South Carolina

One of the original thirteen United States. This state was originally part of the British province of Carolina, then comprehending both North Carolina and South Carolina. That province was granted by Charles II., by charter issued to eight lord proprietors, in 1663, and amended in 1665 so as to extend it between twenty-nine and thirty-six degrees thirty minutes, north latitude, drawn from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean. The first permanent settlement in South Carolina was effected in 1670 by emigrants from England who landed at Beaufort, then Port Royal, in the same year and removed to the point on the river Ashley nearly opposite the present site of Charleston; but, abandoning this position, they again removed, in 1680, to Oyster Point, at the confluence of the Ashley and Cooper, where they founded Charleston. In 1719, the colonial legislature disowned the proprietary government and threw the colony into the hands of the king, who, accordingly, assumed ] the control of it, but not until 1729 was the charter surrendered. In that year the shares of seven out of the eight lords proprietors were ceded. The eighth share, which belonged to the family of Lord Granville, formerly Cartaret, was retained, and laid off in North Carolina, — which was about the same time finally divided from South Carolina. In 1732, that part of South Carolina lying west pf the river Savannah was granted by the crown to the Georgia Company, under Oglethorpe. Thus South Carolina was reduced in extent, and, in consequence of subsequent arrangements, made with Georgia in 1787 in the treaty of Beaufort, and with North Carolina in the early part of the present century, the present boundaries were established. On March 26, 1776, the first constitution was adopted,— the earliest it is believed, of the American constitutions. This constitution was replaced in 1778 by another, and that in 1790 by yet another. Some amendments were made in 1808, 1810, 1816, 1828, and 1834. In 1865 a new constitution was adopted. This in its time was succeeded by that of 1868, which was amended in 1873 and 1876. The present constitution of the state was adopted Dec. 4, 1895.