South Carolina Colony

This page tells about the history of the South Carolina Colony.

South Carolina Colony

The South Carolina Colony developed from the larger Province of Carolina and became one of the wealthiest colonies in British North America. Its history was shaped by competition among European powers, strong connections to the Caribbean, the growth of Charleston, and a plantation economy based heavily on rice, indigo, and enslaved labor.

Founded by the Lords Proprietors

South Carolina was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was created in 1663 when King Charles II granted the territory to eight English noblemen known as the Lords Proprietors. At the time, the province included land that would eventually become both North Carolina and South Carolina. Because the northern and southern settlements developed differently and were difficult to govern together, the two regions gradually separated. In 1729, North Carolina and South Carolina became separate royal colonies.

European Competition for the Region

During the 1500s, both France and Spain attempted to establish control along the coast of present-day South Carolina. In 1562, French settlers attempted to create a settlement on Parris Island. A few years later, the Spanish established Santa Elena near the same area. The settlement was abandoned after conflict with Native peoples and was later rebuilt, but Spain eventually concentrated more of its colonial efforts farther south in Florida. The English would become the next European power to establish permanent settlements in the region.

Albemarle Point

In 1670, the first permanent English settlement in South Carolina was established at Albemarle Point. Many of the early settlers came from the Caribbean island of Barbados, including Governor William Sayle. These settlers brought with them experience with plantation agriculture and Caribbean trade. In 1669, prospective Carolina settlers, including John Locke, helped develop the Fundamental Constitutions of Carolina, an early plan for governing the colony.

The Rise of Charleston

In 1680, the settlement moved to Charles Town, later known as Charleston. Charles Town quickly became the cultural and economic center of South Carolina and one of the most important ports in the southern colonies. Because many early settlers had come from Barbados, South Carolina's economy was strongly influenced by the plantation system of the Caribbean. Rice and indigo became especially important cash crops, while tobacco and, later, cotton also contributed to the colony's economy. Plantation agriculture relied heavily on the labor of enslaved Africans, who eventually made up a large portion of South Carolina's population.

Why it mattered: South Carolina became one of the wealthiest plantation colonies in British North America, while Charleston developed into a major center of Atlantic trade and commerce.