The homes of famous people tell us many things about the people who once lived there. Visiting these homes also helps us understand what life was like during their times.
Middleton Place, located on the Ashley River near Charleston, South Carolina, was the home of the Middleton family. More than 100,000 visitors come here each year to learn about the Middletons and to see their beautiful gardens. Today, visitors arrive by car; however, when the Middletons lived here, most visitors arrived at the house, which faced the river, by boat. Four generations of Middletons lived in this home.
Henry Middleton, who was president of the Continental Congress, built the house and established the gardens. His son, Arthur, signed the Declaration of Independence. Arthur's son, Henry, was a governor of South Carolina and a minister to the Russian Court for 10 years. Henry's son, Williams, signed the Ordinance of Secession and helped to save the plantation after the Civil War. Hampton Plantation, a national historic landmark, was built in 1750. The house features a large ballroom with a vaulted ceiling. This room was used for entertaining and hosting large parties. George Washington visited the plantation in the 1790s.
Rose Hill Plantation was built in the 1800s by William Gist, a former governor of South Carolina. Gist pushed the state to secede from the Union, which led to the Civil War. The house, now the outstanding feature of a state park, is shown decorated for Christmas.
Standards
- 3-2 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the exploration and settlement of South Carolina.
- 3-4 The student will demonstrate an understanding of life in the antebellum period, the causes and effects of the Civil War, and the impact of Reconstruction in South Carolina.
- This indicator prompts students to inquire about the distribution of landforms, climates, and biomes around the world.
- 8-1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the settlement of South Carolina and the United States by Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans.
- 8-2 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the causes of the American Revolution and the beginnings of the new nation, with an emphasis on South Carolina’s role in the development of that nation.
- 8.1.CE Analyze the factors that contributed to the development of South Carolina’s economic system and the subsequent impacts on different populations within the colony.