Maryland (MD).

• Region: Atlantic coast
• Population: 6,164,660 (ranked 19th; 2022 estimate)
• Capital: Annapolis (pop. 40,648) (2022 estimate)
• Largest city: Baltimore (pop. 569,931) (2022 estimate)
• Number of counties: 23 (and one independent city)
• State nickname: Free State; Old Line State
• State motto: Fatti maschii, parole femine (Manly deeds, womanly words; or, Strong deeds, gentle words)
• State flag: Two quarters bear the arms of the Calvert family in gold and black; two quarters show the arms of the Crossland family in red and white

One of the thirteen original colonies, Maryland was partly founded as a refuge for English Catholics and entered the Union on April 28, 1788, as the seventh state. Located on the East Coast of the United States, the state forms part of the mid-Atlantic region and is bordered by Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, DC. The historic Mason-Dixon Line between the northern and southern United States marks the border with Delaware and Pennsylvania. Baltimore, the state's largest city, is a regional center for commerce and heavy industry. Maryland's rich history and scenic beauty, especially in the Chesapeake Bay region, make the state a popular tourist destination.

State Name: The state was named by George Calvert, Lord Baltimore, Maryland's colonial proprietor, in honor of Queen Henrietta Maria (1609–69) of England, commonly called Queen Mary. She was the wife of King Charles I, who granted Maryland's colonial charter. The state's nicknames include "Old Line State" (because of the bravery of Maryland troops during the American Revolution), "Free State" (because the state refused to support Prohibition), and "America in Miniature" (because of the state's varied geography.)

Capital: The historic city of Annapolis, one of the oldest cities in America, has served as Maryland's capital since 1694. It is also the county seat of Anne Arundel County. The city is named for Princess Anne of Great Britain, who later ruled as Queen Anne (1702–14). The original capital was St. Mary's City, located in southern Maryland. Home of the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis is located on the Severn River, about thirty miles south of Baltimore on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. The city served briefly (November 1783 to June 1784) as the capital of the newly formed United States. It also hosted a convention that gave rise to the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Often nicknamed "Crabtown" and "Sailing Capital of the United States," Annapolis is a popular tourist destination.

Flag: Maryland's flag is an example of medieval heraldry, displaying the family crests of the state's first colonial proprietor, Lord Baltimore. Cecil Calvert, second Lord Baltimore, received the original Maryland charter in 1632 from Charles I of England. The black-and-gold design belonged to his father's family, the Calverts, while the red-and-white design belonged to his mother's family, the Crosslands. Maryland adopted the flag in 1904, based on banners used by Civil War veterans. The state's coat of arms shows a shield with the Calvert and Crossland arms quartered. Above the shield are an earl's coronet and a full-faced helmet. A farmer and fisherman stand on either side of the shield, symbolizing Lord Baltimore's estates in Maryland and Newfoundland. Beneath the figures is the state's unofficial motto Fatti maschii, parole femine. This motto, originally used by the Calvert family, is translated as "manly deeds, womanly words" or "strong deeds, gentle words."

Official Symbols

• Flower: Black-eyed Susan
• Bird: Baltimore oriole
• Tree: White oak
• Fish: Rockfish

State and National Historic Sites

• Annapolis National Cemetery (Annapolis)
• Annie Oakley House (Cambridge)
• Antietam National Battlefield (Sharpsburg)
• B&O Railroad Museum (Baltimore)
• Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park (multiple locations)
• Colonial Annapolis Historic District (Annapolis)
• Edgar Allan Poe House (Baltimore)
• Fort McHenry (Baltimore)
• H. L. Mencken House (Baltimore)
• Historic London Town and Gardens (Edgewater)
• Sharps Island Light (Tilghman Island, on Chesapeake Bay)
• Thomas Point Shoal Light Station (Highland Beach, on Chesapeake Bay)
• United States Naval Academy (Annapolis)
• William Paca House (Annapolis)

State-Specific Holidays

• Defenders Day, September 12
• Maryland Day, March 25

DEMOGRAPHICS

• Population: 6,164,660 (ranked 19th; 2022)
• Population density: 632.0/sq mi
• Urban population: 85.6% (2020 estimate)
• Rural population: 14.4% (2020 estimate)
• Population under 18: 21.8% (2022 estimate)
• Population over 65: 16.9% (2022 estimate)
• White alone: 57.3% (2022)
• Black or African American alone: 31.7% (2022)
• Hispanic or Latino: 11.5% (2022)
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 0.7% (2022)
• Asian alone: 7.1% (2022)
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.1% (2022)
• Two or More Races: 3.2% (2022)
• Per capita income: $45,915 (ranked 4th; 2022 estimate)
• Unemployment: 3.0% (2022)

American Indians: Numerous American Indian tribes have inhabited Maryland over the centuries. These include the Accohannock, Creek, Cherokee, Chippewa, Choptank, Delaware, Haliwa, Lumbee, Nanticoke, Piscataway, Pocomoke, Potomac, Rappahannock, Seminole, Shawnee, Susquehanna, and Wicomico. During the early 2020s Maryland officially recognized two Piscataway tribes: Piscataway Indian Nation and Piscataway Conoy Tribe. There are no federally recognized tribes in the state.

