Churches.—The strongest denomina tions in the State are the African Metho dist; Regular Baptist, Colored; Regular Baptist, South; Methodist Episcopal, South; Methodist Episcopal; Presby terian, South; Lutheran, United Synod; Protestant Episcopal; Presbyterian, North; Roman Catholic; Disciples of Christ; Associate Presbyterian; and Methodist Protestant.
Railroads.—The total length of rail roads within the State on Jan. 1, 1919, was 3,824 miles.
Finances.—The total receipts for the year ending Dec. 31, 1919, were $7,195, 109, and the expenditures amounted to $6,913,500. The public debt of the State on Dec. 31, 1919, was $5,577,804.
Charities and Corrections.—The State maintains a number of charitable institu tions, including a hospital for the insane, an asylum for the deaf, dumb and blind, 9 orphanages, 10 hospitals, and 10 homes for adults and children, which are main tained chiefly by private charity.
State Government.—The governor is elected for a term of two years. Legisla tive sessions are held annually beginning on the second Tuesday in January, and are limited in time to 40 days each. The Legislature has 44 members in the Sen ate and 124 in the House. There are 7 Representatives in Congress.
History.—The first settlement in South Carolina was attempted in 1562 by a colony of French Protestant exiles, who named it Carolina in honor of their monarch, Charles IX., King of France.
In 1663, Charles II., King of England, granted a charter to a company of Eng lish nobles, and under their auspices the first successful settlement was made at Port Royal, previously founded by the French. In 1680 the foundation of Charleston was laid. During the Revo lution important battles occurred at Charleston, Fort Moultrie, Cowpens, Cam den, King's Mountain, and Eutaw Springs. The State constitution was adopted in 1776, and the Constitution of the United States was ratified in 1788. South Caro lina was the first State to secede from the Union, on Dec. 20, 1860. The first hostile act in the Civil War was the bombardment of Fort Sumter, in April, 1861. During the war the State suffered greatly, her harbors were blockaded, and much property was destroyed by the Fed eral soldiers on the great march under General Sherman. In 1865 the ordinance of secession was repealed and slavery abolished. A new constitution, establish ing perfect equality between the white and the colored races, was voted in. 1868: and in the same year the ratification of the 15th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States being carried by a vote of 18 to 1 in the Senate and 88 to 3 in the House, the State was readmitted to representation in Congress.