Maryland History - the history of Maryland
   
Vacation 2 USA

Travel & Tourism
 Calendars
 Camping
 Cookbooks
 Cycling
 Fishing
 Flights
 Golf
 Guide Books
 Hiking
 History
 Hotels
 Luggage
 Rental Cars
 Skiing
 Top Attractions
 US Flag
 Links

Cities
 Atlanta
 Baltimore
 Boston
 Chicago
 Dallas
 Detroit
 Denver
 Honolulu
 Houston
 Las Vegas
 Los Angeles
 Miami
 New Orleans
 New York
 Orlando
 Philadelphia
 Phoenix
 Pittsburgh
 San Antonio
 San Diego
 San Francisco
 Seattle
 Tampa
 Washington D.C.

Attractions & Resorts
 The Alamo
 Alcatraz
 Broadway Theatre
 Busch Gardens Africa
 Disneyland Resort
 Empire State Building
 Fisherman's Wharf
 Gateway Arch
 Golden Gate Bridge
 Grand Canyon
 Jefferson Memorial
 Kennedy Space Center
 Lincoln Memorial
 Mount Rushmore
 Napa Valley
 Niagara Falls
 Statue of Liberty
 Walt Disney World
 Washington Monument
 White House
 Yellowstone
 Yosemite
 More US Attractions

Destinations
 Alabama
 Alaska
 American Samoa
 Arizona
 Arkansas
 California
 Colorado
 Connecticut
 Delaware
 Florida
 Georgia
 Guam
 Hawaii
 Idaho
 Illinois
 Indiana
 Iowa
 Kansas
 Kentucky
 Louisiana
 Maine
 Maryland
 Massachusetts
 Michigan
 Minnesota
 Mississippi
 Missouri
 Montana
 Nebraska
 Nevada
 New Hampshire
 New Jersey
 New Mexico
 New York
 North Carolina
 North Dakota
 Northern Mariana Islands
 Ohio
 Oklahoma
 Oregon
 Pennsylvania
 Puerto Rico
 Rhode Island
 South Carolina
 South Dakota
 Tennessee
 Texas
 Utah
 Vermont
 Virgin Islands
 Virginia
 Washington
 Washington D.C.
 West Virginia
 Wisconsin
 Wyoming
 
   














































   
Vacation 2 USA   >   Maryland   >   History
Vacation 2 USA   >   History   >   Maryland History

   
 

Maryland History


Before the arrival of Europeans, the area that is today Maryland was inhabited by various Native American peoples. When Europeans arrived in the early 17th century, these included the Accohannock and Powhatan on Maryland's Western shore, and Nanticoke on the eastern shore. However, the Native American peoples were relatively quickly pushed out of the state, with the last tribe, the Shawnee, leaving in the 1740s.

The first European explorers to reach Maryland where various expeditions under English, French and Spanish flags in the 16th century, however no permanent settlements were established until the following century.

In 1632, George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore (whose coat of arms appears on the Maryland flag) applied to King Charles I of England for a royal charter to establish a new province. George Calvert died before the charter could be granted, and the charter was instead granted to his son, Cecil Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore later that same year. The first settlers, led by Cecil Calvert's younger brother, Leonard, departed from England in 1633, and landed on March 25th 1634 (a date that is still commemorated in the state each year as "Maryland Day").

The new colony of Maryland was named after Henrietta Maria, the Queen consort of Charles I. The goal of the colony was to establish a safe haven for English Catholics (the Calverts themselves were Catholic), as well as to turn a profit. As a result, Maryland soon became one of only a handful of predominately Catholic regions in the English colonies in America. This was not without controversy: there were serious anti-Catholic revolts, which resulted in the temporary overthrow of the Calvert family in 1644 to 1646, and 1650 to 1658.

One interesting aspect of early Maryland history, is that the royal charter was based on an incorrect map that would have put Pennsylvania's major city of Philadelphia within Maryland. In 1750, the Penn family (who controlled Pennsylvania) and the Calvert family, agreed to engage two surveyors, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon to survey a new boundary between the two colonies, which was named the Mason-Dixon line. Seventy years later, this line would become very important as a result of the Missouri Compromise of 1820: the expansion of slavery in the United States was only permitted South of this line.

