South Carolina

South Carolina is a southeastern US state on the Atlantic coast, known for its historic city of Charleston, sandy beaches and warm Southern hospitality. Its capital and largest city is Columbia. Nicknamed the Palmetto State, it played a central role in early American and Civil War history.

South Carolina rises from the Atlantic beaches and the Lowcountry marshes through the rolling Midlands to the Blue Ridge Mountains in the northwest. The coast features the resort areas of Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head. The climate is humid subtropical.

South Carolina culture blends antebellum heritage, Gullah traditions of the coastal islands, and a love of barbecue, sweet tea and college football. Charleston is celebrated for its preserved historic architecture and cuisine.

One of the original Thirteen Colonies, South Carolina became the 8th state in 1788. It was the first state to secede from the Union, and the Civil War began at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor in 1861. Its economy long centered on rice, indigo and cotton plantations.