South Carolina Facts and History

Abbreviated as SC on abbreviationfinder.org, South Carolina is located on the southeastern Atlantic coast, has an area of ​​82,932 square kilometers, making it the 40th largest state. Around 3.1 million people live here, around a third of them non-white.

The capital and seat of the state university is Columbia (approx. 100,000 residents). Other major cities are Charleston, North Charleston, Greenville and Spartanburg. The Palmetto State (so named after the state tree, the saber palm) borders North Carolina to the north and northeast and Georgia to the south and southwest. Natural boundaries are formed by the Savannah River with a number of lakes in the southwest and the Atlantic coast with the offshore Sea Islands in the southeast.

Cotton was the dominant agricultural product for a long time. It is still important today, along with tobacco, soy and peach. As early as 1788, South Carolina became the eighth founding state to ratify the United States’ constitution. The state is traditionally conservative and was the first to leave the Union in 1860, which, as is well known, led to the American Civil War.

Climate and travel times

The South Carolina coastal region has no real winter; there is a subtropical climate. Here the temperatures are not below 13, 14 degrees during the day, only at night they approach freezing point. Spring is mild and long. The summer months of June, July and August are hot around 30 degrees. Then the water of the Atlantic warms up to 28 degrees, so the best bathing weather. The pleasant temperatures go into November. The short winter weather – temperatures rarely drop below 15 degrees – is ideal for golf. The north of South Carolina has temperatures that are around four degrees below those of the coastal region.

The temperatures are given in Celsius, the amount of rain in inches. The rain usually falls as a heavy, short shower, not as continuous rain.

Traffic rules

The speed limit in South Carolina is 90 km / h (55 mph) when there are traffic signs do not specify any other speed limit. 100 km / h (65 mph) are allowed on the interstate highways. It is forbidden to bring open containers with alcoholic beverages (wine, beer, etc.) into the passenger compartment. If the weather makes it necessary to use the windscreen wipers, the headlights must also be switched on. Belts are compulsory for the driver and front passenger, children under 6 years of age must be secured with a belt system that is suitable for them, children under 1 year of age must be transported in a buckled child seat, regardless of whether they are in the front or rear seats. The same applies to children under 4 years of age when they are transported in the front seat. In vehicles with an airbag, children should never ride in the front seat.

Alcohol

The legal age for consuming alcohol in South Carolina is 21 years. No alcohol can be served after midnight on Sundays. In the counties of Charleston, Richland, Lexington and Horry, licensed inns are not affected by this rule. Packaged alcoholic beverages can be sold Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Main sights

South Carolina is one of the poorest and most rural states. The coastal region with inviting beaches and the old port city of Charleston is particularly interesting for tourists.

Charleston: Colonial port city with 800 buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries and numerous sights in the center and in the vicinity. Charleston is the epitome of the “Old South”.

Grand Strand / Myrtle Beach: 100 km long, wide beach with promenades and tourist gear.

Sea Islands: Islands along the south coast including Hilton Head, Kiawah, Isle of Pines, Seabrook and Folly Beach.

Riverbanks Zoo & Gardens: In Columbia, the capital; one of the most beautiful zoos in the USA.

Brookgreen Gardens: At Murrell’s Inlet; over 500 American sculptures from the 19th and 20th centuries amid 2000 species of plants.

Charleston

According to countryaah.com, Charleston is a city of the United States, the most populous in South Carolina, capital of the county of the same name, located at approximately 32 ° 47 ‘N. and 79 ° 56’ W. it is at the same time one of the most important ports of the southern section of the Atlantic coast of the United States; it stands on a low peninsula between the Ashley and Cooper rivers 11km away. from the ocean.

The average annual temperature is 18 °, 9; the winter one of 10 °, 6; the summer one of 27 °, 2. The average annual amount of precipitation is 1360 mm.; each month is rainy : but the wettest period is summer (maximum in July with 188 mm; minimum in November with 76 mm.).

The city counted, in 1790, 16,359 inhabitants; in 1850, 42,985; in 1900, 55,807; in 1910, 58,133; in 1920, 67,957; in 1928 (calculation) 75,900. In 1920 the Whites made up 52.4%, the Negroes 47.6%. Charleston has considerable economic importance. Commercial relations are mainly active with the two Carolines, with Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Alabama; the economic hinterland geographically embraces the south-eastern part of the Confederation: the main types of traffic are coal, cotton (fiber and seeds), fertilizers, timber, etc. Charleston is served by several rail lines.

The city developed at the tip of the peninsula. The port, full of docks and piers, mainly uses the mouth of the Cooper, between the Drum Islands and Shutes Folly.

Charleston is one of the oldest cities in the United States: its primitive core dates back to the second half of the century. XVII; he had an important part in the war of independence and in that of secession; suffered greatly from the earthquake of August 31, 1886.

The action of Charleston. – At the time of the Civil War Charleston was the center of the resistance of the southern states and supported the attacks of the northerners for more than four years (1861-1865).

By the end of 1862, much of the Atlantic coast was again within the Union’s range. In the following April, the Northerners made long preparations to recapture Fort Sumter, a key to Charleston’s defense, which was located on Morris Island and dominated the entire bay. The Southerners had held it since April 13, 1861. On April 7, 1863, Rear Admiral Dupont, escorted by seven monitors and a gunboat, vigorously attacked the fort. The flagship could not go into action, while the others could continue, but suffered the fire of numerous batteries. The attempt to go up the canals to the city was rejected due to submerged obstacles, and after a bitter two-hour battle, Admiral Dupont was forced to raise the signal of retreat.

A subsequent action was carried out a few months later by the team, and the siege lasted several months, reducing fort Sumter to ruin, which the Northerners could not take. A giant cannon threw machine guns into the city of Charleston 10 kilometers away, but soon exploded. This is the first example of the use of a very large caliber cannon. The Southerners, forced to clear out the forts, built entrenchments to delay the approach to Charleston. After considerable sacrifices of human life, ships and material, in 1865 there was an end to hostilities and peace.