History of South Carolina in Timeline

South Carolina, a Southeastern U.S. state bordering North Carolina, the Atlantic Ocean, and Georgia, is part of the Carolinas region. It's the 11th-smallest and 23rd-most populous state, with over 5.1 million residents as of 2020 and a GDP of $213.45 billion in 2019. The state comprises 46 counties. Columbia is the capital, while Charleston is the most populous city. The Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson metropolitan area holds the largest combined population within the state.

1900: Impact of disenfranchisement shown in the 1900 census

The 1900 census demonstrated the extent of disenfranchisement. African American citizens comprised more than 58% of the state's population but were essentially without any political representation in the Jim Crow society.

1910: Start of the Great Migration in 1910

Beginning in 1910, millions of African Americans left South Carolina and other southern states in the Great Migration.

1910: Tillman controlled Democratic state politics until 1910

Governor "Pitchfork Ben" Tillman controlled Democratic state politics from the 1890s to 1910 with a base among poor white farmers.

1920: South Carolina initially rejected the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920

South Carolina was one of several states that initially rejected the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, which gave women the right to vote.

1924: Virginian legislators adopted one-drop law in 1924

In 1924, Virginian legislators adopted a one-drop law.

1930: White majority population in 1930

In 1930, South Carolina had a white majority population for the first time since 1708.

1954: Hurricane Hazel in 1954

Hurricane Hazel hit South Carolina in 1954.

July 1, 1969: South Carolina ratified the Nineteenth Amendment on July 1, 1969

The South Carolina legislature ratified the Nineteenth Amendment on July 1, 1969, granting women the right to vote.

1970: End of the Great Migration in 1970

By 1970, 6.5 million blacks had left the South in the Great Migration.

1975: Home rule passed in 1975

Home rule was passed in 1975, giving counties representative government.

1976: Last Democratic presidential election victory

In 1976, Jimmy Carter was the last Democratic candidate to carry the state in a presidential election.

1980: Republican presidential election victory

Since the 1980 election of Ronald Reagan, South Carolina has voted Republican in every presidential election.

January 21, 1985: Lowest recorded temperature on January 21, 1985

On January 21, 1985, the lowest recorded temperature in South Carolina was −19 °F at Caesars Head.

1989: Hurricane Hugo in 1989

Hurricane Hugo hit South Carolina in 1989.

1990: Recommended emission reduction goal by 2020 set below 1990 levels

The 2008 report recommends a voluntary economy-wide goal of reducing emissions to 5% below 1990 levels by 2020.

1994: BMW production facility since 1994

Since 1994, BMW has had a production facility in Spartanburg County near Greer.

1995: Carolina Panthers inaugural season

In 1995, the Carolina Panthers played their inaugural season's home games at Clemson's Memorial Stadium.

1996: Zapp Group operations since 1996

Since 1996 the Zapp Group operates in Summerville near Charleston.

1997: South Carolina's gross state product (GSP) in 1997

In 1997, South Carolina's gross state product (GSP) was $97 billion.

2000: Foreign-born population growth from 2000 to 2005

According to the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health, Consortium for Latino Immigration Studies, South Carolina's foreign-born population grew faster than any other state between 2000 and 2005.

2000: Per-capita real gross domestic product (GDP) in chained 2000 dollars

South Carolina's per-capita real gross domestic product (GDP) in chained 2000 dollars was $26,772 in 1997 and $28,894 in 2007.

2005: Foreign-born population growth from 2000 to 2005

2005: Fritz Hollings left office

In 2005, Fritz Hollings, the most recent Democratic senator, left office.

2007: South Carolina's gross state product (GSP) in 2007

In 2007, South Carolina's gross state product (GSP) was $153 billion.

2008: Release of Climate, Energy, and Commerce Committee Final Report in 2008

South Carolina released its Climate, Energy, and Commerce Committee Final Report in 2008.

2009: Arts participation

A 2009 statewide poll by the University of South Carolina Institute for Public Service and Policy Research found that 67% of residents had participated in the arts in some form during the past year.

2010: Religion statistics in 2010

According to the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), in 2010, the largest religion is Christianity, of which the largest denominations were the Southern Baptist Convention with 913,763 adherents, the United Methodist Church with 274,111 adherents, and the Roman Catholic Church with 181,743 adherents.

2010: Foreign Direct Investment in 2010

In 2010, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) brought 1.06 billion dollars to the state economy.

2010: Population increase since 2010

The 2019 census estimate shows South Carolina population has increased by 523,350, or 11.31%, since the year 2010.

2010: Increase in population since 2010 census

The 2020 census determined the state had a population of 5,118,425, a 10.7% percentage increase since the 2010 census.

