Charleston, South Carolina, is a city rich in African American culture. Sullivan’s Island, once an entry port from Africa for the slave trade, was considered the gateway to the United States. The transatlantic voyage was difficult for the captured Africans, who, at the time, were considered commodities for their labor on the plantations and their specialized skills.
Ships carrying slaves were quarantined to prevent the spread of disease. The Africans were housed in lazarettos for 10 days prior to a sale. The new arrival of slaves was advertised in papers. A marker is located on the island to indicate the importance of what happened there.
Some buildings in downtown Charleston were used specifically to auction and broker slaves. Ryan’s Mart was one of these locations. Conditions in the auction houses were not pleasant. Slaves were purchased and taken to nearby plantations or sent to other states. Other slaves stayed in the city if they had a valuable craft, such as blacksmithing or basketry.
The Aiken-Thread House was an urban plantation. From 1830 to 1850, 18 to 24 slaves worked in the house and on the house grounds. One hundred additional slaves worked in the city or on different properties. These workers consisted primarily of coopers or brick masons. Slave quarters at the Aiken-Thread House were private and well cared for. Paint was found in the rooms, which would have been very expensive at the time. In the city, more freedoms were given to slaves so they could run errands and visit family. When they left the property, they carried papers distinguishing them as slaves.
Plantations were developed to create cash crops, such as rice. Africans from places like the Gold Coast and Sierra Leone were prized because of their skills in cultivating rice and being watermen.
Blacksmithing was another prized skill performed by slaves. Philip Simmons is a present-day artist whose ironwork is a legacy of this skill.
The Avery Research Center was organized in 1865 to support educational institutions in the south. Avery was a private school with a liberal arts curriculum. The cost of tuition often separated the students from majority. Students formed a cooperative to defray the cost of tuition. In 1954 Avery was converted to a public high school. The Avery Research Center is now part of the College of Charleston. The center’s mission is to collect and document the African American experience.
Standards
- 3-2 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the exploration and settlement of South Carolina.
- 4-2 The student will demonstrate an understanding of how the settlement of North America was influenced by the interactions of Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans.
- This indicator was written to promote inquiry into the unique development of ethnic, political, and religious identities in the New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Southern colonies.
- This indicator was written to promote inquiry into the role of mercantilism in the growth of agriculture, early industry, harbor development, shipping and trade, and slavery in the British colonies.
- This indicator was developed to promote inquiry into how South Carolina developed as a result of the relationship among various ethnic, political, and religious groups.
- 4.1.CE Identify the effects of changing economic systems on the diverse populations in British North America.
- This indicator was developed to encourage inquiry into the process which led to the formation of the U.S. government, including the convening of the Continental Congresses, the passage of the Articles of Confederation, and the adoption of the U.S. Constitution.
- This indicator was developed to encourage inquiry into the impact of Transatlantic interaction with Europeans, Africans, and others on the indigenous populations of the Americas.
- 8-1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the settlement of South Carolina and the United States by Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans.
- The human mosaic of the South Carolina colony was composed of indigenous, immigrant, and enslaved populations. To understand how these differing backgrounds melded into an entirely new and different culture, the student will utilize the knowledge and ...
- 8-1.4 Explain the significance of enslaved and free Africans in the developing culture and economy of the South and South Carolina, including the growth of the slave trade and resulting population imbalance between African and European settlers; Africa...
- 8-1.5 Explain how South Carolinians used their natural, human, and political resources uniquely to gain economic prosperity, including settlement by and trade with the people of Barbados, rice and indigo planting, and the practice of mercantilism.
- The human mosaic of the South Carolina colony was composed of indigenous, immigrant, and enslaved populations. To understand how these differing backgrounds melded into an entirely new and different culture, the student will utilize the knowledge and ...
- 8-5 The student will understand the impact of Reconstruction, industrialization, and Progressivism on society and politics in South Carolina in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
- During the periods of Reconstruction, industrial expansion, and the Progressive movement, South Carolina searched for ways to revitalize its economy while maintaining its traditional society. To understand South Carolina’s experience as represen...
- 8-5.2 Describe the economic impact of Reconstruction on South Carolinians in each of the various social classes.
- 8-5.3 Summarize the successes and failures of Reconstruction in South Carolina, including the creation of political, educational, and social opportunities for African Americans; the rise of discriminatory groups; and the withdrawal of federal protection.
- During the periods of Reconstruction, industrial expansion, and the Progressive movement, South Carolina searched for ways to revitalize its economy while maintaining its traditional society. To understand South Carolina’s experience as represen...
- This indicator was designed to encourage inquiry into the geographic and human factors that contributed to the development of South Carolina’s economic system. This indicator was also written to encourage inquiry into South Carolina’s distinct social and economic system as influenced by British Barbados.
- This indicator was developed to encourage inquiry into the immigration and migration patterns of different groups within South Carolina, including their economic, political, and social power to do so. This indicator also promotes inquiry into an exploration of such ideas as the expansion of slavery and hostilities with the native peoples.
- This indicator was designed to encourage inquiry into the continuities and changes of the experiences of marginalized groups such as African Americans, Native Americans and women, as the U.S. expanded westward and grappled with the development of new states.
