South Carolina
South Carolina is a triangular state on the Atlantic coast that is in the Southeastern region of the United States. Unlike its similarly named neighbor, North Carolina, South Carolina is often considered to be a part of the Deep South.
Date first discovered by Europeans: In 1521, a Spanish explorer by the name of Francisco Gordillo was the first European to explore what would become South Carolina.
Date admitted to US: 1788, as one of original thirteen colonies.
Date seceded: 1860, and was the first state to leave the Union
Date readmitted to US: 1868
Capital: Columbia
Largest City: Columbia
Terrain: The eastern part of the state is a part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain region, which is marked by being flat and of low elevation. The western part of South Carolina is home to the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a part of the Appalachian Mountain range.
Area: 32,020 sq. mi.
Area rank: 40th
Population: 4,832,482,
Population rank: 24th
Electoral votes--9
The state flag of South Carolina shows a palmetto tree (which is a type of palm) and a crescent.
The Palmetto was added in 1861. This is a reference to a battle in the Revolutionary War that occurred in 1776, when patriot William Moultrie successfully defended a fortress made out of Palmetto trunks from the British. The tree is on the flag supposedly because a fort make of palmettos could absorb the force of a cannonball, thus causing very little damage to the fort.
Only six days after succession was declared, a battle occurred for Fort Sumter, making it the first battle of the American Civil War. The fortress was in a prime position to defend the important port city of Charleston, and a strong military action was seen as being necessary by many within the newly formed Confederate States of America to legitimatize their nation.
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