• Ft. Sumter is the place the Civil War began in 1861. South Carolina soldiers fired at it. They were the first state to secede from the union.

• Why does South Carolina have so many hurricanes? All the southern states on the Atlantic Ocean do. Hurricanes happen when the ocean is lots warmer than the air. As warm air rises up from the ocean and hits colder air, it can swirl and swirl faster. This can make giant areas of clouds like big wheels. They spit out tons of rain and have winds that can knock over buildings.

• secede: For one thing to separate itself from a group or organization. During the Civil War, several states seceded from the United States (the Union) to form their own group (the Confederacy).

See a great section of the Atlantic shoreline with plenty of islands, or visit the city of Charleston with amazing groups of differently colored Old South houses. At Charleston's wharf, you can look offshore and see Ft. Sumter.

Kiawah Island, not far from Charleston, has houses but also lots of nature. The beach sand is hard enough to ride bikes on easily. There are nature trails through the woods, and plenty of alligators. You can't outrun them, so don't get close!

South Carolina is the twenty-fifth most populated state, with a population of 3.9 million. Columbia, the capital and largest city, has about 111,000 people. Charleston, the second largest city, has 87,000 people.