, bars, workplaces, and private clubs.
    • North Charleston
      North Charleston, South Carolina

      North Charleston is a city in Charleston County, South Carolina and Dorchester County, South Carolina county in the U.S. state of South Carolina....
      , May 14, 2008, rejected a ban on smoking in enclosed workplaces.
    • Sullivan's Island
      Sullivan's Island, South Carolina

      Sullivan's Island is a town in Charleston County, South Carolina, South Carolina, United States, on a similarly-named island at the entrance to Charleston Harbor....
      , effective July 20, 2006, a ban on smoking in workplaces, including restaurants and bars. Upheld by the Charleston County Court of Common Pleas on December 20, 2006.


    South Carolina singularities

    • Adjutant general: The head of the state's national guard, the adjutant general, is a statewide elected official.
    • Driving Under the Influence: South Carolina is the only state in the nation with mandatory videotaping by the arresting officer of the DUI arrest and breath test.
    • Fire Safety Regulations: South Carolina is the only state that allows fire officials to sidestep a federal regulation requiring that for every employee doing hazardous work inside a building, one must be outside.
    • School Buses: South Carolina is the only state in the nation that owns and operates its own school bus fleet.
    • Strokes: South Carolina has the highest rate of stroke deaths in the nation.
    • Black Water River: With the Edisto River, South Carolina has the longest completely undammed / unleveed blackwater river
      Blackwater River

      Blackwater River may refer to:*West Road River, also known as the Blackwater River, in British Columbia, Canada*Blackwater River in Canada*Blackwater River, New Zealand in the South Island of New Zealand...
       in North America.
    • Outdoor Sculpture: South Carolina is home to the world's largest collection of outdoor sculpture located at Brookgreen Gardens.
    • Landscaped Gardens: South Carolina is home to the oldest landscaped gardens in the United States, at Middleton Place near Charleston.


    South Carolina firsts

    • First European settlement in South Carolina in 1526 near Georgetown settled by Spanish explorer Lucas Vasquez de Ayllon named San Miguel de Gualdape
    • First permanent English settlement in South Carolina established at Albemarle Point in Charleston in 1670
    • First indigo planted, 1671
    • First free library established - Charleston, 1698
    • First mutual fire insurance company - Friendly Society for the Mutual Insurance of Houses against Fire, 1735
    • First opera performed in America - Charleston, February 18, 1735
    • First building to be used solely as a theatre - Dock Street Theatre in Charleston, constructed in 1736
    • First slave insurrection - Stono area near Charleston, 1739
    • First Jewish synagogue in South Carolina (Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim) - Charleston, 1750
    • First cotton exported to England, 1764
    • First Black Baptist Church established, Silver Bluff, 1773
    • The Charleston Chamber of Commerce was the first city Chamber of Commerce in this country - 1773
    • First public museum - Charleston Museum, organized January 12, 1773
    • First business publication - South Carolina Price Current in Charleston, 1774
    • The first time a British flag was taken down and replaced by an American flag was in Charleston in 1775
    • First independent government formed among American colonies, March 1776
    • Golf was first played in the city limits of Charleston. The South Carolina Golf Club was formed in 1786 - this was the first golf club.
    • First Roman Catholic Church (St. Mary's
      St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church (Charleston, South Carolina)

      St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, which is formally called St. Mary of Annunciation Roman Catholic Church, is the first Roman Catholic church in the Carolinas and Georgia ....
       August 24, 1789, Charleston
    • First cotton mill built - James Island, 1789
    • First tea planted - Middleton Barony, 1802
    • First Roman Catholic Bishop of Charleston
      Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston

      The Roman Catholic Diocese of Charleston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the southern United States and comprises the entire U.S....
      , Most Rev. John England
      John England

      John England was the first Catholic Bishop of Charleston, South Carolina....
       - 1820, Charleston
    • First fireproof building built - Charleston, 1822
    • First steam locomotive built in the United States to be used for regular railroad service - "Best Friend of Charleston," 1830.
    • First municipal college - College of Charleston, opened April 1, 1838
    • First Roman Catholic cathedral in South Carolina Cathedral of Saint John and Saint Finbar
      Cathedral of Saint John and Saint Finbar

