South Carolina - The Eighth State (The Development)

Although South Carolina was readmitted to the Union in 1868, the state was without the slave labor it had prior to the Civil War.  South Carolina’s economy did not fully recover until the textile industry became established in the early 20^th century.  However, the infestation of boll weevils (insect pests) in 1922 devastated the cotton industry and forced many textile mill workers to seek work in other states.

In the mid-1900’s, the shift from agricultural economy to an industrial one prompted economic growth.  Many military bases were established in South Carolina during World War II, some of which remained in operation after the war.  Through the 1960’s, the State Development Board sponsored many industrial expansion programs to strengthen the economy.

At the end of the 20^th century, tobacco, soybeans and cotton were South Carolina’s major crops.  A leading producer of nuclear materials, the state also had a wide manufacturing base.  Millions of tourists flocked to its numerous beaches, historic battlegrounds, beautiful gardens, and national forests.

Note:  The palmetto tree, which can be found primarily along the state’s coastal areas, became an official symbol of South Carolina after Colonel William Moultrie heroically defended the palmetto-log fort on Sullivan’s Island against a British fleet on June 28, 1776.  Col. Moultrie had also designed the original South Carolina flag in 1775.  It has a blue background to match the color of the militia’s uniforms, and a crescent from the front of the caps they wore.  The palmetto tree was added to the flag in 1861 after the state seceded from the Union.  The tree is also part of the South Carolina state seal and was adopted as the official state tree in 1939.