Charleston, South Carolina

Panorama of Charleston ifrom Sullivan's Island in 2012. The steeple of St. Michael's Episcopal is at the center.

Charleston, South Carolina is the oldest major city in the southeast U.S., a center of culture and politics for over 200 years. It was captured by the British in 1780 during the Revolution. It was the cockpit of the secession movement in 1860-61, and the first shots of the Civil War were fired in its harbor. The city escaped destruction during the war but failed to keep pace with northern cities as its hinterland sank into poverty. World War II and the Cold War revived the city, with wave after wave of military spending. Today it is a major tourist center, featuring its historic architecture. with a large presence of the U.S. Navy.