ENVIRONMENT AND GEOGRAPHY

• Total area: 12,406 sq mi (ranked 42nd)
• Land area: 9,707 sq mi (78.2% of total area)
• Water area: 2,699 sq mi (21.8% of total area)
• Shoreline: 3,190 miles
• National parks: 18
• Highest point: Hoye Crest (3,360 feet)
• Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean (sea level)
• Highest temperature: 109° F (Cumberland; Frederick, July 10, 1936)
• Lowest temperature: -40° F (Oakland, January 13, 1912)

Topography: Maryland extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Allegheny Mountains in the west. The state is often called "America in Miniature" because of its diverse terrain. The greatest regional distinction is between the Eastern and Western shores of the Chesapeake Bay, which divide the state in two. The central part of the state is coastal plain, as is the eastern shore. Westward toward the Alleghenies, the terrain changes to piedmont plateau. There are four distinct regions: Western, Central, Southern, and the Eastern Shore.

The state's waterways, particularly the Chesapeake Bay, play a significant role in defining the state's boundaries and regions. The bay was not bridged until the 1950s, a fact that helps to explain the persistence of traditional culture on the eastern shore. Maryland has numerous bays and large creeks (some as large as rivers), and many of these feed into the Chesapeake or its tributaries, forming part of a larger watershed.

Major Lakes

• Beaver Dam Lake
• Centennial Lake
• Deep Creek Lake
• Drum Point Lake
• Lake Linganore
• Lake Waterford
• Tuckahoe Lake
• Wye Mills Lake

Major Rivers

• Anacostia River
• Antietam River
• Choptank River
• Magothy River
• Monacacy River
• Nanticoke River
• Patapsco River
• Patuxent River
• Potomac River
• Severn River
• Susquehanna River

State and National Parks: Maryland has dozens of state parks and eighteen national parks. The national parks include the Clara Barton National Historic Site in Glen Echo and the historic Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Canal, which operated from 1828 to 1924 along the Potomac River. The Appalachian Trail also runs through the state. Among the most picturesque state parks is Calvert Cliffs, which run thirty miles along the Calvert County coastline and contain over six hundred species of fossils.

Natural Resources: The state enjoys numerous natural resources, including industrial minerals such as sand and gravel and fuel resources such as coal and natural gas. The entire Chesapeake Bay Watershed itself is an important resource, one that provides Maryland with an abundance of fish and shellfish, as well as deepwater harbors.

Plants and Animals: Maryland's mild climate fosters a rich variety of flora and fauna. In 2021 the state had approximately 2.43 million acres of forests. Southern species such as the magnolia and loblolly pine flourish in the coastal regions. The uplands, toward Western Maryland, are wooded with beech, black oak, and white oak. Other tree varieties include the black, silver, and sugar maple, the flowering dogwood, the white elm, and several types of hickory.

The state is home to many species of birds that are common to the Mid-Atlantic Region. These include numerous birds of prey, such as owls, hawks, eagles, kestrels, and falcons. Game birds include the wild turkey and the quail. The Baltimore oriole, the state's official bird, is one of the most distinctive species thanks to its black-and-orange coloring.

Large wild animals found in Maryland are black bears, bobcats, and deer, the latter of which are often found wandering in suburban developments near wooded areas. Smaller animals often found in Maryland's wooded areas include foxes, rabbits, raccoons, opossum, and snakes.

Climate: Maryland's climate is generally moderate. However, due to climate change, the state experienced more extreme, wet, and warmer weather conditions by the 2020s than in the past. The coldest weather is in the western mountains. Summers range from mild to hot, with temperatures reaching the upper eighties during July and August. Winter also is generally moderate, except in the mountains. In January, temperatures average in the low to mid twenties.

Annual snowfall in the state averages 20.6 inches. The average is only 10 inches on the lower Eastern Shore, however, while in Garrett County in the western panhandle, snowfall averages 110 inches. Occasionally, the state experiences a "Nor’easter," a winter storm in which cold arctic air travels down from New England. When this happens, the eastern shore coastline often suffers extreme flooding, and all parts of the state have ice storms or snowstorms. The state also experiences thunderstorms, particularly in July and August.

