Being a licensed agent in both North and South Carolina, I thought I'd give you some info on BOTH states.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF "CAROLINA"
"Carolina" was first settled at Charles Town in 1670, mostly by immigrants from the English colony of Barbados. Differences between the northern and southern parts of Carolina were recognized during English rule. Separate governors were established for each section. The separation of the South and North Carolina colonies was made official when they were admitted as crown colonies in 1729, after seven of the eight Lords Proprietors sold their shares back to the crown.
South Carolina declared independence from Great Britain and set up its own government on March 15, 1776. It joined the United States that July by signing the Declaration of Independence. On November 21, 1789, North Carolina adopted the constitution, becoming the twelfth state to ender the federal union.
With the election of Abraham Lincoln on an anti-slavery platform in 1860, South Carolina immediately and with considerable unanimity, decided to secede. On December 24, 1860 it became the first state to leave the Union. In February it joined the Confederate States of America. In April 1861 the American Civil War began when Confederate forces attacked the American fort at Fort Sumter, in Charleston.
Although there was much division in North Carolina concerning secession, North Carolina did secede from the Union on May 20, 1861. North Carolina was not considered a wealthy state, but during the Civil War North Carolina supplied more men and materials to the Confederate cause than any other state. The state also suffered the largest number of losses than any other Confederate state.
In 1868, after the bloody Civil War ended, both North and South Carolina were readmitted back into the Union. The decades that followed was a difficult period for the Carolinas as they went through "reconstruction".
Today, North Carolina is a fast-growing sate with an increasingly diverse economy and population. As of July 1, 2006, the state population estimate was 8,856, 505 -- a 10% increase since April 1, 2000.
South Carolina, a more agriculturally focused state, and had an estimated population of 4,321,249 in 2006.
VACATIONS IN THE CAROLINAS
The variety of vaction destinations in the Carolinas is endless! Mountain hiking, beach combing, historical site seeing, luxury resorts, bed & breakfasts, camping destinations, and more! My husband and I have rented vacation homes in the mountains (Maggie Valley, Valle Crucis, Asheville) and at the beach (Myrle Beach, Emerald Isle, Outer Banks, Folly Beach) for family gatherings or just for a weekend retreat. We've also stayed in some fantastic B&B's and pet friendly lodging. The possibilities are endless.
Below are some links to some of my favorite destinations.
www.StateParks.com/nc.html - great site for NC Parks info!
www.NCParks.gov - official site of NC State Park service
www.AshevilleNC.com - Asheville is artsy and nature oriented!
www.VisitNC.com - official site of NC Dept. of Tourism
xwww.LakeMurray.com - outside of Columbia, SC
www.BlowingRock.com - great day trip from Charlotte!
www.MaggieValley.com - at the foot of the Smokey Mountains in NC
www.OuterBanks.com - nature lovers paradise along the NC coast
www.MyrtleBeach.com - Everyone's favorite family beach destination
www.SouthCarolinaParks.com - wanna camp? SC has some beautiful parks
www.DiscoverSouthCarolina.com - more ideas from the SC Dept. of Tourism
www.cherokee-nc.com - not just a gambling destination
www.ncbbi.org - NC Bed & Breakfast website
www.southcarolinabedandbreakfast.com - SC Bed & Breakfast website
www.Charleston.com - historical Charleston, SC
www.CharlestonCVB.com - another Charleston website
www.CrystalCoastNC.org - below the Outer Banks lies NC's Crystal Coast
www.BlueRidgeParkway.org - 469 miles of scenic mountains
www.GrandfatherMountain.com - privately owned mountain in NC
