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Are You Smarter Than A South Carolina Third Grader?

Are You Smarter Than A South Carolina Third Grader?

The correct answers are in red.

1) What is South Carolina's state gemstone?
a) Garnet
b) Topaz
c) Amethyst
d) Ruby

We like where you're coming from, Gamecock fans, but this one's a trick question! Our state gemstone is actually the amethyst. Click to learn why amethysts are important to South Carolina.


2) Which is one of South Carolina's state mottos?
a) Semper Fidelis
b) Dum Spiro Spero
c) Carpe Diem
d) Veni, Vidi, Vici

South Carolina has two mottos, both of which appear on the South Carolina State Seal. One is Animis Opibusque Parati, which means "Prepared in Mind and Resources." The other, Dum Spiro Spero, is especially beautiful and means, "While I Breathe, I Hope."


3) Which is not a geological region of South Carolina?
a) Upper Watershed
b) Blue Ridge
c) Piedmont
d) Coastal Plain

South Carolina has six different geological regions – the Coastal Zone, Outer Coastal Plain, Inner Coastal Plain, Sandhills, Piedmont, and Blue Ridge. Explore the varying facets of each of South Carolina's geological regions.


4) Which South Carolina county has been home to 10 governors?
a) Charleston
b) York
c) Edgefield
d) Allendale

Edgefield County proudly pays homage its impressive lineage with the Ten Governors Mural, located near Edgefield's town square. Governors from Edgefield include Strom Thurmond and "Pitchfork" Ben Tillman. Several prominent United States senators and congressmen also hail from this county, including Preston Brooks, who achieved notoriety by beating abolitionist Charles Sumner with his cane on the Senate floor.


5) Which of the following foods did Africans not bring to South Carolina?
a) Hoppin' John
b) Peaches
c) Yams
d) Gumbo

Peaches are South Carolina's State Fruit and originally hail from China, though they have been cultivated here since the 1500s when early Spanish explorers introduced them to Native Americans. In this way, peaches passed through Asia, across Europe, over the Atlantic Ocean, and into America. South Carolina now produces more peaches than any state besides California, which is impressive given our small size. We certainly produce more peaches than Georgia, which is almost twice as big as we are and labels itself the "Peach State." As if!


6) What is the name of the language created by South Carolina's sea island slaves?
a) Creole
b) Yuchi
c) Gullah
d) Geechee

"Creole" is a word used to describe a language that evolves out of two or more other languages. "Gullah" is the name of the creole language that evolved along South Carolina's coast, where West African slaves combined words from their homeland with words from their owners and overseers, the latter of whom most often hailed from Scotland or England.

"Geechee" is the name of the dialect developed by slaves on Georgia's sea islands. It is very much like Gullah. Here in South Carolina, "Geechee" can also be used to describe a native white sea islander who speaks in a similar brogue. (Special thanks to Michael Allen of the Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor for his help on this one!)


7) Who is South of the Border's mascot?
a) Juan
b) Julio
c) Pedro
d) Jose

Following a bombardment of campy billboards, a giant sombrero looms on the horizon. No, it's not heatwaves coming off the asphalt, it's South of the Border. If the advertisements haven't already worked their way into your subconscious, then veer off the interstate and prepare to be amazed. The theme park, started as a modest beer stand in 1949, is one of I-95's most recognizable landmarks.


8) The Richardson Waltz is a:
a) Dance
b) Poem
c) Song
d) Play

Believe it or not, South Carolina's State Waltz is a song, not a dance – or a poem or play! The music evolved over a period of perhaps 300 years and has been passed down by ear through generations of the Richardson family. The Richardsons are significant to South Carolina for several reasons. For starters, they have been responsible for six of our governors! Click here to learn about the Richardson family and listen to South Carolina's State Waltz.


9) Which is not the name of an actual South Carolina place?
a) Rome
b) Sardinia
c) Florence
d) Venice

Rome is located in Williamsburg County, Sardina is located in Clarendon County, Florence is located in Florence County, and Venice is located in, well, Italy. See lots of other fun conections between South Carolina place names.


10) All of the following are nicknames for South Carolina war heroes except:
a) Gamecock
b) Owl Chief
c) Swamp Fox
d) Wizard Owl

Francis Marion = The Swamp Fox. Thomas Sumter = The Gamecock. And Andrew Pickens = The Wizard Owl. (There was no Owl Chief.) Pickens served as a US representative and was also one of the Upstate's most formidable Revolutionary War heroes. Although he began his military career by fighting the Cherokee in the Anglo-Cherokee War, he was well-respected by tribal leaders. They called him "Skyagunsta" – or Wizard Owl. Pickens came from Scots-Irish stock and was also known as the "Fighting Elder" because of his strong Presbyterian faith. His son, Andrew Pickens, Jr., served as our state governor.


