South Carolina
Palmetto State · Capital: Columbia · South (Deep South)
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Bordering states: North Carolina, Georgia.
About South Carolina
South Carolina is a rough triangle between North Carolina and Georgia, with the Savannah River forming most of the Georgia border. From the salt marsh and barrier islands of the coast it rises across the flat Coastal Plain, a belt of ancient dunes called the Sandhills and the red clay Piedmont to the Blue Ridge, where Sassafras Mountain reaches 3,553 feet. Columbia stands on the Fall Line, where rivers drop over rapids. Congaree National Park protects old-growth bottomland forest. Hurricane Hugo struck Sullivan's Island in 1989 as a category four storm, and an 1886 earthquake wrecked much of Charleston.
English colonists, many from Barbados, landed on the Ashley River in 1670 and moved to the site of Charles Town in 1680. Rice grown on tidal land with the knowledge of enslaved West Africans made the lowcountry the wealthiest place in British North America, and from about 1708 most of the colony's people were Black. The Stono Rebellion of 1739 was followed by the Negro Act of 1740. Some 200 Revolutionary engagements took place in the state. South Carolina ratified the Constitution on May 23, 1788 as the eighth state, and on December 20, 1860 became the first to secede. The Civil War began at Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861.
The 2020 census counted 5,118,425 South Carolinians, up 10.7% since 2010, and the state has seven House seats. Columbia is the capital. Textile mills once filled the upstate; a German carmaker at Greer since 1994 and an aircraft plant in North Charleston since 2011 came after them. Gullah, a creole language with West African grammar and vocabulary, is still spoken on the coast. Notable South Carolinians include Robert Smalls, who escaped slavery by taking the steamer Planter out of Charleston Harbor in 1862 and later served five terms in Congress, the educator Mary McLeod Bethune and the trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie.
4 fun facts about South Carolina
- The Civil War started here when Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, April 12, 1861.
- South Carolina is the country's second-largest peach producer, often ahead of Georgia.
- The first opera performed in the American colonies, Flora, was staged in Charleston in 1735.
- South Carolina made sweet tea its official hospitality beverage in 1995.
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Frequently asked questions about South Carolina
Is South Carolina a US state?
Yes, South Carolina is one of the 50 US states. It was admitted to the Union in 1788, making it the 8th state. Its capital is Columbia and its largest city is Charleston.
What is the capital of South Carolina?
The capital of South Carolina is Columbia.
When did South Carolina become a state?
South Carolina became a US state in 1788. It is the 8th state admitted to the Union.
What is the abbreviation for South Carolina?
The 2-letter USPS abbreviation for South Carolina is SC.
How big is South Carolina?
South Carolina ranks #40 of 50 US states by area. With 170.2 residents per square mile in 2020, it was the 19th most densely populated state.
What is the population of South Carolina?
South Carolina had 5,118,425 residents at the 2020 census, the 23rd largest population of the 50 states, up 10.7% since 2010. That count gives it 7 seats in the US House of Representatives.
What region is South Carolina in?
South Carolina is in the South region of the United States, per the US Census Bureau.
What time zone is South Carolina in?
South Carolina observes Eastern Time.
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