- **Date of Independence:** July 4, 1776 (as part of the original 13 colonies declaring independence from Britain) - **Date of Annexation to [[United States of America (USA)]]:** May 23, 1788 (8th state to ratify the Constitution) - **Population (2025):** 5.6 million - **GDP (2025):** $273 billion - **Largest City:** Charleston (158,000) - **State Capital:** Columbia (147,000) - **Historical Note:** Known as the "Palmetto State." First shots of Civil War fired at Fort Sumter (1861). Historic Charleston known for antebellum architecture and plantations. Major rice and cotton economy built on enslaved labor. Home to sweetgrass basket weaving tradition and Gullah culture along Sea Islands coast.