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CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

A group of British settlers arrived in 1670 at what is today known as Battery Park, and Charleston, South Carolina (originally called Charles Town in honor of King Charles II of England) was founded. Within just a few years, Charleston became one of America's leading and most sought-after cities.

Because of its strategic location among many rivers and near the Atlantic Ocean, both the military and the shipping industry have played important roles in Charleston's history. Charleston’s rich mud was the perfect environment for the cultivation of rice and on high ground was indigo, the original source of blue dye for denim. Cotton also became a big crop in the South. Once the means of creating wealth became obvious, the cry for field labor promoted expansion of the English slave trade. On July 4th, 1776, revolution aroused the citizenry. Three signers of the Declaration of Independence owned homes in Charleston. President George Washington visited in 1791. The Exchange where he was entertained, the house where he stayed, and the church where he prayed, are all open to the public today.

Charleston prospered with indigo, rice, cotton, and slave trades, and in 1861, the first shots of the Civil War were fired just off the peninsula at Fort Sumter. At the end of the Civil War, the city's economy declined with the South's inclusion in the Union, but the 20th century brought economic prosperity to Charleston with the building of a naval shipyard in WWI and many industries established during WWII. Today, Charleston manufactures many products, but tourism is what the city thrives on. Charleston is rich in history and architectural elegance. It offers a glimpse into the origins of American culture - a culture that is influenced by many ethnicities and shown with the large number of restored buildings.

Activities: Visit Charles Towne Landing, site of the original settlement. Explore the Charleston Museum, or Patriots Point and see WW II's Fighting Lady. Drive to Fort Moultrie or take a scenic boat tour to Fort Sumter. Explore plantations and gardens or join informative daily tours of the Charleston area. See the beautifully restored old Southern homes.