The city of Charleston is located almost at the mid-point of South
Carolina's coastline, roughly at the junction of the Ashley and Cooper
Rivers. Charleston's name is derived from Charles Town, named after King
Charles II of England.
Charleston is the location of Fort Moultrie, which was instrumental in
delivering a critical defeat to the British in the American Revolutionary
War, and Fort Sumter, the reputed site of the "first shot" of the American
Civil War.
Early History of Charleston
After Charles II of England was restored to the English throne, he granted
the chartered Carolina territory to eight of his loyal friends, known as the
Lords Proprietor, in 1663. It took seven years before the Lords could
arrange for settlement, the first being that of Charles Town. The community
was established by English settlers in 1670 across the Ashley River from the
city's current location. It was soon chosen by Anthony Ashley-Cooper, one of
the Lords Proprietor, to become a "great port towne," a destiny which the
city fulfilled. By 1680, the settlement had grown, joined by others from
England, Barbados, and Virginia, and relocated to its current peninsular
location. The capital of the Carolina colony, Charleston was the center for
further expansion and the southernmost point of English settlement during
the late 1600s.
The settlement was often subject to attack from sea and from land. Periodic
assaults from Spain and France, who still contested England's claims to the
region, were combined with resistance from Native Americans as well as
pirate raids. Charleston's colonists erected a fortification wall around the
small settlement to aid in its defense. The only building to remain from the
Walled City is the Powder Magazine, where the city's supply of gun powder
was stored.
A 1680 plan for the new settlement, the Grand Modell, laid out "the model of
an exact regular town," and the future for the growing community. Land
surrounding the intersection of Meeting and Broad Streets was set aside for
a Civic Square. Over time it became known as the Four Corners of the Law,
referring to the various arms of governmental and religious law presiding
over the square and the growing city. St. Michael's Episcopal, Charleston's
oldest and most noted church, was built on the southeast corner in 1752. The
following year the Capitol of the colony was erected across the square.
Because of its prominent position within the city and its elegant
architecture, the building signaled to Charleston's citizens and visitors
its importance within the British colonies. Provincial court met on the
ground floor, the Commons House of Assembly and the Royal Governor's Council
Chamber met on the second floor.
While the earliest settlers primarily came from England, colonial Charleston
was also home to a mixture of ethnic and religious groups. In colonial
times, Boston, Massachusetts and Charleston were sister cities, and people
of means spent summers in Boston and winters in Charleston. There was a
great deal of trade with Bermuda and the Caribbean, and some people came to
live in Charleston from these areas. French, Scottish, Irish and Germans
migrated to the developing seacoast town, representing numerous Protestant
denominations, as well as Catholicism and Judaism. Sephardic Jews migrated
to the city in such numbers that Charleston became one of the largest Jewish
communities in North America. The Jewish Coming Street Cemetery, first
established in 1762, attests to their long-standing presence in the
community. The first Anglican church, St. Philip's Episcopal, was built in
1682, although later destroyed by fire and relocated to its current location.
Slaves also comprised a major portion of the population, and were active in
the city's religious community. Free black Charlestonians and slaves helped
establish the Old Bethel United Methodist Church in 1797, and the
congregation of the Emanuel A.M.E. Church stems from a religious group
organized solely by African Americans, free and slave, in 1791.
By the mid-18th century Charleston had become a bustling trade center, and
the wealthiest and largest city south of Philadelphia. Rice and indigo had
been successfully cultivated by gentleman planters in the surrounding
coastal lowcountry, while merchants profited from the successful shipping
industry. The first American museum opened to the public on January 12, 1773
in Charleston.
After the United States Declaration of Independence
As the relationship between the colonists and England deteriorated,
Charleston became a focal point in the ensuing Revolution. In protest of the
Tea Act of 1773, which embodied the concept of taxation without
representation, Charlestonians confiscated tea and stored it in the Exchange
and Custom House. Representatives from all over the colony came to the
Exchange in 1774 to elect delegates to the Continental Congress, the group
responsible for drafting the Declaration of Independence; and South Carolina
declared its independence from the crown on the steps of the Exchange. Soon,
the church steeples of Charleston, especially St. Michael's, became targets
for British war ships. A siege on the city in 1776 was successfully defended
by William Moultrie from Sullivan's Island, but by 1780 Charleston came
under British control for two and a half years. After the British retreated
in December 1782, the city's name was officially changed to Charleston. By
1788, Carolinians were meeting at the Capitol building for the
Constitutional Ratification Convention, and while there was support for the
Federal Government, division arose over the location of the new State
Capital. A suspicious fire broke out in the Capitol building during the
Convention, after which the delegates removed to the Exchange and decreed
Columbia the new State Capital. By 1792, the Capitol had been rebuilt and
became the Charleston County Courthouse. Upon its completion, the city
possessed all the public buildings necessary to be transformed from a
colonial capital to the center of the antebellum South. But the grandeur and
number of buildings erected in the following century reflect the optimism,
pride, and civic destiny that many Charlestonians felt for their community.
