1. In 1860, South Carolina declared its secession from the United States, becoming the first state to do so. This action ultimately led to the Civil War.

2. On December 27, 1811, the powerful New Madrid earthquake struck in the central United States, causing extensive damage in several states, including South Carolina. The quake was so strong that it reportedly caused the Mississippi River to run backwards for a short period of time.

3. South Carolina native Mary Boykin Chesnut, best known for her Civil War-era diary, was born on December 27, 1823. Her detailed writings provide a valuable firsthand account of the war and the experiences of Southern women during that time.

4. On December 27, 1832, the Nullification Crisis came to a head in South Carolina when the state's legislature passed the Ordinance of Nullification, which declared federal tariffs null and void within the state's borders. This conflict between state and federal power was a precursor to the secession crisis that would grip the nation in the coming years.

5. South Carolina's state tree, the palmetto, is celebrated on December 27 each year as Palmetto Day. This date marks the anniversary of the defense of Fort Moultrie during the Revolutionary War, when the palmetto logs used to build the fort helped to absorb the impact of British cannonballs. The palmetto has been a symbol of South Carolina's resilience ever since.