Why was South Carolina placed under military control? I think it is because it refused to ratify the 13th Amendment, but I am not sure.

South Carolina was placed under military control during the Reconstruction era following the American Civil War. The main reason for this was not specifically because South Carolina refused to ratify the 13th Amendment, but rather due to its resistance to implementing the Reconstruction policies established by the federal government.

After the Civil War, the primary goal of Reconstruction was to integrate the Southern states back into the Union and to secure civil rights for freed slaves. However, South Carolina, like many other Southern states, did not readily comply with these new policies. They enacted laws known as "Black Codes" that severely limited the rights and freedoms of African Americans, aiming to maintain white supremacy and control over the labor force.

In response to South Carolina's resistance and the general unrest in the state, the federal government intervened. The Reconstruction Act of 1867 divided the South into military districts, with South Carolina falling under the jurisdiction of the Second Military District. The military was sent to enforce federal laws, protect the rights of freed slaves, and oversee the transition to a more inclusive and democratic society.

The military control in South Carolina involved the appointment of military commanders who had broad powers to enforce federal policies, suspend civil liberties, and remove public officials who obstructed the process of Reconstruction. This military presence aimed to ensure compliance, protect African Americans from violence and discrimination, and organize new elections and governments that would uphold the principles of equality and freedom for all.

So, while South Carolina's rejection of the 13th Amendment did play a role, it was the broader resistance to Reconstruction policies and the oppression of freed slaves that led to the imposition of military control in the state.