What Was the Land Like in the History of the Colony South Carolina?

In the 1700s, tillage of South Carolina's soil fell solely upon the back-breaking efforts of slave labor. Rice and indigo grew in abundance. They were colonial South Carolina's most profitable cash crops.

Terrain

Rice flourished in vast swamplands along the coastal rivers of South Carolina. In 1744, Eliza Lucas Pinckney introduced indigo to America by way of the West Indies. This crop required higher ground and the slaves' tireless cultivation in the off-seasons.

Irrigation

After clearing trees from the land using simple tools, West African and West Indian slaves built floodgates to regulate the movement of river water to the rice fields. Ebb and flow of the tide influenced the adjustment of these floodgates.

Woodlands

Massive cypress and gum trees abounded in the varied climate of South Carolina. Rain--coupled with blazing heat and humidity in the spring and summer months--created perfect conditions for growth.

Landscape

Savannas helped form a picturesque expanse of land. Large rivers wound through South Carolina before escaping into the Atlantic Ocean.

Gales

Advancing westward from across the Atlantic Ocean, storms plagued South Carolina, disturbing the rich clay soil and causing widespread destruction.

References

• "Susan B. Anthony Slept Here;" Lynn Sherr and Jurate Kazickas; 1994
• "Colonial South Carolina Report"

Resources

• "South Carolina History"
• "SCGenWeb"
• "National Women's History Museum"