Province of South Carolina

The South Carolina Colony, or Province of South Carolina, was originally part of the Province of Carolina, which was chartered in 1663. The colony later became the U.S. state of South Carolina.

The Carolinas were named for King Charles II of England. Derived from Latin "Carolus," the colony was originally "Carolana" , the spelling eventually changed to "Carolina". Charles Town was established in the province in 1670. Originally a single proprietary colony, the Carolinas fell into a period of dissension, due partly from neglect of the heirs of the original Lords Proprietors. Dissent over governance of the province led to the appointment of a deputy governor to administer the northern half of the Carolina colony in 1691. The division between North and South Carolina became complete in 1712.

The Yamasee War (1715-1717) ravaged the back-country of the colony. Complaints that the proprietors had not done enough to protect the colonists against Indians in the Yamasee War, and against the attacks of the neighboring Spanish in Queen Anne's War, convinced many in South Carolina of the necessity of ending proprietary rule. Consequently, a rebellion broke out against the proprietors in 1719. Acting on a petition of the residents of the colony, the British government appointed a royal governor for South Carolina in 1720. (The governor of North Carolina would continue to be appointed by the lord proprietors until 1729.)

After nearly a decade in which the British government sought to locate and buy out the proprietors, North and South Carolina both became royal colonies in America, in 1729.

See also

• Colonial period of South Carolina
• List of colonial governors of South Carolina