EDUCATION AND CULTURE

Major Colleges and Universities

• Bowie State University (Bowie)
• Coppin State University (Baltimore)
• Frostburg State University (Frostburg)
• Goucher College (Towson)
• Hood College (Frederick)
• Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore)
• Loyola University Maryland (Baltimore)
• McDaniel College (Westminster)
• Morgan State University (Baltimore)
• Mount St. Mary's University (Emmitsburg)
• Notre Dame of Maryland University (Baltimore)
• St. John's College (Annapolis)
• St. Mary's Seminary and University (Baltimore)
• Salisbury University (Salisbury)
• Towson University (Towson)
• United States Naval Academy (Annapolis)
• University of Baltimore (Baltimore)
• University of Maryland (College Park)
• Washington Adventist University (Takoma Park)
• Washington College (Chestertown)

Major Museums

• American Visionary Art Museum (Baltimore)
• Baltimore Museum of Art (Baltimore)
• Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum (St. Michael's)
• Maryland Historical Society (Baltimore)
• Maryland Science Center (Baltimore)
• Maryland State Archives Museum (Annapolis)
• US Naval Academy Museum (Annapolis)
• Walters Art Museum (Baltimore)
• Washington County Museum of Fine Arts (Hagerstown)

Major Libraries

• Enoch Pratt Free Library (Baltimore)
• Thurgood Marshall State Law Library (Annapolis)
• National Agricultural Library (Beltsville)
• National Library of Medicine (Bethesda)
• Sheridan Libraries (Baltimore)

Media

Maryland is richly supplied with mass media, including numerous daily newspapers and broadcasting stations. The state's major newspaper is the Baltimore Sun, founded in 1837. The Washington Post, based in neighboring Washington, DC, serves many Maryland suburban subscribers as well. The Capital, a daily newspaper, is a major source of state political news. The historic Gazette was founded in 1727 and is now owned by the Capital. Other periodicals include business weeklies such as the Baltimore Business Journal.

Marylanders have access to two major television/radio markets in Baltimore and nearby Washington, DC. Each city has affiliates of the "Big Three" networks (ABC, NBC, and CBS), as well as numerous independent television and radio stations.

ECONOMY AND INFRASTRUCTURE

• Gross domestic product (in millions $USD): 470,187.1 (ranked 19th; 2022)
• GDP percent change: 1.6%

Major Industries: Maryland has a well-developed economy that includes manufacturing and service industries such as finance (including insurance, real estate, rental, and leasing), tourism, maritime industries, and agriculture. The Port of Baltimore is a major shipping center. Other major transportation facilities include Baltimore/Washington International Airport, a major regional hub and port of entry for international travel. Maryland is divided into state enterprise zones, which offer economic or tax incentives to businesses. Maryland's manufacturing sector includes food products, chemicals, electronic products, and transportation equipment.

Maryland is a major center for the fishing industry, both fish and shellfish. One of the most important shellfish species is the blue crab; in fact, Chesapeake Bay has typically provided half of the nation's annual harvest of blue crabs. However, after a survey revealed particularly low blue crab populations in the bay, in 2022 both Maryland and Virginia instituted restrictions on commercial harvesting of both male and female blue crabs. Besides blue crabs, important commercial shellfish include oysters and soft clams. The fishing industry also relies on striped bass, flounder, catfish, and bluefish. The state's aquafarming industry, which raises numerous fish species commercially, brings in millions annually.

The federal government is one of the state's major employers, at Maryland-based offices as well as in Washington, DC. Many people also work at the many military bases in the state. The presence of so many federal facilities, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), has helped foster the state's high-technology industries, especially in computer sciences, telecommunication, and biotechnology. Federal institutions often partner with state government, universities, and private industry to promote technological research.

Tourism: Maryland has long been a favorite tourist destination because of its natural beauty, the wealth of historic sites, and cultural attractions ranging from professional sports to symphony orchestras. Historic Annapolis, the state capital and home to the US Naval Academy, retains much of its eighteenth-century colonial charm and has been called "the sailing capital of the world." The Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland regions have kept much of their unique culture.

Tourism forms an important part of the state's economy. According to the Maryland Office of Tourism Development, 35.2 million people visited the state in 2022; these visitors spent a total of $16.4 billion. This represented significant growth compared to 2020, when 24.7 million people visited the state and COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns had resulted in an overall decrease in travel worldwide.

