Charleston, SC
History
Quiz Yourself
1. Who was Charleston
named after?
_____________________
2. Who first explored
South Carolina?
_____________________
3. What was Charleston
first called?
_____________________
Math Practice
1. Sam visited Fort
Sumter 2 times last
year, and 5 times this
year. How many total
times was he there?
______________ times
2nd
Today, Charleston is the
biggest city, and is the fastest-growing
city in South Carolina. Charleston has a very interesting history.
People began exploring the South Carolina area after King Charles II
of England gave the land to eight of his friends, called the Lords
Proprietors. The Lords Proprietors traveled from England to America to
explore their new land, which would later become South Carolina.
The first city they founded in South Carolina was Charleston.
Charleston is the oldest city in South Carolina. When they founded
Charleston in 1670, they named it Charles Towne in honor of King
Charles II. They changed the name to Charleston later.
Charleston was a very important place during the Civil War. South
Carolina was the first state to secede from the United States, and the
first shots of the Civil War were fired at a northern ship trying to enter
Charleston Harbor. Later on in the war, many of the southern ports
were taken over by the northern army, but Charleston’s stayed open
until the very end of the war.
2. King Charles II has 10
friends, but can only
choose 8 to go to
America.
Beginner: How many
of his friends can’t go
to America?
_____________ friends
Advanced: What
percentage of his
friends can go to
America?
_________________ %
Animals
Connect the Dots
Can you connect the dots to reveal this South Carolina animal?
Loggerhead Turtle
The loggerhead turtle is the official state reptile of South Carolina, and is the largest hardshelled turtle in the world. These sea turtles can weigh up to 200 pounds! Loggerhead turtles
also are an endangered species, and one of the places they lay their eggs is on the coast of
South Carolina. These turtles are omnivores, meaning they can eat both plants and meat.
Bottlenose Dolphin
Bottlenose dolphins are the official state marine mammal of South Carolina, but can be
found in many other temperate and tropical ocean areas. Adults are usually 8-12 feet long,
and can weigh up to 1400 pounds. These dolphins usually live in groups of 10-30 called pods.
They work together to hunt fish, using sound waves to find fish through echolocation.
Carolina Wolf Spider
South Carolina is the only state that has an official state spider. The Carolina Wolf Spider is
the official spider of South Carolina. These spiders are noctournal, and hunt for insects at
night. They also have a special way of taking care of their babies—mother wolf spiders carry
the egg sac around, then carry the babies on her back when they hatch.
Patterns: What comes Next?
Charleston is on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, where there are many sea animals. Can
you finish the patterns?
?
?
?
Graph how many of each animal you see on this page!
Count how many of each animal you see on the page, then graph the number for each
animal by coloring in the boxes.
5
4
3
2
1
Look at your graph. Which animal is the most common? _______________________
Look at your graph. Which animal is the least common? _______________________
Geography & Climate
The city of Charleston is located on a
peninsula, a large area of land that
sticks out into the water, and is
surrounded by water on three sides.
Charleston is on the east coast of
the United States, so the water
around it is from the Atlantic Ocean.
Charleston has a humid subtropical
climate. That means they have mild
winters, and hot, humid summers. It
also rains a lot in Charleston,
especially during the summer. Since
Charleston is by the ocean,
hurricanes are a major threat. A
hurricane is a large storm with strong
winds that can sometimes happen
near the ocean.
Check Your Understanding
1. The graph says _______________ is the hottest month in Charleston.
2. The graph says the month of ___________________ gets the most precipitation (rain).
3. The graph says the month of ___________________ gets the least amount of precipitation (rain).
4. Charleston is on a ____________________, a landform that is surrounded by water on three sides
.
Plants
Live Oak Trees
Many kinds of live oaks are common in the southeastern United States. One well-known live oak tree
is planted near Charleston on an island called Johns Island. This tree has been named the “Angel
Oak”, and is estimated to be at least 400 years old. This tree is 66.5 feet tall—that’s taller than six
school buses!
The Gardenia
The gardenia is one of the strongest-smelling flowers in the world. Gardenias
have flowers that feel very waxy. Because northern winters are too cold for
them, gardenias can only grow in the south.
Gardenias were named by Dr. Alexander Garden, who named the flower
after himself. When Dr. Garden moved from Scotland to Charleston in 1752,
he brought a gardenia plant with and planted it in his garden!
Food
These foods are common in Charleston Can you find them?
Grits
Sweet Tea
Charleston Red Rice
Crawdads
Barbeque
Fried Chicken
Collard Greens
Black Eyed Peas
Cobbler
Catfish
Shrimp
Oysters
Maze activity — Can you find your way from start to finish?