1. The University of South Carolina was founded on April 1, 1801. The State Assembly approved the establishment of South Carolina’s first publicly funded college, which was then called South Carolina College. Today, the University of South Carolina is a renowned research institution with over 51,000 students.

2. On April 1, 1865, the Confederate army in Greenville, South Carolina, surrendered to Union forces, ending the Civil War in the western theater. General William T. Sherman had just captured the Confederate capital of Columbia and was marching northward when the Confederate army under General Joseph E. Johnston surrendered.

3. In 1950, the first issue of The Herald-Independent was published on April 1 in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Today, the newspaper has expanded and is now called The Herald, serving the greater Rock Hill area.

4. April 1, 1979, marked the opening of the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston. The aquarium is home to over 10,000 plants and animals native to South Carolina and beyond. Visitors can see creatures like sea turtles, sharks, and river otters in their natural habitats.

5. On April 1, 2000, the Confederate battle flag was removed from the Statehouse dome in Columbia. The flag had been a divisive symbol of the Confederacy and racism. Its removal marked a significant moment in South Carolina’s history as a step towards healing and unity.