South Carolina History Trivia

1. In the late colonial period, what major crops besides cotton did South Carolina sell commercially?

From Quiz South Carolina--Not Just Civil War History

Answer: rice and indigo

Cotton grew on the sea islands, while rice flourished on the wet ground after swamps were cleared. Indigo was a valuable dye to grow commercially. It would still be valuable to cultivate if a chemical substitute hadn't been developed. All those blue jeans today are still dyed with chemical indigo.

From Quiz South Carolina History

Answer: Columbia

Columbia had been chosen by vote as the new state capital in 1786, due to its central location. In 1865, Sherman marched through the Carolinas, burning Columbia and numerous other towns.

From Quiz South Carolina History

Answer: Fort Sumter

On April 12, 1861, the firing began just outside the harbor. President Jefferson Davis made the decision to start the war. Edmund Ruffin was given the honor firing the first shot. After a 34 hour battle, Anderson's men raised the white flag in defeat and were allowed to leave the fort. The only casualty during the battle was when a gun exploded during the victory celebration killing a young solider.

From Quiz South Carolina--Not Just Civil War History

Answer: malaria and yellow fever

Mosquitoes laid their eggs in the water and produced more mosquitoes. They spread the malaria parasite and yellow fever virus when a mosquito bit an infected person, then went on to bite others. Doctors didn't understand what caused the diseases until much later, so they didn't know how to prevent malaria and yellow fever epidemics until long after the Civil War.

From Quiz South Carolina History

Answer: Province of Carolana

King Charles I first named the colony 'Province of Carolana', which he changed to Carolina later, in order to name it after himself. In 1663, King Charles II gave the land to nobles and they split the land into two parts in 1719. The split formed the basis of today's North Carolina and South Carolina.

From Quiz South Carolina--Not Just Civil War History

Answer: dumped tea in Charleston Harbor

Most South Carolinians shared Bostonians' anger at the British taxes. Their tea also wound up in their harbor, under slightly different circumstances. When the ship Britannia arrived at Charleston in November 1774, it had English tea aboard, subject to the tax. Three local merchants had ordered it, despite agreeing not to just the year before. The three merchants were made to go down to the ship and drop their expensive tea into Charleston Harbor. Another enforced tea party or two made all Charleston merchants glad to obey the majority's agreement not to buy or sell British tea.

From Quiz South Carolina History

Answer: Great Britain

South Carolina declared independence from Great Britain on March 15, 1776. South Carolina joined the US by signing the Declaration of Independence. South Carolina became the first state to ratify the Articles of Confederation on February 5, 1778. Later after the presidential elections in 1860, South Carolina seceded from the Union.

From Quiz South Carolina--Not Just Civil War History

Answer: Swamp Fox

Francis Marion (1732-1795) was given his nickname by British Colonel Banastre Tarleton, sent to capture him late in 1780. Tarleton called him "old swamp fox," as Marion escaped him, and the name stuck. Marion was lauded in a 19th century biography by fellow South Carolinian Parson Weems, who wrote hagiographies of many of Marion's contemporaries. Modern middle-aged Americans may remember Marion from a Disney short series, where Leslie Nielson played him in a positive role. Historians point out his cruelty to slaves and native Americans and controversial wartime practices, but he was similar to many leaders in his day.

From Quiz South Carolina History

Answer: 8th

Ratification of the Constitution by the State of South Carolina, was on May 23, 1788. South Carolina was the eighth state to do so. Ratification by South Carolina destroyed Virginian hopes for a separate southern states confederacy.

From Quiz South Carolina--Not Just Civil War History

Answer: he planned a slave revolt, though it failed

Vesey planned an elaborate slave revolt based on the successful one in Haiti thirty years before. A free black man, he could blend in talking to both free men and slaves, and he planned to capture Charleston, free as many slaves as he could there and in the surrounding area, and escape to Haiti. Hundreds, perhaps a thousand were involved, but news leaked and many were captured. Vesey and 34 others were hanged, and dozens of others received various punishments. A curfew and patrols were set up to better protect the city from future slave violence.