2011: Boeing opened a manufacturing facility in 2011

In 2011, Boeing opened an aircraft manufacturing facility at Charleston International Airport to serve as one of two final assembly sites for the 787 Dreamliner.

March 2012: Nonfarm jobs in March 2012

As of March 2012, South Carolina had 1,852,700 nonfarm jobs.

June 29, 2012: Highest recorded temperature on June 29, 2012

On June 29, 2012, the highest recorded temperature in South Carolina was 113 °F in Johnston and Columbia.

2012: State debt in 2012

The state debt in 2012 was calculated to be $22.9bn, or $7,800 per taxpayer.

November 20, 2014: South Carolina legalized same-sex marriages on November 20, 2014

On November 20, 2014, South Carolina became the 35th state to legalize same-sex marriages, following a federal court order.

2014: Repeal of Common Core standards

In 2014, South Carolina repealed the Common Core standards in schools.

2014: State failed to provide a minimally adequate education

In 2014, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that the state had failed to provide a "minimally adequate" education to children in all parts of the state as required by the state's constitution.

December 2016: Status of the school bus system

As of December 2016, South Carolina maintains a 5,582-bus fleet with the average vehicle in service being fifteen years old having logged 236,000 miles.

January 5, 2017: EPA awarded South Carolina grant for cleaner school buses

On January 5, 2017, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded South Carolina more than $1.1 million to replace 57 school buses with new cleaner models through its Diesel Emissions Reduction Act program.

2018: Top countries of origin for immigrants in 2018

As of 2018, the top countries of origin for South Carolina's immigrants were Mexico, India, Germany, Honduras and the Philippines.

2018: Hurricane Florence in 2018

Hurricane Florence hit South Carolina in 2018.

2019: Estimated population in 2019

In 2019, South Carolina had an estimated population of 5,148,714.

2019: South Carolina GDP in 2019

In 2019, South Carolina's GDP was $213.45 billion.

2020: Non-Christian religion statistics in 2020

ARDA's 2020 study reported 6,677 Muslims in the state, and 830 Orthodox Jews; Reform Judaism consisted of 3,430 adherents. Altogether, Hinduism had 8,383 adherents.

2020: Religion statistics in 2020

According to the Public Religion Research Institute in 2020, Christianity remained the largest religion at approximately 74% of the population.

2020: Native American population count in 2020

In 2020, 24,303 people identified as Native American alone, and 83,808 did in combination with one or more other races.

2020: South Carolina population recorded in 2020 census

In 2020, the census recorded South Carolina's population as 5,118,425.

2020: Racial makeup of the state in 2020

In 2020, the racial make up of South Carolina was 63.4% White (62.1% non-Hispanic white), 25.0% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 3.5% from some other race, and 5.8% from two or more races.

2020: South Carolina ranked as the 7th hardest state for citizens to vote in

In a 2020 study, South Carolina was ranked by the Election Law Journal as the 7th hardest state for citizens to vote in.

2020: Recommended emission reduction goal by 2020 set below 1990 levels

The 2008 report recommends a voluntary economy-wide goal of reducing emissions to 5% below 1990 levels by 2020.

July 1, 2021: Earthquakes in South Carolina between July 1, 2021 and July 1, 2022

Between July 1, 2021, and July 1, 2022, there were 74 recorded earthquakes in South Carolina, six of which exceeded a 3 magnitude.

July 1, 2022: Earthquakes in South Carolina between July 1, 2021 and July 1, 2022

Between July 1, 2021, and July 1, 2022, there were 74 recorded earthquakes in South Carolina, six of which exceeded a 3 magnitude.

November 8, 2022: Registered voters

As of November 8, 2022, there were 3,740,743 registered voters in South Carolina.

2022: Homeless population in 2022

According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 3,608 homeless people in South Carolina.

2022: Percentage of women in state legislature in 2022

As of 2022, South Carolina had one of the lowest percentages among all states of women in state legislature, at 17.6%.

2022: Statistics of K-12 schools in 2022

In 2022, South Carolina has 1,167 K–12 schools in 79 school districts with an enrollment of 751,660 and spent $11,747 per public school student.

2022: South Carolina health care ranking

In 2022, South Carolina was ranked 37th out of the 50 states for overall health care, according to The Commonwealth Fund.

2022: Religion statistics in 2022

In 2022, the Public Religion Research Institute estimated that Christians increased to 76% of the population.

April 2023: Winthrop University poll results

An April 2023 Winthrop University poll found that an overwhelming majority of South Carolinians supported legalizing medical marijuana and believed that a separation between church and state was "critical".