On May 23, 1788, South Carolina became the eighth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. The vote revealed a deep divide between the wealthy, coastal lowcountry — which strongly supported the new federal system — and the inland backcountry, where many feared domination by coastal elites. The ratifying convention met in Charleston, the political and economic center of the state, where Federalists held a clear advantage. Despite the regional tensions, the final vote was overwhelmingly in favor, helping push the Constitution toward national adoption.