From Quiz South Carolina History

Answer: After the forts built at the Battle of Sullivan's Island

In the battle at Sullivan's Island the South Carolinians built a fort out of palmetto wood which helped to defeat the British. When the British fired cannonballs at the fort, the soft palmetto wood just absorbed the cannonballs instead of knocking the fort down.

From Quiz South Carolina--Not Just Civil War History

Answer: beat him with a cane

Sumner survived the caning, with lingering injuries. Those familiar with southern etiquette have said that a duel would indicate Brooks considered Sumner his equal. Caning was reserved for those of lower status. To many northerners, the caning symbolized how the question of slavery was turning to violence. Though Sumner had done his best to goad pro-slavery politicians with words, he had not crossed that line, but one could see that a civil war was coming.

From Quiz South Carolina--Not Just Civil War History

Answer: Africa, from slaves brought to SC

The Gullah culture developed as slaves worked isolated from whites in the ricefields. It has remained into modern times and there are attempts now to preserve the language, crafts such as weaving sweetgrass baskets, music, storytelling, and other folk skills.

From Quiz South Carolina History

Answer: James Brown, Vanna White, Joe Frazier, Chubby Checker, Jesse Jackson, and Dizzy Gillespie

James Brown often called "The Godfather of Soul" was born in Barnwell, SC in 1933. Vanna White from television's "Wheel of Fortune" was born in North Myrtle Beach, SC in 1957. Joe Frazier heavyweight boxer was born in Beaufort, SC in 1944. Singer Chubby Checker was born in Spring Gulley, SC in 1941 and is known for the hit song "The Twist". Civil right leader Jesse Jackson was born on 1941 in Greenville, SC. Trumpet player Dizzy Gillespie was born in Cheraw, SC on 1914.

From Quiz South Carolina--Not Just Civil War History

Answer: they refused to leave a segregated lunch counter in the store

Eight of the nine black men attended the local Friendship Junior College, hence the name. Arrested and offered 30 days in jail or a $100 fine, they chose jail, continuing their non-violent protest by forcing the government to feed, house and guard them for free, rather than make money off them. Sit-in protests were popular, but expensive if bail or fines were paid. In 2015, the court erased the men's convictions as a gesture to illustrate how times have changed. Eight of the nine were still living.

From Quiz South Carolina History

Answer: The Friendship Nine

The incident took place at McCrory's Five & Dime in Rock Hill. The Friendship Nine were given the option of paying a fine or serving 30 days in jail, they chose to serve the time on a chain gang. The city of Rock Hill paid tribute to these brave men in 2007 with a historical marker. These are the nine men: W.Thomas Massey, Willie Edward McCleod, James Frank Wells, Clarence Henner Graham, David Williamson, Robert Lewis McCullough, Mack Cartier Workman, John Alexander Gaines, and Thomas Gaither.

From Quiz South Carolina--Not Just Civil War History

Answer: to represent a palmetto-log fort

Colonial William Moultrie defended a fort made of palmetto logs on Sullivan's Island, fending off the British fleet June 28, 1776. The palmetto tree represents the fort and therefore the bravery of Moultrie and his men. It wasn't named the state tree until 1939. Col. Moultrie himself designed the flag with the crescent or gorget alone on a dark blue background. The modern flag looks like a crescent moon behind a palmetto tree, but it's actually a silver crescent from the front of the 1st and 2d regiments' caps, according to Moultrie himself.

From Quiz South Carolina History

Answer: Darlington

In 1949, Harold Brasington planned to build Nascar's first super speedway in Darlington, SC. The racetrack had to be built in a egg shape due to a minnow pond owned by Sherman Ramsey. The first race was scheduled for Labor Day 1950 and driver Johnny Mantz won.

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