 |
History & Genealogy Project Time Line |
| 1514 | Spaniards explore South Carolina Coast |
| 1524 | Giovanni da Verranzano leads French expedition from Carolina to Nova Scotia |
| 1526 | First settlers from Hispaniola establish San Miguel de Guadalupe (South Carolina) |
| 1540 | Hernando DeSoto meets Queen of Cofitachiqui while crossing central part of state |
| 1562 | Huguenots led by Jean Ribaut attempt to settle what is now Parris Island near Beaufort |
| 1566 | Spanish build Fort San Felipe on Parris Island, establish new settlement known as Santa Elena, the capital of La Florida Province |
| 1576 | Santa Elena abanodoned while under attack by Native Americans |
| 1577 | Fort San Felipe rebuilt |
| 1587 | After withdrawl from Santa Elena to St. Augustine, South Carolina is again left to the Native Americans |
| 1663 | Charter for the Carolinas granted by Charles II |
| 1670 | Carolina is first ship to land in Charlestowne, followed shortly after by the Albemarle and Port Royal |
| 1670 | English establish first permanent European settlement at Albemarle Point on the Ashley River |
| 1670 | Charleston (South Carolina) founded |
| 1706 | November, South Carolina establishes the Anglican Church as its official church |
| 1708 | The majority of non-native inhabitants were African American slaves |
| 1712 | May, the Carolina Colony is officially divided in North and South Carolina |
| 1714 | Yamasee War (South Carolina) |
| 1715 | Last time Native Americans significatly threaten the colony's existence - Yemassee War |
| 1719 | Colonist revolt against proprietary rule, proprietors' interests bought out and South Carolina becomes a royal province |
| 1739 | England delares war on Spain. As a result, hositilites break out between Georgia and South Carolina colonists and Florida Spaniards. Also, three seperate violent uprisings by black slaves occur |
| 1739 | Stono Rebellion |
| 1740 | Fifty black slaves hanged in Charleston |
| 1750 | Rice and indigo make the planters and merchants in the South Carolina lowcoutry the wealthiest men in what would become the United States |
| 1765 | Charlestonians were strongest supporters of rights as Englishment in Stamp Act crisis |
| 1767 | Regulator movement |
| March 28, 1776 | Constitution of South Carolina |
| June 28, 1776 | First decisive victory
of the war
was the repulse of a British fleet by patriot defenders in palmetto log
fort on Sullivans Island, Fort Moultrie |
| 1777 - 1778 | Charleston merchant Henry Laurens served as President of the Continental Congress |
| 1779 | Feb 1, British Gen. Clinton arrives in Charleston, after leaving New York with 8000 men on Dec 26 |
| 1780 | May 6, British capture Fort Moultrie at Charleston |
| 1780 | May 29, battle of Waxhaw Creek |
| 1780 | August 6, Battle at Hanging Rock |
| 1780 | August 16, battle of Camden, big defeat for Americans as forces under Gen Gates are defeated by troops of Gen Charles Corwallis, resulting in 900 Americans killed and 1000 captured |
| 1780 | August 18, defeat at Fishing Creek |
| 1780 | October 7, battle of King's Mountain, victory begins to turn the tide in the south |
| 1780 | October 14, Gen Nathanael Greene is named as new commander of the Southern Army, replaces Gen Gates. He begins a strategy of rallying support and wearing down the British by leading Gen Cornwallis on a six month chase through the woods of South Carolina to North Carolina, then Virginia and back to North Carolina |
| 1781 | Battle at Cowpens,
January 17, victory, Gen Daniel Morgan defeats British Gen Banastre
Tarleton |
| 1781 | April 25, Battle at Hobkirk's Hill, Lord Rawdon defeats Natanael Greene |
| 1781 | Battle at Ninety-six |
| 1781 | Battle at Eutaw Springs |
| 1782 | August 27, last fighting of the Revolutionary War occurs in skirmish along the Combahee River |
| 1782 | December 14, British evacuate Charleston |
| 1788 | South Carolina becomes 8th state to ratify the United States Constitution |
| 1790 | South Carolina moves its seat of government from Charleston to Columbia |
| 1824 | John C. Calhoun served as secretary of war before becoming Vice President |
| 1832 | John C. Calhoun emerges as political theorist of states rights when South Carolina nullifies federal tariffs |
| 1856 | South Carolina representative Preston Brooks beats Charles Sumner, outspoken anti-slavery senator from Massachusetts, unconcious with a cane |
| December 20, 1860 | South Carolina is first to secede from the Union when it ratifies the Ordinance of Secession |
| April 12, 1861 | First shots of the Civil
War fired
in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina troops fire on Federal arsenal at
Fort Sumter |