As Charleston grew, so did the community's cultural and social
opportunities, especially for the elite merchants and planters. The first
theater building in America was built in Charleston in 1736, but was later
replaced by the 19th-century Planter's Hotel where wealthy planters stayed
during Charleston's horse-racing season (now the Dock Street Theatre).
Benevolent societies were formed by several different ethnic groups: the
South Carolina Society, founded by French Huguenots in 1737; the German
Friendly Society, founded in 1766; and the Hibernian Society, founded by
Irish immigrants in 1801. The Charleston Library Society was established in
1748 by some wealthy Charlestonians who wished to keep up with the
scientific and philosophical issues of the day. This group also helped
establish the College of Charleston in 1770, the oldest college in South
Carolina and the 13th oldest in the United States.
Charleston became more prosperous in the plantation-dominated economy of the
post-Revolutionary years. The invention of the cotton gin in 1793
revolutionized this crop's production, and it quickly became South
Carolina's major export. Cotton plantations relied heavily on slave labor.
Slaves were also the primary labor force within the city, working as
domestics, artisans, market workers or laborers. Many black Charlestonians
spoke Gullah, a dialect based on African American structures which combined
African, Portuguese, and English words. By 1820 Charleston's population had
grown to 23,000, with a black majority. When a massive slave revolt planned
by Denmark Vesey, a free black, was discovered in 1822, such hysteria ensued
amidst white Charlestonians and Carolinians that the activities of free
blacks and slaves were severely restricted. Hundreds of blacks, free and
slave, and some white supporters involved in the planned uprising were held
in the Old Jail. It also was the impetus for the construction of a new State
Arsenal in Charleston.
As Charleston's government, society and industry grew, commercial
institutions were established to support the community's aspirations. The
Bank of South Carolina, the second oldest building constructed as a bank in
the nation, was established here in 1798. Branches of the First and Second
Bank of the United States were also located in Charleston in 1800 and 1817.
While the First Bank was converted to City Hall by 1818, the Second Bank
proved to be a vital part of the community as it was the only bank in the
city equipped to handle the international transactions so crucial to the
export trade. By 1840, the Market Hall and Sheds, where fresh meat and
produce were brought daily, became the commercial hub of the city. The slave
trade also depended on the port of Charleston, where ships could be unloaded
and the slaves sold at markets.
In the first half of the 19th century, South Carolinians became more devoted
to the idea that state's rights were superior to the Federal government's
authority. Buildings such as the Marine Hospital ignited controversy over
the degree in which the Federal government should be involved in South
Carolina's government, society, and commerce. During this period over 90
percent of Federal funding was generated from import duties, collected by
custom houses such as the one in Charleston. In 1832 South Carolina passed
an ordinance of nullification, a procedure in which a state could in effect
repeal a Federal law, directed against the most recent tariff acts. Soon
Federal soldiers were dispensed to Charleston's forts and began to collect
tariffs by force. A compromise was reached by which the tariffs would be
gradually reduced, but the underlying argument over state's rights would
continue to escalate in the coming decades. Charleston remained one of the
busiest port cities in the country, and the construction of a new, larger
United States Custom House began in 1849, but its construction was
interrupted by the events of the Civil War.
Prior to the 1860 election, the National Democratic Convention convened in
Charleston. Hibernian Hall served as the headquarters for the delegates
supporting Stephen A. Douglas, who it was hoped would bridge the gap between
the northern and southern delegates on the issue of extending slavery to the
territories. The convention disintegrated when delegates were unable to
summon a two-thirds majority for any candidate. This divisiveness resulted
in a split in the Democratic party, and the election of Abraham Lincoln, the
Republican candidate.
The War Between the States
On December 20, 1860, the South Carolina legislature was the first state to
vote for secession from the Union. They asserted that one of the causes was
the election to the presidency of a man "whose opinions and purposes are
hostile to slavery."
On January 9, 1861, Citadel cadets fired the first shots of the American
Civil War when they opened fire on a Union ship entering Charleston's
harbor. April 2, 1861, shore batteries under the command of General Pierre
G. T. Beauregard opened fire on the Union-held Fort Sumter in the harbor.
After a 34-hour bombardment, Major Robert Anderson surrendered the fort.
Cadets from the Citadel, South Carolina's liberal arts military college,
continued to aid the Confederate army by helping drill recruits, manufacture
ammunition, protect arms depots, and guard Union prisoners. The city under
siege took control of Fort Sumter, became the center for blockade running,
and was the site of the first submarine warfare in 1863. In 1865, Union
troops moved into the city, and took control of many sites, such as the
United States Arsenal which the Confederate army had seized at the outbreak
of the war.
