Originating in the mid-1700s, from the Italian term “mal aria,” meaning bad air, swamp gas and the humid climate in the southeastern US coastal areas and in New Orleans were thought to cause the deadly disease. Characterized by fever, chills, headaches and vomiting, malaria kills by infecting and destroying red blood cells and clogging vital capillaries that transport blood to the brain and other vital organs.

Colonial history experts maintain that malaria slowed the development of the southeastern colonies due to the 43% survival rate of colonists. Choosing to grow indigo and rice in the southern coastal areas contributed to malaria outbreaks, as these crops require standing water to grow, creating the ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes. Pawley’s Island in South Carolina was founded as a retreat for rice plantation owners and their families to escape malaria in Georgetown on the mainland.