1. In 1734, a group of settlers arrived in what is now the town of Purysburg, South Carolina, on December 8. They were part of a group of approximately 1,200 German-speaking immigrants who had been recruited to the English colony by Protestant leaders.

2. The South Carolina State House was completed on December 8, 1907. The building, which is located in the state capital of Columbia, features a striking dome and marble façade. It remains a prominent landmark in the city today.

3. On December 8, 1941, just one day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, South Carolina Governor Burnet Maybank issued a proclamation ordering all non-essential businesses in the state to close for the duration of the war. The move was part of a broader effort to conserve resources and focus on the war effort.

4. The legendary South Carolina Gamecocks football coach, Paul "Bear" Bryant, won his first and only SEC championship on December 8, 1962. His team defeated the Georgia Bulldogs 21-14 in Athens, Georgia, to secure the title.

5. In 1983, the state of South Carolina officially designated the palmetto tree and crescent moon as its official state symbol. The palmetto tree played a prominent role in the state's history, as it was used by soldiers to fortify the island of Sullivan's Island during the Revolutionary War.