South Carolina is a southeastern U.S. state known for its shoreline of subtropical beaches and marshlike sea islands. Coastal Charleston is a historic city, defined by pastel-colored houses, Old South plantations and Fort Sumter, where the Civil War’s opening shots were fired. To the north is the Grand Strand, a roughly 60-mile stretch of beachfront known for golf courses and the vacation town Myrtle Beach.
South Carolina was named in honor of King Charles I of England, who first formed the English colony, with Carolus being Latin for “Charles”. In 1712 the Province of South Carolina was formed. One of the original Thirteen Colonies, South Carolina became a royal colony in 1719. During the American Revolutionary War, South Carolina was the site of major activity among the American colonies, with more than 200 battles and skirmishes fought within the state. South Carolina became the eighth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution on May 23, 1788. A slave state, it was the first state to vote in favor of secession from the Union on December 20, 1860. After the American Civil War, it was readmitted into the United States on July 9, 1868.
During the early-to-mid 20th century, the state started to see economic progress as many textile mills and factories were built across the state. The civil rights movement of the mid-20th century helped in ending segregation and legal discrimination policies within the state. Economic diversification in South Carolina continued to pick up speed during and in the ensuing decades after World War II. In the early 21st century, South Carolina’s economy is based on industries such as aerospace, agribusiness, automotive manufacturing, and tourism
Capital: Columbia, SC
Population: 5,190,705 (2021)
Official Website: https://sc.gov/
Tourism website: https://discoversouthcarolina.com/
Tourist Attractions for South Carolina:
Take your pick from high-quality stage shows, golf, and water parks in Myrtle Beach, or relax at the beach and at the family-friendly holiday resorts on Hilton Head Island.
Explore the atmospheric streets of Charleston on a romantic carriage ride, or tour some of the South’s most beautiful plantation homes nearby. You can visit the fort in Charleston harbor, where the Civil War began, or revel in the breathtaking views and quiet trails of Caesars Head State Park. Bike the trails at Hilton Head, enjoy some of the South’s best deep sea fishing, or take the kids to a zoo or planetarium.
- Charleston’s Historic District
- Myrtle Beach
- South Carolina Plantation Gardens
- Hilton Head Island
- Fort Sumter and Charleston Harbor
- USS Yorktown and Patriots Point in Mount Pleasant
- Congaree National Park in Hopkins
- Watch Wildlife at Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet
- South Carolina State Museum of Columbia
- Brookgreens Gardens of Murrells Inlet
- Deep Sea Fishing in Myrtle Beach, Charleston or Beaufort & Hilton Head
- Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia
- Caesars Head State Park
- Columbia Museum of Art
- EdVenture of Columbia