ABSTRACT
The colonial era began with the earliest Spanish exploration of South Carolina in 1521. Colonial South Carolina built on the Indian heritage and structured a framework for the state’s subsequent geography. Lumber shipments maintained their importance throughout the colonial period, in contrast to the declining fortunes of naval stores. Visitors to Carolina in the early 1680s reported large herds of cattle, and an act to regulate the livestock trade was offered in the Colonial Assembly in 1691. Rice and indigo emerged as important commercial crops in the Low Country during the colonial period, although indigo also was grown in the interior. The elements of present-day landscapes and traditions, as well as others varying from food habits to house types, thus originated during the colonial era. African slaves contributed language, music, and foods that have become integral components of the South Carolina tradition.