Energy Production: The Maryland Energy Administration, an independent state agency, coordinates and directs the state's energy policy. The state relies on conventional energy sources such as coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear power for the majority of its electricity needs. The Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, in operation since the early 1970s, is the state's only nuclear power plant and supplied 37 percent of Maryland's net electricity generation in 2021. That year approximately 13 percent of the state's total net electricity generation came from renewable sources such as wind power, solar power, biomass, and hydroelectric power. In 2022 Maryland passed a law intended to lower the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2031 to 60 percent of 2006 levels and reach net-zero emissions by 2045.

Agriculture: Agriculture remains highly important in Maryland, despite growing urbanization; in some parts of the state, agriculture is the major economic activity. The most heavily agricultural sections are the north-central region and the Upper Eastern Shore, although parts of Southern Maryland remain heavily agricultural. Major cash crops include barley, corn, soybeans, wheat, and hay. Poultry and dairy farming are also important; the state ranks as one of the top in the United States for its number of broiler chickens.

Airports: The state's two major airports are the Baltimore/Washington International (BWI) Airport and Martin State Airport. BWI, located in northern Anne Arundel County, is the larger of the two and has become a regional travel hub. It is an official port of entry into the United States. BWI handled 22.8 million passengers in 2022. International flights travel to Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Middle East. Martin State Airport, located in southeastern Baltimore County, mostly handles private and corporate aircraft. It also serves as the main base for state and local police units as well as the Maryland Air National Guard.

Seaports: The Port of Baltimore is the state's largest port and a hub for international commerce. It produces billions of dollars in business revenue and supports jobs directly and indirectly for thousands of people. The World Trade Center Baltimore, the regional center for international trade, is located in the city's Inner Harbor. The structure houses the Maryland Port Administration as well as the US headquarters of several major shipping lines. The port's main imports are agricultural products such as corn and soybeans and mineral products including coal, coal coke, lignite, fuel oils, and petroleum. Major imports through the Port of Baltimore include petroleum products, minerals, automobiles, and agricultural products.

GOVERNMENT

• Governor: Wes Moore (Democrat)
• Present constitution date: 1867
• Electoral votes: 10
• Number of counties: 23 (and one independent city)
• Violent crime rate: 400.0 (per 100,000 residents; 2022 estimate)
• Death penalty: No (abolished in 2013)

Constitution: The current state constitution, the state's fifth, was adopted following a 1967–8 constitutional convention. The previous constitutions were adopted in 1776, 1850, 1864, and 1867.

Branches of Government

Executive: Maryland's chief executive is the governor, who is elected by popular vote to a four-year term. No governor may serve more than two consecutive terms. Duties include submitting an annual budget to the general assembly, approving or vetoing all legislation (except the budget bill), appointing the heads of state departments, and serving as commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The lieutenant governor becomes governor if the office becomes vacant. The lieutenant governor becomes acting governor if notified in writing by the governor of his or her temporary incapacity.

The state's other offices are the adjutant general (in charge of the state's military units, which include the Maryland Army National Guard, the Maryland Air National Guard, Maryland Emergency Management Agency, and Maryland Defense Force), the attorney general, the board of public works, the comptroller of Maryland, the secretary of state, and the state treasurer. The board of public works, chaired by the governor and including the state comptroller and state treasurer, controls expenditure of many state funds, including any money that the General Assembly appropriated through state loans.

Legislative: Maryland's bicameral legislature is known as the General Assembly. The upper house, known as the senate, is led by the senate president. The lower house, the house of delegates, is led by the house speaker. The General Assembly meets each year for a ninety-day session that begins on the second Wednesday in January. During this time it acts on over two thousand bills, including the state's annual budget.

Judicial: The state's highest court is the court of appeals, headed by the chief judge of the court of appeals. The other state courts include the court of special appeals, the circuit courts, and the district court of Maryland. Each county also has an “orphans' court” that handles probate matters. The executive branch has two courts: the Maryland tax court, which hears appeals on tax cases, and the office of administrative hearings, which reviews contested decisions in administrative law.

HISTORY

1498 Italian-born English explorer John Cabot (born Giovanni Caboto) sails along Maryland's eastern shore off present-day Worcester County.

1524 Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, on an expedition for the French King Francis I, passes the mouth of Chesapeake Bay.

1572 Pedro Menendez de Aviles, governor of the Spanish colony of Florida, explores Chesapeake Bay.

1608 Captain John Smith, who helped to establish the English colony of Jamestown in Virginia, explores Chesapeake Bay.

1629George Calvert, first Lord Baltimore, sails to Virginia from his estate "Avalon" in Newfoundland.

1631William Claiborne, a member of Virginia's ruling council, establishes a trading post and farming settlement on Kent Island, in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay.