      On May 3, 1821, Bishop John England purchased property on the northeast corner of Broad and Friend as a site for the cathedral. A "dwelling house" was on the lot, and on December 30, 1821, Bishop England blessed it as a temporary chapel for the congregation....
       - Charleston, April 1845
    • First state to secede from the Union, December 20, 1860.
    • First shot fired in Civil War on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, April 12, 1861.
    • First Medal of Honor awarded to a Black recipient - W. H.Carney (Army), July 18, 1863.
    • The first submarine ever to sink an enemy ship was the H.L. Hunley used by the Confederates on February 17, 1864 in Charleston Harbor against the U.S.S. Housatonic.
    • First Black Associate Justice of a state supreme court - J. J. Wright, February 2, 1870
    • The first state intercollegiate football game took place on December 14, 1889 with Wofford defeating Furman
    • First commercial tea farm - Summerville, 1890
    • First black woman to practice medicine in the state was Dr. Matilda Arabelle Evans in 1897
    • First textile school established in a college - Clemson, 1899
    • The first car was manufactured in Rock Hill by John Gary Anderson in January 1916
    • First woman lawyer in South Carolina - Miss James M. Perry of Greenville was admitted to practice on May 4, 1918
    • First national historic preservation ordinance passed by Charleston city council on October 13, 1931
    • First television station WCSC broadcast from Charleston June 13, 1953
    • First U.S. Senator elected by a write-in vote - Strom Thurmond, November 2, 1954
    • First nuclear power plant dedicated at Parr Shoals on October 24, 1963
    • First Spoleto Festival held in Charleston May 1977
    • First black federal judge in South Carolina's history - Matthew J. Perry - appointed September 22, 1979
    • First governor Richard Riley elected November 6, 1984 to serve two consecutive four-year terms
    • Jean Toal - the first woman elected to state supreme court in 1988 and later elected chief justice in 2000


    Sister States

    • Queensland, Australia
    • Rhineland-Palatinate
      Rhineland-Palatinate

      Rhineland-Palatinate is one of the 16 States of Germany of Germany. It has an area of and about four million inhabitants. The capital is Mainz....
      , Germany
    • Bergamo
      Bergamo

      Bergamo is a town in Lombardy, Italy, about 40km northeast of Milan. The commune is home to circa 117,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent Milan....
      , Italy


    See also

    • List of South Carolina-related topics
      List of South Carolina-related topics

      The following is a list of topics about the U.S. State of South Carolina....
    • South Carolina Department of Transportation
      South Carolina Department of Transportation

      The South Carolina Department of Transportation is a government agency in the U.S. State of South Carolina. Its mission is to build and maintain roads and Bridge and administer mass transit services....


    Further reading


    Textbooks and surveys

    • Bass, Jack. Porgy Comes Home: South Carolina After 300 Years,. Sandlapper, 1970.
    • Edgar, Walter. South Carolina: A History, University of South Carolina Press
      University of South Carolina Press

      The University of South Carolina Press , founded in 1944, is a university press that is part of the University of South Carolina....
      , 1998. ISBN 1-57003-255-6
    • Edgar, Walter, ed. The South Carolina Encyclopedia, University of South Carolina Press, 2006. ISBN 1-57003-598-2
    • George C. Rogers Jr. and C. James Taylor. A South Carolina Chronology, 1497-1992, 2nd Ed.,. University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, SC, 1994. ISBN 0-87249-971-5
    • Wallace, David Duncan. South Carolina: A Short History, 1520-1948 (1951) ISBN 0-87249-079-3
    • WPA. South Carolina: A Guide to the Palmetto State (1941) ASIN B000HM05WE
    • Wright, Louis B. South Carolina: A Bicentennial History (1977) ISBN 0-393-05560-4


