Final answer:
In 1719, the Crown bought the South Carolina territory from the Lords Proprietors, leading it to become a Royal Colony. This provided the colonists with improved governance and protection directly from the Crown, eventually paving the way for both North and South Carolina to become Royal Colonies before the American Revolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
South Carolina Becomes a Royal Colony
In 1719, the Crown purchased the South Carolina territory from the Lord's Proprietors. Discontentment had grown among the colonists due to the dangers and dissatisfaction with the Lord's Proprietors. After confrontations from external threats such as the blockade of Charleston's harbor by the pirate Blackbeard in 1718, the citizens pushed to transition into a Royal Colony.
This status change meant that they would now be governed directly by the Crown, offering them protection and a more stable government. Subsequently, Carolina was split into two territories, North and South Carolina, the latter becoming a Royal Colony first, followed by North Carolina in 1729. Both would remain Royal Colonies up until the American Revolution.
The Lord's Proprietors were originally eight supporters of the monarchy who were granted control over Carolina. Key figures included the Earl of Clarendon, the Duke of Albemarle, and the Earl of Shaftesbury.
Their governance ended with this purchase that brought South Carolina under direct royal control, highlighting the changing nature of colonial management and the increasing assertion of the Royal Authority before the revolutionary outbreak.