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Though many people think the potato is from Ireland, it is actually from South America. Wild potatoes can be found in the Andes Mountains. The Andes are in the Hispanic countries of Peru, Ecuador and...
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In Mexico, the tortilla is served with most meals. It is a flat bread that is made of corn and eaten by itself or combined with other ingredients. In this painting by Mexican artist Diego Rivera, two...
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Corn is the descendant of a wild grass called teosinte. Native Americans used special growing techniques to change teosinte into larger ears of corn. In 1492, Christopher Columbus brought corn back to...
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Corn, or maize, is an important part of the Hispanic diet. In fact, the corn we eat today was developed by Indians living in Southern Mexico over 7,000 years ago.
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Comamos is the Spanish word for "let's eat." And what we eat tells people a lot about who we are. Food is a way of life, and the foods we eat reveal our heritage, where we live, and our beliefs. You...
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Folk dancing is a source of national pride in Mexico. For Seira, folk dancing represents a part of her Hispanic heritage that she believes her new friends in South Carolina will enjoy and learn from...
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Seira's performance was a great success and created many new admirers of this traditional dance form. Along with Seira's dancing, people in Columbia were able to taste food, listen to music, and see...
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Seira's dance group was soon invited to perform at the Five Points Cinco de Mayo celebration in Columbia. Cinco de Mayo, which means "the fifth of May," celebrates the Mexican army's win over the...
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Recently, Seira's church formed a folk dance group, under the instruction of Jose Maria. Jose had also just moved to the United States from Mexico. With Jose's assistance, the church found many people...
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In Mexico, many children begin dance instruction in school at a very young age. Seira performed the dances during festivals and holidays, such as Cinco de Mayo, a popular celebration in Mexico. Seira...
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Seira moved to South Carolina from the state of Veracruz, Mexico. In Veracruz, she developed an interest in music and art at a very young age. Her parents encouraged her to take piano and art lessons...
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Seira has made many new friends and has adjusted well to her new home in South Carolina, but she misses the people and culture of Mexico. She introduces her new friends to her Hispanic heritage by...
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Seira and her family moved to South Carolina from Mexico four years ago. She left behind many friends and family members. At 13 years old, she realized that it would be a challenge to adjust to her...
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It is likely that you know someone who is Hispanic, or you may even have Hispanic ancestry. During Hispanic Heritage Month, demonstrate what makes being a Hispanic American unique!
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A person does not have to be born in Latin America or Spain to be considered Hispanic. Hispanic customs and traditions, such as language, music and dress, can be passed down from one generation to...
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The customs and traditions of Hispanic people vary depending on their cultural background. During the conquest of Latin America, the language and customs of Spain mixed with those of Native American...
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Other Hispanic Americans are descended from Spain or Spanish-speaking Latin American countries. Latin America includes all countries in the Western Hemisphere that are south of the United States. This...
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The term Hispanic was created by the United States government. Hispanic is used to describe people living in the United States who are descended from a Spanish-speaking country or culture. People from...
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Although all Hispanic Americans share the Spanish language, they come from different cultural backgrounds. Some trace their ancestors to the Native Americans. Other Hispanic Americans might trace...
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Celebrate Hispanic Heritage September 15-October 15 each year! Approximately 1 in 8 people in the United States is Hispanic American. That's over 32 million people! In South Carolina there are more...
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The symbol of authority in the House Chambers is the state mace. Whenever members of the House attend state occasions or events held in the Senate Chambers, the mace is always borne by the Sergeant-at...
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The sword of state is the South Carolina Senate’s symbol of authority. The sword rests in the customary rack on the Senate rostrum in front of the President’s chair during the daily sessions and is...
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Pictured from left to right above. Rostrum: The House rostrum is extremely valuable and was skillfully crafted by artisans of the Columbia Lumber Company. It is made of hand-carved British Mahogany...
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The state seal of South Carolina is carved on the front of the Senate desk. An excellent description of the state seal is found in the South Carolina Legislative Manual. On March 26, 1776, the...
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The South Carolina Senate is one of the two lawmaking branches of state government that make up the South Carolina General Assembly. The Senate Chamber is located off the main lobby. Every year, the...
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Even if you aren't 18, there's a lot you can do on election day!
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As is common with other areas of the State House, memorials, statuary, and other objects of art can be seen in the main lobby. These include a marble replica of the Ordinance of Secession, a memorial...
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You see and hear about 3,000 media messages each day, and this number only goes up during elections, when political candidates use the media to try to sway your vote. The STAGE acronym is used to...
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Now the Joint Legislative Conference Room, this room was once the state law library and later the office of the legislative council. This is the only room in the State House that has remained original...
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Other features of the main lobby include the outside facade, the false dome, the dome room, which leads to the outer dome, and hand-carved mahogany doors which provide entrance to the Joint...