1632 King Charles I of Great Britain grants a colonial charter to Cecilius Calvert, second Lord Baltimore. The new colony is named "Maryland" in honor of Queen Henrietta Maria. Lord Baltimore, a Roman Catholic, plans the colony partly as a haven for Catholics seeking religious freedom.

1634 On March 25, the ships Ark and Dove land in Maryland at St. Clement's Island. The party under Governor Leonard Calvert purchases land from the American Indians and builds St. Mary's City.

1634–35 Maryland's first general assembly, or legislative body, meets at St. Mary's City. It is composed of all freemen in the colony.

1649–60 Puritan Commonwealth in England. Puritans and Loyalists battle for control of Maryland. In 1649, Governor William Stone invites Virginia Puritans to settle in Maryland; they settle in Anne Arundel County and found the town of Providence (later Annapolis). That same year, the General Assembly enacts the Toleration Act for religious tolerance. In 1652, the English Parliament sends commissioners to oust the proprietary governor. In 1655, Virginia Puritans defeat Governor Stone at the Battle of the Severn and drastically limit religious freedom. In 1657, Lord Baltimore regains control and restores the original Toleration Act.

1664 The colony legally establishes slavery sanctioned by law, requiring enslaved people to serve for life.

1692 The Calvert family loses its proprietorship when King William and Queen Mary declare Maryland a royal colony. The colony remains under Crown rule until 1715. The Church of England also becomes the established church of Maryland. (In 1702, the British Crown officially approves this act.)

1694–95 Maryland's capital moved from St. Mary's City to Anne Arundel Town, which is renamed Annapolis. Governor Francis Nicholson lays out the city plan, much of which remains in use today.

1696 King William's School, later known as St. John's College, is founded at Annapolis. Governor Nicholson is among the first supporters.

1715 The British Crown restores proprietary rights over Maryland to the Calvert family. The new proprietor is Benedict Leonard Calvert, fourth Lord Baltimore.

1727 The Maryland Gazette, the first newspaper in the Chesapeake Bay region, is published by William Parks at Annapolis. Parks continues publishing the paper until 1734. It is revived in 1745 by Jonas Green.

1729 Baltimore Town is established by charter.

1732 Maryland establishes its boundary line with three lower counties of Pennsylvania. These counties later become the colony of Delaware.

1744 The General Assembly purchases the last American Indian land claims in Maryland. They sign a treaty with the chiefs of the Six Nations, in which the tribes relinquish all claims to land in the colony.

1755–63 The French and Indian War erupts between Britain and France. British General Edward Braddock, accompanied by Virginia troops under George Washington, leads an expedition through Maryland to confront the French and their American Indian allies. Braddock's forces are defeated near Fort Duquesne (present-day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania).

1763 Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon begin surveying boundary lines with Pennsylvania. They complete their work in 1767. The "Mason-Dixon Line" becomes the traditional boundary between the northern and southern states.

1764–67 The British government passes a series of legislation that impose exorbitant new taxes on the colonies. These acts, including the Stamp Act and Townshend Acts, make Marylanders furious. To protest these policies, Marylanders eventually agree to stop importing British goods.

1772 The first Methodist house of worship in the colonies is built in Carroll County (at the time, part of Frederick County). Construction also begins on a new state house in Annapolis. (This structure is the oldest state house still in legislative use.)

1774 The royal governor dissolves the last colonial general assembly. The Provincial Convention, an extralegal body, meets in Annapolis and sends delegates to the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia.

1775 The first battle of the Revolutionary War is fought on April 19, as Massachusetts militia face British troops at Lexington and Concord. Marylanders soon begin sending troops to General George Washington's Continental Army in Boston.

1776 Maryland delegates sign the Declaration of Independence on July 4. Two days later, the Maryland Convention declares independence from Great Britain. In November, the Provincial Convention adopts the first state constitution and bill of rights and disestablishes the Church of England. On August 27, Maryland lines troops attached to George Washington's army to fight at the Battle of Long Island, New York. According to legend, the Marylanders' bravery led Washington to nickname them "The Old Line."

1777 The first general assembly elected under the 1776 constitution meets in Annapolis.

1781 Maryland ratifies the Articles of Confederation, the United States' first constitution. John Hanson of Charles County serves the first full one-year term as "President of the United States in Congress Assembled," from 1781–82.

1782 Washington College, named for General George Washington, is established at Chestertown. Washington serves on the Board of Visitors and Governors until 1789 when he becomes president of the United States.

1783 The Continental Congress meets in Annapolis from November 26 until June of 1784. The city thus briefly serves as capital of the new nation. In this year, Maryland also outlaws the slave trade.

