Key Historical Events in Early South Carolina

Failed European Attempts (1521–1580)

• 1521: Lucas Vázquez de Ayllón's short-lived settlement (San Miguel de Gualdape) collapses.
• 1562: French Huguenots under Jean Ribault build Charlesfort on Parris Island; abandoned within a year.
• 1566: Spanish found Santa Elena on Parris Island; capital of Spanish Florida until 1587.
• 1577–1580: French attempt at Port Royal fails; Spanish destroy it.

First Permanent English Settlement (1670)

In 1670, the Carolina colony's first enduring English settlement was established at Albemarle Point on the Ashley River (near present-day Charleston). The ship Carolina brought colonists, including planters from Barbados with enslaved Africans. In 1680, the settlement moved to Oyster Point, becoming Charles Town (Charleston).

Significance

This marked the beginning of permanent British colonization, leading to a plantation economy based on rice, indigo, and enslaved labor, and setting the stage for South Carolina's pivotal role in the American Revolution and Civil War.