1. On July 2, 1776, the South Carolina delegation in the Continental Congress voted to declare independence from Great Britain. This vote occurred two days before the famous signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4.
2. On July 2, 1863, the Second day of the Battle of Gettysburg saw South Carolina troops heavily involved in fighting against Union forces. Many South Carolinians lost their lives in this pivotal battle of the Civil War.
3. On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the landmark Civil Rights Act, which prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This legislation had a profound impact on South Carolina, which was still grappling with the legacy of segregation at the time.
4. On July 2, 1980, the first BMW produced in the United States rolled off the assembly line at the German automaker's newly built plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The plant has since become a major economic driver for the state and the region, producing hundreds of thousands of cars each year.
5. On July 2, 2015, a Confederate flag that had flown over the South Carolina State House for decades was removed following weeks of nationwide debate and protests. The flag had long been a symbol of divisive and painful history in South Carolina and elsewhere, and its removal marked a significant moment of change for the state.