After the eventual and destructive defeat of the Confederacy, Federal forces
remained in Charleston during the city's reconstruction. The war had
shattered the prosperity of the antebellum city. Freed slaves were faced
with poverty and discrimination. Industries slowly brought the city and its
inhabitants back to a renewed vitality and growth in population. As the
city's commerce improved, Charlestonians also worked to restore their
community institutions. In 1867 Charleston's first free secondary school for
blacks was established, the Avery Institute. General William T. Sherman lent
his support to the conversion of the United States Arsenal into the Porter
Military Academy, an educational facility for former soldiers and boys left
orphaned or destitute by the war. The William Enston Home, a planned
community for the city's aged and infirm, was built in 1889. An elaborate
public building, the United States Post Office and Courthouse, was completed
in 1896 and signaled renewed life in the heart of the city.
A 125 mile-an-hour hurricane hit Charleston August 25, 1885, destroying or
damaging 90 percent of the homes and causing an estimated $2 million in
damages.
In 1886 Charleston was nearly destroyed by a major earthquake that was felt
as far away as Boston and Bermuda. It damaged 2,000 buildings and caused $6
million worth of damage, while in the entire city the buildings were only
valued at approximately $24 million.
However, though there have been many fires, hurricanes, tornados, several
wars, and urban renewal in the 20th century, many of Charleston's historic
buildings remain intact.
Modern-day Charleston
Charlestonians today fondly refer to their city as The Holy City, and
describe it as the site where the "Ashley and Cooper Rivers merge to form
the Atlantic Ocean."
America's most-published etiquette expert, Marjabelle Young Stewart, has
recognized the city ever since 1995 as the "best-mannered" city in the U.S,
a claim lent credence by the fact that it has the only Livability Court in
the country.
Charleston is a tourist Mecca, with streets lined with grand live oaks
draped with Spanish moss. Along the waterfront are many beautiful and
historic pastel-colored homes. It's also a busy port, though the majority of
the great container ships are now docking at the Wando Terminal in Mount
Pleasant. The Wando River and the Cooper River meet at the Southern point of
Daniel Island. A new Cooper River bridge is under construction and set to
open in 2005. When completed, the new Arthur Ravenel bridge will be the
largest cable-stayed bridge in North America, External link: [1]
(http://www.cooperriverbridge.org/).
Charleston annually hosts Spoleto Festival USA External link: [2]
(http://www.spoletousa.org/), as well as the Southeastern Wildlife
Exposition External link: [3] (http://www.sewe.com/), the Family Circle
Tennis Cup, External link [4] (http://www.familycirclecup.com/), and the
Cooper River Bridge Run External link: [5] (http://www.bridgerun.com/).
Nature lovers may visit the South Carolina Aquarium, the Audubon Swamp
Garden, or Cypress Gardens, External link: [6]
(http://www.cypressgardens.org/). History buffs can visit the Old Exchange
Building, Fort Moultrie, Fort Sumter, or any of the several beautiful former
slave plantations such as Boone Hall Plantation, Magnolia Plantation, and
Middleton Place.
Hurricane Hugo hit Charleston in 1989, damaging three-quarters of the homes
in Charleston's historic district. The hurricane caused over $2.8 billion in
damage.
The Medical University of South Carolina is the largest employer in the
city; External links: [7] (http://www.musc.edu), [8]
(http://muschealth.com/), [9] (http://www.library.musc.edu/).
Charleston is served by Charleston International Airport.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of
295.5 km˛ (114.1 mi˛). 251.2 km˛ (97.0 mi˛) of it is land and 44.3 km˛ (17.1
mi˛) of it is water. The total area is 15.00% water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there are 96,650 people in the city, organized
into 40,791 households and 22,149 families. The population density is
384.7/km˛ (996.5/mi˛). There are 44,563 housing units at an average density
of 177.4/km˛ (459.5/mi˛). The racial makeup of the city is 63.08% White,
34.00% African American, 1.24% Asian, 0.15% Native American, 0.06% Pacific
Islander, 0.54% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 1.51% of
the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 40,791 households out of which 23.2% have children under the age
of 18 living with them, 36.0% are married couples living together, 15.2%
have a female householder with no husband present, and 45.7% are
non-families. 33.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.1%
have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average
household size is 2.23 and the average family size is 2.92.
In the city the population is spread out with 20.0% under the age of 18,
17.2% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who
are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 33 years. For every 100
females there are 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there
are 87.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $35,295, and the median
income for a family is $48,705. Males have a median income of $32,585 versus
$26,688 for females. The per-capita income for the city is $22,414. 19.1% of
the population and 13.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the
total people living in poverty, 24.3% are under the age of 18 and 13.9% are
65 or older.
Fiction about Charleston
The opera Porgie and Bess takes place in Charleston.