11) Which one was a Gentleman Pirate?
a) Stede Bonnet
b) Calico Jack
c) Blackbeard
d) Captain Jack Sparrow

Pirates may have been a common pest in South Carolina's early history, but they certainly were entertaining! Stede Bonnet, known as the "Gentleman Pirate," was once an upper-crust planter from Barbados. His marriage appears to have been his demise however, and legend holds that in an attempt to rid himself of his wife, he bought a ship and took to the high seas. Unfortunately for him, he had no experience in piracy and, after a brief alliance with the infamous Blackbeard, came to a fairly quick end. His ship, the Revenge, was captured at Charleston, and Bonnet was hung at White Point Gardens. His body was left dangling for four days as a warning to all who might follow "in his wake."


12) Who saved the South Carolina flag at Charles Towne during the Revolutionary War?
a) General William Moultrie
b) Sergeant William Jasper
c) Rebecca Motte
d) General Francis Marion

When the British shot down South Carolina's state flag, Sergeant William Jasper braved enemy fire to right it again. This was just one of the many courageous acts performed by Jasper, so it is no wonder eight US counties were named in his honor. (Learn more about South Carolina's own Jasper County here.)


13) What did the Patriots use to build Fort Moultrie?
a) Cobblestones
b) Palmetto logs
c) Bricks
d) Pine trees

Did you know botanists don't consider the palmetto a true tree because it lacks a solid wood trunk? Turns out this unique feature just may be its saving grace! The flexibility of a palmetto's trunk, which resembles a sponge, enables it to withstand fierce winds and the hurricanes that so often strike our coast.

During the Revolutionary War, this feature may well have been our saving grace too. The walls of Fort Moultrie were built of palmetto trunks, and their texture caused them to absorb British cannonballs rather than crack and split. Aided by this advantage, Colonel William Moultrie led his troops to victory. Later, the fort was named in his honor, and the palmetto became South Carolina's State Tree.


14) When Emily Geiger was captured by the British, what did she do with the note she was taking to General Sumter?
a) Burned it
b) Buried it
c) Ate it
d) Gave it away

And she didn't even have any ketchup! Learn more about Emily Geiger, heroine of the Revolution, and other special women in SC history.


15) The period of history between the Revolutionary War and the Civil War is called:
a) Antebellum
b) Colonial
c) Bourbon
d) Modern

Antebellum translates from Latin as literally "before the war." Here in the United States, and especially in the South, the antebellum period describes the years preceding the Civil War but following the Revolutionary War – basically anytime between 1784 and April 11, 1861. (Learn about other periods in South Carolina's history here.)


16) Which fort fired the first shot of the Civil War?
a) Fort Moultrie
b) Castle Pinckney
c) Fort Johnson
d) Fort Sumter

If you missed this one, don't feel too badly – it's probably the most mainstream myth in all of South Carolina! The Civil War began on James Island, when at dawn on April 12, 1861, Confederate forces at Fort Johnson fired on Union-occupied Fort Sumter, located about 100 yards off the northeast corner of James Island. Most of the major fighting in the Charleston area during the rest of the war also occurred on James Island, as well as nearby Morris Island.


17) Which South Carolina city did Sherman's men destroy?
a) Charleston
b) Beaufort
c) Aiken
d) Columbia

Columbia was South Carolina's first planned city with wide streets arranged in a grid. On February 17, 1865, Sherman's men set it ablaze, burning the majority of downtown Columbia to the ground. Most residents were able to evacuate before the army arrived, but the damage done was severe – fueled by the Union's anger at South Carolina for leading the secession.


18) Dave Drake, also called "Dave the Potter," was a slave. His pottery is famous today because:
a) Dave wrote poems on many of his pots
b) Dave was blind
c) Dave made pottery from corn
d) Dave only had one arm

Dave the Potter's first owner was probably Harry Drake, a devout man who may have taught some of his slaves to read and write so they could study the Bible. Dave did have both of his arms, but some historians think he may have lost a leg early in life. This would have disqualified him from field work but left him suited to throwing on a wheel. Dave's poems provide short but captivating glimpses into the life of 19th-century slave. One especially poignant example, coming from a man who had likely seen many loved ones bought and sold, reads:

"I wonder where is all my relations /
Friendship to all in every nation."


19) Baskets similar to the ones made by slaves are still woven today using:
a) Sweetgrass
b) Hay
c) Sea oats
d) Muscadine vines

Sweetgrass serves as the key ingredient in these baskets, which have become prized by collectors far and wide. However, sweetgrass is only one of the four plants used; baskets also include bulrush, pine needles, and the fronds of the saw palmetto (see question #13).

Interestingly, sweetgrass is a relatively recent addition to the baskets. At first baskets were made primarily from bulrush, which was stronger and better suited to plantation use. Sweetgrass crept into the mix in the early 1900s, when the baskets began to be sold to tourists. It allowed for greater flexibility, which in turn allowed for more sophisticated designs like loops. Other assets of sweetgrass are its pretty, pale green color and pleasant scent, which many compare to the smell of fresh hay.


20) How many counties are there in South Carolina?
a) 61
b) 46
c) 40
d) 34

In 1682, the Lords Proprietors created three South Carolina counties – Berkeley, Colleton, and the now-defunct Craven. Four years later, Granville (also defunct) was added to the mix. Within a century, the number increased to 40, and by 1919, we'd topped out at 46. (See all 46 counties here.)






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