1784 Congress, meeting in Annapolis, ratifies the Treaty of Paris on January 14. This ends the Revolutionary War.

1784 At a "Christmas Conference" in Baltimore, the Methodist Church is first organized as a separate denomination in the United States. It officially separates from the Church of England in 1791.

1784 The state charters St. John's College, merging it with the old King William's School in Annapolis. Together with Washington College, it is designated by the General Assembly as the "University of Maryland." Four of St. John's founders were signers of the Declaration of Independence: William Paca, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Thomas Stone, and Samuel Chase.

1784 Edward Warren, a thirteen-year-old boy, makes the first balloon ascension in the United States. He launches from Baltimore in a balloon designed by Peter Carnes of Bladensburg.

1786 The "Annapolis Convention" meets to discuss revising the Articles of Confederation. Maryland sends no delegates to the meeting, which takes place at a tavern only a few blocks from the State House.

1787 Maryland representatives at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia sign the new Constitution.

1788 Maryland Convention ratifies the US Constitution on April 28, thus making it the seventh state to enter the Union.

1789 Maryland ratifies the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to US Constitution.

1790John Carroll of Maryland is consecrated in England as the Roman Catholic bishop of Baltimore. The first Roman Catholic bishop for the United States, Carroll later becomes Baltimore's archbishop and a cardinal.

1791 Maryland cedes land along the Potomac River to establish the proposed federal capital, the District of Columbia.

1796 Maryland passes a law that forbids the importation of enslaved people for sale. The law also permits enslavers to free enslaved people voluntarily.

1799 Construction begins on Fort McHenry on Baltimore Harbor.

1806 Construction begins in Baltimore on the nation's first Roman Catholic cathedral, the Basilica of the Assumption. The main section is completed in 1818. The architect, Benjamin Henry Latrobe, also served as architect of the US Capitol under presidents Jefferson and Madison.

1810 The state disenfranchises free Black men.

1811 Work begins on the National Road (now US Route 40), extending from Cumberland, Maryland, westward over the Alleghany Mountains. The first federally funded road, the National Road helps open up the West to settlement. Maryland's General Assembly approved a privately run turnpike to connect Baltimore with the National Road.

1812–15War of 1812. Lawyer Francis Scott Key writes the poem "The Star Spangled Banner" based on his experience as a prisoner of war aboard a British warship, watching the British bombard Baltimore's Fort McHenry.

1845 The Department of the Navy founds the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, on the site of old Fort Severn. The institution is intended to professionalize the training of naval officers.

1857 The Peabody Institute is founded in Baltimore by New England philanthropist George Peabody. Now affiliated with Johns Hopkins University, the institute fosters the city's cultural life, focusing especially on music.

1860 The General Assembly passes legislation to enslave free Black people, but the measure fails in a state referendum.

1861–65 The Civil War. Its loyalties strongly divided between Confederate and Union sympathizers, Maryland remains within the Union. This is due in large part, however, to the strong presence of federal troops. The federal government orders the Naval Academy removed to Newport, Rhode Island. Shortly after war breaks out, Governor Thomas Hicks decides to remove the General Assembly to the pro-Union city of Frederick, but federal troops ended the special session several months later in order to arrest pro-Confederate members. One of the war's bloodiest battles took place on Maryland soil in 1863, with the Battle of Antietam (Sharpsburg), in which 4,800 were killed and 18,000 wounded. In 1863, Camp Parole is built outside Annapolis for the exchanging of Northern and Southern prisoners. In April 1865, actor John Wilkes Booth assassinates President Lincoln and tries to make his escape through the neighboring Maryland counties.

1867 The state holds a constitutional convention and adopts its fourth state constitution.

1872 The General Assembly mandates "separate but equal" schools for White and Black children.

1876 Johns Hopkins University opens in Baltimore.

1877 The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad strike breaks out. This leads to demonstrations in Cumberland and riots in Baltimore.

1885 The Baltimore-Union Passenger Railway Company is founded. It is the nation's first commercial electric street railway.

1886Ottmar Mergenthaler of Baltimore perfects the linotype machine, revolutionizing the printing industry.

1890 African American politician Harry S. Cummings wins a seat on the Baltimore City Council. He is the first African American in the state to hold a major elective office.

1893 Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine opens in Baltimore. The school accepts women students.

1904 The great Baltimore fire, which raged from February 7–8, destroys seventy blocks in the heart of the downtown business district.

1911 The US Navy begins using Greenbury Point, Annapolis, as an air station. The location is the site of many early test flights in naval aviation. In the same year, the army establishes a flying school at College Park.

1917–18World War I. Maryland plays a prominent role in the war, both on the home front and in sending troops to Europe. In 1917, the US army establishes Camp Meade (now Fort Meade) and places Maryland militia units in the new 29th Division.

