Charleston, South Carolina

1861Fort Sumter — Civil War Begins: Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor on April 12, beginning the Civil War. Charleston had been the epicenter of secessionist sentiment.

1739Stono Rebellion: The largest slave uprising in colonial America took place near Charleston when about 100 enslaved people rose up, killing 20 whites before being suppressed with even greater violence.

2015Emanuel AME Church Shooting: A white supremacist killed nine Black worshippers during a prayer meeting at Mother Emanuel AME Church, one of the most historic Black churches in America.

1670Charleston Founded: English colonists established Charles Town, named after King Charles II. The port city became the wealthiest in colonial America, largely through the rice and slave trades.

1886Great Earthquake: A 7.0 earthquake — the strongest ever recorded in the southeastern U.S. — devastated Charleston, killing over 60 people and damaging 2,000 buildings.

1780Siege of Charleston: The British captured Charleston in the largest American surrender until the Civil War, occupying the city for over two years during the Revolutionary War.

1989Hurricane Hugo: Hurricane Hugo made landfall as a Category 4 storm near Charleston, causing $7 billion in damage and devastating the Lowcountry.

1800Slave Trade Hub: Nearly 40% of all enslaved Africans brought to America arrived through Charleston's port, making it the primary gateway of the transatlantic slave trade in North America.

1860Secession Convention: South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union, with delegates meeting in Charleston to vote for secession on December 20, 1860.

1920Charleston Dance Craze: The Charleston dance originated in the city's Black community and became a national sensation in the 1920s, defining the Jazz Age.