SOUTH CAROLINA - Before there was a South Carolina or a North Carolina, there was a vast, single territory with a royal name. The story of South Carolina's origins is a fascinating piece of colonial history, a tale of kings, land grants, and a name derived directly from Latin. Before it was the Palmetto State, South Carolina was part of a larger entity known simply as the Province of Carolina.
Before It Was South Carolina: The Royal History of a Colony Named "Carolina"
A Royal Grant: The Land of "Carolus"
The naming of the region began in 1629 when King Charles I of England granted a massive tract of land in North America to his attorney general, Sir Robert Heath. The territory was named "Carolus," the Latin form of the name Charles, in honor of the king.
However, it was King Charles II who truly set the stage for the colony's settlement. In 1663, as a reward to eight loyal noblemen who helped him regain the throne, he issued a new charter for the same vast territory, officially changing the spelling to the more familiar "Carolina."
One Colony, Two Personalities:
For decades, this massive Province of Carolina was technically a single colony under the rule of the eight "Lords Proprietors." However, from the very beginning, it developed into two distinct and distant settlements:
- The Northern Settlement: Centered around the Albemarle Sound, this area was settled primarily by colonists trickling down from Virginia.
- The Southern Settlement: Centered around Charles Town (modern-day Charleston), this area was more directly settled by English colonists, many coming from the Caribbean island of Barbados.
Due to the great distance and different economic priorities between these two settlements, they were often governed independently.
The Official Split: North and South Carolina Emerge
The informal division became official in 1712, when the Lords Proprietors decided to appoint a separate governor for the northern part of the colony. At this point, the Province of Carolina was officially split into two separate colonies: the Province of North Carolina and the Province of South Carolina.
So, what was the original name of South Carolina? Before it was its own distinct entity, it was the southern part of the larger Province of Carolina. This royal name, a tribute to King Charles I, is a lasting reminder of the state's deep colonial roots and its shared history with its northern neighbor.
Sources:
- The South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism
- History.com
- WorldAtlas
- Wikipedia - "Province of Carolina" & "History of South Carolina"
- EBSCO Research Starters
