Charleston
Charleston, SC

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Charleston boasts the first museum in America. It was founded in 1773 at this leading seaport and cultural center of the British Colonies in a time of stressed education and New World discovery. A fire destroyed the initial collections in 1778, but more have been accumulating ever since. This medium-sized museum has one of the most varied (and therefore, confusing) collections we have seen. Fortunately, there were a few things that we could tie into our current study focus of slavery.

We had hoped to visit one of the beautiful plantations in the area, but found the entrance fee a bit steep. But as a result, we happened across the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site and learned some interesting facts.

We also visited Fort Moultrie, part of the Fort Sumter National Monument. This fort protected Charleston harbor from 1776 to 1947, undergoing many remodeling jobs and artillery upgrades.

Our original plans included more time in South Carolina, but were concerned when the weather began to turn bad. We were watching the TV news for a weather forecast when we heard about the controversy over flying of the Confederate flag at the state capitol. These things usually spark a discussion at our house, so we talked about the issues: honoring war heroes, remembering the tragedy of those who lived under slavery, and the role of the government.

After a lot of talk we all agreed that it was an incredibly insensitive thing for the state government to fly the Confederate flag, which symbolizes the South's effort to continue slavery. We figured there were better ways for the state of South Carolina to honor the Confederate soldiers, while respecting the horrible history of slavery and racism. We even felt that individuals flying the Confederate flag, or flying it during certain occasions, wouldn't be a problem, but not at the Capitol. The NAACP requested that tourists boycott the state as long as the Confederate flag was flying at the capitol. We agreed, and left the state early.
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At the Charleston Museum Amanda found these sad items. "These are some of the hand and foot cuffs that people used for slaves. They probably weren't very comfortable to walk around in. The other picture is of badges that the slaves wore to identify them. It reminds me of putting a tag on your dog or branding a cow. People shouldn't be treated that way."

Remembering Slavery: African Americans Talk About Their Personal Experiences of Slavery and Emancipation
by Ira Berlin (Editor), Marc Favreau (Editor), Steven F. Miller (Editor), Robin D.G. Kelley, James H. Billington

"These interesting-looking 19th century boots are to keep mules from getting stuck in the muddy rice fields of Charleston. This pair was found in the Windsor Plantation by the Black River. They are made of leather, iron and wood. It would be funny to see a mule with boots on!"--Harrison

Amanda learned about the CSS H.L. Hunley submarine. "This is a copy of one of the first U.S. submarines built. It was built to blow up iron ships because they were harder to damage with cannons. During practice it sunk twice, killing 5 the first time and 8 the second. They had to paddle the submarine by hand to make it move in the water. The original sunk when it blew up a Union ship. Eight more men died."

 

The Hunley : Submarines, Sacrifice, and Success in the Civil War
by Mark K. Ragan

At Fort Moultrie, Harrison learned about heavy artillery from the Revolutionary War to World War II. "Dad made this picture look like I'm getting shot in the head. This 15-inch Rodman cannon weighs 50,000 pounds and is actually pointing to the ocean. It is on a semicircular rail to make it easy to swivel 180 degrees."
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Osceola, Seminole Chief

Osceola was captured under a flag of truce after he led his people in an attack against the US in the 1830s. First incarcerated at Fort Marion in Florida, he was later moved to Fort Moultrie in January of 1838, but became ill and died within the month. His grave is marked by a stone plaque in front of the fort.

COLOR ME! Click on this image of Osceola for the full size picture, then print and color it!

From the Dover coloring book Great Native Americans by Peter F. Copeland

Find more books about Osceola or the Seminole Indians at Amazon.com

Edgar Allan Poe, Poet

Using the name E.A. Perry, POE served at Fort Moultrie for a year beginning in November of 1827. He was promoted to company clerk and artificer because of his writing abilities. He later used the setting of the fort for his short story "The Gold Bug."

Charles Pinckney, "Constitution Charley" (1757-1824)

This youngest South Carolina delegate of the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Charles Pinckney is rather unknown. But his contributions to that fundamental document are numerous and important. At least 30 provisions contained in his proposal draft were included in the Constitution.

"But no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the authority of the United States."

Other ideas Charles Pinckney contributed to the constitution include: A single chief executive called a president, the president as Commander-in-Chief of the military, Congress' ability to coin money, Congress being divided into two houses, the creation of a post office, the State of the Union address, the House of Representatives can impeach the president, states cannot make treaties with foreign countries.

Other positions held by Mr. Pinckney during his life include president of the South Carolina State Constitutional Convention, governor of South Carolina, US Senator and ambassador to Spain.

A lover of books, Charles Pinckney had a library of over 20,000 volumes, including his Constitutional Convention transcripts. A fire in his Charleston home destroyed the entire collection, making it difficult for historians to piece together the impact he had on the freedoms we enjoy today.

Artist: Gilbert Stuart, c. 1786

The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States : With Index
by United States, Pauline Maier (Introduction), United States Constitution

Trip Tips

The Charleston Museum is quite a hodgepodge of artifacts, which can be good for some families--there is something for everyone. But with quite a high entrance fee, we feel it is hard to get your money's worth if you are focused on a particular topic, and the depth in any given area is lacking. In the same room, one can see casts of ancient Egyptian statues from the British Museum's collection and a real mummy, along with a replica of the first submarine, built during the Civil War. There are bottles of zoological specimens (and many stuffed ones) and the huge skeleton of a whale that beached itself in Charleston over a hundred years ago. We spent half our time watching a video about the CSS H.L. Hunley submarine, mostly because we lost interest in the collections.
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Amazon.com Find more books about Charleston or the Constitution
Great Destinations: Charleston, Savannah & Coastal Islands Book : A Complete Guide (3rd Ed)
by Cecily McMillan, Wade Spees (Photographer)
Black Slaveowners : Free Black Slave Masters in South Carolina, 1790-1860
by Larry Koger
Remembering Slavery: African Americans Talk About Their Personal Experiences of Slavery and Emancipation
by Ira Berlin (Editor), Marc Favreau (Editor), Steven F. Miller (Editor), Robin D.G. Kelley, James H. Billington
The Hunley : Submarines, Sacrifice, and Success in the Civil War
by Mark K. Ragan
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States : With Index
by United States, Pauline Maier (Introduction), United States Constitution

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