1920 The state creates the modern University of Maryland system by uniting the agricultural school at College Park with the professional schools in Baltimore.

1935 African Americans are able to attend the University of Maryland School of Law after a suit is brought by civil rights lawyer Thurgood Marshall on behalf of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

1937 St. John's College completely revises its curriculum and adopts the Great Books Program. Students now follow a course of study based on discussing the classic works of western civilization.

1937 The model community of Greenbelt is founded northeast of Washington, DC.

1941–45World War II. As with the rest of the nation, Maryland undergoes immense changes during the war. The federal government establishes several major military facilities. Andrews Field (later Andrews Air Force Base) is established in Prince George's County, while Naval Air Station Patuxent River is established in St. Mary's County.

1952 Johns Hopkins University opens the nation's first intensive-care facility. The first span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge opens.

1954 The St. Louis Browns baseball team becomes the Baltimore Orioles of the American League.

1962 The Baltimore Beltway (Interstate 695) is completed, encircling the city of Baltimore. The Capital Beltway (Interstate 495), encircling Washington, DC, and running through Maryland and Virginia, is completed two years later.

1972 Maryland enacts an equal rights amendment to the state constitution and approves the proposed women's equal rights amendment to the US Constitution.

1973 Vice President Spiro T. Agnew, the former governor of Maryland, resigns after pleading no contest to a federal felony charge of corruption. Prosecutors allege that Agnew took bribes while in Maryland politics.

1975 Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, located on the coast of Calvert county, begins operations.

1980 The Chesapeake Bay Commission is established by Maryland and Virginia as a coordinating body for restoring the Bay's natural resources.

1987 Maryland and several neighbors sign the Chesapeake Bay Agreement to restore and protect the bay. The agreement is signed by Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Other signers include the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the US Environmental Protection Agency.

1998 Wye Summit. The Clinton administration hosts Middle East Peace Talks between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) at the Wye River Conference Centers in Queen Anne's County. The two sides later sign an agreement in Washington, DC, about the status of the Israeli-controlled territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

2002 The Baltimore–Washington, DC, area is terrorized by the Beltway sniper attacks; ten people are killed at random locations throughout the region by an unidentified sniper. On October 24, police arrest Lee Boyd Malvo and John Allen Muhammad while they sleep in their car at a rest stop in Myersville.

2007 The country’s first living wage law is passed in Maryland.

2009 Rachel Alexandra, a thoroughbred racehorse, wins the 2009 Preakness Stakes race and became the first filly to win the race in eighty-five years.

2012Same-sex marriage is legalized. The law takes effect January 1, 2013.

2016 The Equal Pay for Equal Work Act is passed, which significantly expands upon the state's existing laws on the issue.

2019 A law is passed and goes into effect in October that allows people in Maryland to choose a third, non-binary option on driver's licenses and state identification.

2021 Maryland officially repeals its state song, "Maryland, My Maryland," on the basis of its ties to the era of the Confederacy.

FAMOUS PEOPLE

Spiro T. Agnew, 1905–1996 (Baltimore) , Governor of Maryland, vice president of the United States.

Benjamin Banneker, 1731–1806 (near Baltimore) , Astronomer and mathematician.

John Barth, 1930– (Cambridge) , Novelist.

Eubie Blake, 1883–1983 (Baltimore) , Jazz pianist and composer.

Charles Joseph Bonaparte, 1851–1921 (Baltimore) , Lawyer, reformer, Cabinet official, and great-nephew of French emperor Napoleon I.

John Wilkes Booth, 1838–65 (near Bel Air) , Actor, assassin of President Abraham Lincoln.

James M. Cain, 1892–1977 (Annapolis) , Novelist, screenwriter.

Charles Carroll, 1737–1832 (Annapolis) , Signer of the Declaration of Independence, US Senator.

John Carroll, 1735–1815 (Upper Marlboro) , First Catholic bishop in United States (as bishop of Baltimore).

Tom Clancy, 1947–2013 (Baltimore) , Writer, co-owner of the Baltimore Orioles.

Ta-Nehisi Coates, 1975– (Baltimore) , Writer and journalist.

Frederick Douglass, 1817–95 (near Easton) , Abolitionist, civil-rights advocate, US government official.

John Hanson, 1715–83 (Charles Co.) , Revolutionary War leader, presiding officer of the US Congress under the Articles of Confederation.

Matthew Henson, 1866–1965 (Charles Co.) , Arctic explorer.

Billie Holiday, 1915–59 (Baltimore) , Jazz-blues singer.