    Scholarly secondary studies

    • Bass, Jack and Marilyn W. Thompson. Ol' Strom: An Unauthorized Biography of Strom Thurmond,. Longstreet Press, 1998.
    • Busick, Sean R. A Sober Desire for History: William Gilmore Simms as Historian., 2005. ISBN 1-57003-565-2.
    • Clarke, Erskine. Our Southern Zion: A History of Calvinism in the South Carolina Low Country, 1690-1990 (1996)
    • Channing, Steven. Crisis of Fear: Secession in South Carolina (1970)
    • Cohodas, Nadine. Strom Thurmond and the Politics of Southern Change,. Simon & Schuster, 1993.
    • Coit, Margaret L. John C. Calhoun: American Portrait (1950)
    • Crane, Verner W. The Southern Frontier, 1670-1732 (1956)
    • Ford Jr., Lacy K. Origins of Southern Radicalism: The South Carolina Upcountry, 1800-1860 (1991)
    • Hindus, Michael S. Prison and Plantation: Crime, Justice, and Authority in Massachusetts and South Carolina, 1767-1878 (1980)
    • Johnson Jr., George Lloyd. The Frontier in the Colonial South: South Carolina Backcountry, 1736-1800 (1997)
    • Jordan, Jr., Frank E. The Primary State - A History of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, 1876-1962, Columbia, SC, 1967
    • Keyserling, Harriet. Against the Tide: One Woman's Political Struggle. University of South Carolina Press, 1998.
    • Kantrowitz, Stephen. Ben Tillman & the Reconstruction of White Supremacy (2002)
    • Lau, Peter F. Democracy Rising: South Carolina And the Fight for Black Equality Since 1865 (2006)
    • Peirce, Neal R. The Deep South States of America: People, Politics, and Power in the Seven Deep South States; (1974)
    • Rogers, George C. Evolution of a Federalist: William Loughton Smith of Charleston (1758-1812) (1962)
    • Schultz Harold S. Nationalism and Sectionalism in South Carolina, 1852-1860 (1950)
    • Simon, Bryant. A Fabric of Defeat: The Politics of South Carolina Millhands, 1910-1948 (1998)
    • Simkins, Francis Butler. The Tillman Movement in South Carolina (1926)
    • Simkins, Francis Butler. Pitchfork Ben Tillman: South Carolinian (1944)
    • Simkins, Francis Butler, and Robert Hilliard Woody. South Carolina during Reconstruction (1932).
    • Sinha, Manisha. The Counterrevolution of Slavery: Politics and Ideology in Antebellum South Carolina (2000)
    • Smith, Warren B. White Servitude in Colonial South Carolina (1961)
    • Tullos, Allen Habits of Industry: White Culture and the Transformation of the Carolina Piedmont (1989)
    • Williamson Joel R. After Slavery: The Negro in South Carolina during Reconstruction, 1861-1877 (1965)
    • Wood, Peter H. Black Majority: Negroes in Colonial South Carolina from 1670 Through the Stono Rebellion (1996)


    Local studies

    • Bass, Jack and Jack Nelson.The Orangeburg Massacre,. Mercer University Press, 1992.
    • Burton, Orville Vernon. In My Father's House Are Many Mansions: Family and Community in Edgefield, South Carolina (1985), social history
    • Carlton, David L. Mill and Town in South Carolina, 1880-1920 (1982)
    • Clarke, Erskine. Dwelling Place: A Plantation Epic (2005)
    • Danielson, Michael N. Profits and Politics in Paradise: The Development of Hilton Head Island,. University of South Carolina Press, 1995.
    • Doyle, Don H. New Men, New Cities, New South: Atlanta, Nashville, Charleston, Mobile, 1860-1910 (1990)
    • Huff, Jr., Archie Vernon. Greenville: The History of the City and County in the South Carolina Piedmont, University of South Carolina Press, 1995.
    • Moore, John Hammond. Columbia and Richland County: A South Carolina Community, 1740-1990, University of South Carolina Press, 1993.
    • Moredock, Will. Banana Republic: A Year in the Heart of Myrtle Beach,. Frontline Press, 2003.
    • Pease, William H. and Jane H. Pease. The Web of Progress: Private Values and Public Styles in Boston and Charleston, 1828-1843 (1985),
    • Robertson, Ben. Red Hills and Cotton,. USC Press (reprint), 1991.
    • Rose, Willie Lee. Rehearsal for Reconstruction: The Port Royal Experiment (1964)


    Political science

    • Carter, Luther F. and David Mann, eds. Government in the Palmetto State: Toward the 21st century,. University of South Carolina, 1993.ISBN 0-917069-01-3
    • Graham, Cole Blease and William V. Moore. South Carolina Politics and Government. Univ. of Nebraska Press, 1994. ISBN 0-8032-7043-7
    • Tyer, Charlie. ed. South Carolina Government: An Introduction,. USC Institute for Public Affairs, 2002. ISBN 0-917069-12-9


    Primary documents

    • Salley, Alexander S. ed. Narratives of Early Carolina, 1650-1708 (1911) ISBN 0-7812-6298-4
    • Woodmason Charles. The Carolina Backcountry on the Eve of the Revolution Edited by Richard J. Hooker. (1953), a missionary reports ISBN 0-8078-4035-1


    External links

    • - The official tourism website of South Carolina
    • - Established in 1985 to honor champions of free enterprise and present role models for young people.