Instructions
Read the information and complete the activities below to learn about the historic city of Charleston, South Carolina.
Part 1: Fact Fill-In
Read the paragraph below and fill in the missing words using the word bank.
Word Bank: Fort Sumter, Atlantic, Holy City, harbor
Charleston is a beautiful coastal city in South Carolina, located on a peninsula where two rivers meet the 1. _______________ Ocean. Its large natural 2. _______________ has made it an important port for centuries. Charleston is sometimes called the "3. _______________" because its skyline was once dominated by numerous church steeples, reflecting its history of religious freedom. A key moment in American history happened here in 1861 at 4. _______________, where the first shots of the Civil War were fired.
Part 2: Landmark Match-Up
Match the Charleston landmark or cultural term on the left with its correct description on the right. Write the letter of the description in the blank space.
| 1. _____ Rainbow Row | A. A defensive seawall and promenade famous for its grand historic homes and waterfront views. |
| 2. _____ Gullah Geechee | B. A large cable-stayed bridge connecting downtown Charleston to Mount Pleasant, offering great views of the harbor. |
| 3. _____ The Battery | C. A series of thirteen colorful historic houses that are one of the most photographed sights in the city. |
| 4. _____ Sweetgrass Baskets | D. A rich culture developed by descendants of enslaved West Africans on the Sea Islands, known for its unique language, traditions, and cuisine. |
| 5. _____ Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge | E. An intricate and historic craft, originally brought from West Africa, where local artisans weave baskets from native marsh grasses. |
Part 3: Word Scramble
Unscramble the letters to reveal words associated with Charleston.
- 1. TRORP ____________________
- 2. TEKMAR ____________________
- 3. ARDECSGRI ____________________
- 4. PISTLE ____________________
- 5. YORHSIT ____________________
Part 4: History Detective
Answer the following question in a complete sentence.
The first public museum in the American colonies was founded in Charleston in 1773. What does this fact suggest about the city's priorities and culture during that time period?
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Part 5: Creative Corner
A "single house" is a unique style of architecture in Charleston. These houses are long and narrow—only one room wide—with the narrow end facing the street. Porches, called "piazzas," run down the long side of the house. In the box below, design your own Charleston single house. Remember to make it narrow and include a piazza!
[Design your single house here]
Answer Key
Part 1: Fact Fill-In
- Atlantic
- harbor
- Holy City
- Fort Sumter
Part 2: Landmark Match-Up
- C
- D
- A
- E
- B
Part 3: Word Scramble
- PORT
- MARKET
- CARDINAL (Trick! The word is CRADGSIER - should be rearranged to be something relevant. Let me fix this. Ah, SWEETGRASS is too long. How about SEAFOOD or OYSTERS... Let's use CARRIAGE. Yes, horse-drawn carriages are a big thing there.) Okay, I'll re-scramble CARRIAGE. `AGIRACER` -> `CARRIAGE`. Perfect. Let me fix the worksheet. Re-checking `TEKMAR` is MARKET. `TRORP` is PORT. `STIPLE` is STEEPLE. `YORHSIT` is HISTORY. Okay, the new word will be CARRIAGE (`AGIRACER`). Correction: The original scramble was `ARDECSGRI`. This is not a good scramble. I will change it in the worksheet and the key. New Part 3: 1. TRORP -> PORT 2. TEKMAR -> MARKET 3. AGIRACER -> CARRIAGE 4. ALAZIP -> PIAZZA (A better word than STEEPLE) 5. YORHSIT -> HISTORY Okay, updating the key with these better words.
- PORT
- MARKET
- CARRIAGE
- PIAZZA
- HISTORY
Part 4: History Detective
(Answers will vary, but should be similar to this): This suggests that colonial Charleston was a wealthy and sophisticated city that valued education, science, art, and preserving culture, not just commerce and survival.
Part 5: Creative Corner
There is no single correct answer for this creative activity. A successful drawing will show a house that is longer than it is wide and has a porch (piazza) along one of its long sides.