Johns Hopkins, 1795–1873 (Anne Arundel Co.) , Financier, philanthropist, founder of Johns Hopkins University

Francis Scott Key, 1779–1843 (Frederick County) , Lawyer, poet, author of "The Star-Spangled Banner"

H. L. (Henry Louis) Mencken, 1880–1956 (Baltimore) , Editor, critic

Thurgood Marshall, 1908–93 (Baltimore) , Civil rights lawyer, US Supreme Court justice.

Clarence M. Mitchell Jr., 1911–84 (Baltimore) , Civil rights activist, longtime chief lobbyist for the NAACP.

Kweisi Mfume, 1948– (Baltimore) , Politician, leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

William Paca, 1740–99 (near Abington) , State governor, signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Charles Willson Peale, 1741–1827 (Queen Anne's Co.) , Painter, naturalist.

William Pinkney, 1764–1822 (Annapolis) , Lawyer, diplomat, member of Congress, US attorney general.

Cal Ripken Jr., 1960– (Havre de Grace) , Professional baseball player.

Babe Ruth [George Herman Ruth], 1895–1948 (Baltimore) , Professional baseball player.

Upton Sinclair, 1878–1968 (Baltimore) , Author, politician.

Jada Pinkett Smith, 1971– (Baltimore) , Actor, producer.

Roger Brooke Taney, 1777–1864 (Calvert Co.) , US Supreme Court chief justice.

Harriet Tubman, c. 1820–1913 (Dorchester Co.) , Abolitionist.

Barry Levinson, 1942– (Baltimore) , Film director/producer and screenwriter.

Montel Williams, 1956– (Baltimore) , TV talk-show host.

John Waters, 1946– (Baltimore) , Filmmaker.

INTERESTING FACTS

• Elizabeth Ann Seton, the Roman Catholic Church's first American-born saint, was from Emmitsburg, Maryland. She was canonized in 1975.
• On June 24, 1784, Baltimore was the site of the United States' first successful manned balloon launch. The occupant was thirteen-year-old Edward Warren.
• Maryland lawyer Francis Scott Key wrote the poem which became the United States' national anthem. Key wrote "The Star Spangled Banner" based on seeing the British bombardment of Baltimore's Fort McHenry, during the War of 1812.
• Baltimore was the first Roman Catholic diocese in the United States. Bishop John Carroll was a cousin of Charles Carroll of Carrollton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
• The University of Maryland opened the first dental school in the United States.
• The United States Naval Academy was founded in Annapolis in 1845 to train officers. The school replaced the practice of training midshipmen solely at sea.
• In 1893, Naval Academy Midshipman Joseph M. Reeves (Class of 1894) invented the first football helmet.
• In 1944, doctors at Johns Hopkins University helped pioneer heart surgery by developing the "blue-baby operation." This operation corrects a congenital defect which robs the blood of oxygen.
• The Baltimore Ravens football team, founded in 1996, was named after the poem "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe, who spent the early part of his career in Baltimore and is buried there.
• Maryland's passing of legislation prohibiting foam cups, containers, and packaging in 2019 made it one of the first states to do so.
• Governor Larry Hogan declared 2020 "The Year of the Woman" in Maryland to honor the 100th anniversary of the passage of the nineteenth amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

Bibliography

"BEARFACTS: Maryland." Bureau of Economic Analysis, 31 Mar. 2023, US Department of Commerce, apps.bea.gov/regional/bearfacts/. Accessed 13 Sep. 2023.

Brugger, Robert J. Maryland: A Middle Temperament, 1634–1980. Johns Hopkins UP, 1988.

"Facts & Figures: BWI Marshall Airport Facts & Figures." BWI, www.bwiairport.com/flying-with-us/about-bwi/facts-figures. Accessed 13 Sep. 2023.

Manakee, Harold R. Maryland in the Civil War. Maryland Historical Society, 1961.

"Maryland." Quick Facts, US Census Bureau, 1 Jul. 2022, www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/MD/PST045222. Accessed 13 Sep. 2023.

"Maryland: 2020 Census." US Census Bureau, 25 Aug. 2021, www.census.gov/library/stories/state-by-state/maryland-population-change-between-census-decade.html. Accessed 13 Sep. 2023.

"Maryland: State Profile and Energy Estimates; Profile Analysis." US Energy Information Administration, 17 Nov. 2022, www.eia.gov/state/analysis.php?sid=MD. Accessed 13 Sep. 2023.

"Tourism Monitor Archive." Visit Maryland, Maryland Office of Tourism, Dec. 2022, industry.visitmaryland.org/tourism-monitor-archive. Accessed 13 Sep. 2023.

Wennersten, John R. Maryland’s Eastern Shore: A Journey in Time and Place. Tidewater, 1992.

Eric Badertscher