1. On March 11, 1776, the South Carolina Provincial Congress adopted a new constitution, which established a more democratic government structure and explicitly declared independence from Great Britain. This date is considered one of the most significant landmarks in the state's history.

2. In 1865, during the final days of the Civil War, Union forces under General William T. Sherman captured and burned the city of Columbia, the capital of South Carolina. The destruction of the city was a controversial and tragic event that had long-lasting consequences for both the state and the nation.

3. On March 11, 1885, the South Carolina General Assembly ratified the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which abolished slavery and involuntary servitude throughout the country. This was a historic moment for the state, which had been one of the largest slaveholding regions in the United States.

4. In 1955, a landmark civil rights case, Briggs v. Elliott, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of South Carolina. The case, which challenged the state's segregationist policies in public schools, was one of the precursors to the larger Brown v. Board of Education case that ultimately led to the desegregation of schools nationwide.

5. On March 11, 2011, a powerful earthquake and tsunami struck the coast of Japan, causing widespread damage and loss of life. The disaster had ripple effects around the world, including in South Carolina, where it led to a temporary suspension of shipments of Japanese-made cars and electronics.