During the American Revolution (1775 to 1783), Maryland, like many other colonies, was at first reluctant to split from Britain. Although no major battles took place within Maryland, the state did contribute important troops to the Continental Army, and it is probably from this contribution that the state gets the nickname "Old Line State". Additionally, the Continental Congress met for a few months in Baltimore in 1776 to 1777, and Annapolis also served as the US capital for just over seven months in 1783 to 1784.

Following the American Revolution the establishment of new permanent national capital was one of the first issues for the new government to address. A number of candidate cities were considered including Annapolis, but eventually it was decided to build a new capital (Washington D.C.). Maryland ceded approximately 61 square miles and Virginia approximately 39 square miles, to the federal government for this purpose (although Virginia's contribution was returned in 1846).

During the War of 1812, Maryland was the scene of two important battles. In 1814, the British defeated the Americans at the Battle of Bladensburg, and as result were able to capture Washington D.C. and burn many of the public buildings. The British navy also bombarded Fort McHenry (which defended Baltimore for 25 hours, but were unable to force its surrender: events there inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner" which was later to become the United States' national anthem.

During the American Civil War (1861 to 1865), Maryland found itself in a difficult position as both a slave state and one of the border states that straddled both North and South. There was considerable popular support for the Confederate cause, but Maryland did not secede from the Union thanks to swift and firm action by Abraham Lincolm, and the eventual support of Governor Thomas H. Hicks (who had initially favored neutrality and preventing Union troops from crossing the state). Maryland would eventually provide about 25,000 troops for the Confederacy (mostly serving in the Army of North Virginia), and about 60,000 men for the Union (mostly serving garrison duty within the state).

Maryland was crossed by troops of both sides during the Civil War. The most important battle occurring in the state being the Battle of Antienam, which was fought on September 17th 1862 near Sharpsburg. The battle, fought between about 87,000 men on the Union side and 40,000 on the Confederate side, although tactically a draw, effectively ended Robert E. Lee's invasion of the North.

One of the most noteable events of the 20th century that took place in Maryland, was the Great Baltimore Fire of 1904. The fire burned for over 30 hours on February 7th and February 8th, and destroyed more than 1,526 buildings across 70 city blocks. As a result of the fire, more than 35,000 people were left unemployed.

Like many former slave states, Maryland struggled with civil rights issues for long after the Civil War. For example, in the early 20th century there was several legislative attempts to disenfranchise African-Americans using property qualifications. On a brighter note, the 1935 case of Murray v. Pearson et al resulted in the integration of the University of Maryland Law School. This was the first time that any court had overturned the 1896 Supreme Court decision (Plessy v. Ferguson) approving racial segregation according to the "separate but equal" doctrine (although this particular new ruling had no authority outside Maryland).


Disclosure: Products details and descriptions provided by Amazon.com. Our company may receive a payment if you purchase products from them after following a link from this website.

Maryland: A History

By Suzanne Ellery Chapelle, Jean H. Baker, Edward C. Papenfuse & Gregory A. Stiverson

Johns Hopkins University Press
Released: September 14th, 2018
Paperback (384 pages)

Maryland: A History
 
Description:
Maryland: A History
  • Manufacturer: Johns Hopkins University Press
  • Brand: Johns Hopkins University Press
  • ISBN: 1421426226
  • EAN: 9781421426228
Details:
  • Paperback
  • Edition: second edition
  • Number of Pages: 384
  • Authors: Suzanne Ellery Chapelle, Jean B. Russo, Jean H. Baker, Dean R. Esslinger, Edward C. Papenfuse, Constance B. Schulz, Gregory A. Stiverson
  • Publication Date: September 14th, 2018
  • Release Date: September 14th, 2018
Physical Description:
  • Size: 10.0 Inches by 8.0 Inches by 0.78 Inches
  • Weight: 2.40083403318 Pounds
Click here for more information

Your Maryland: Little-Known Histories from the Shores of the Chesapeake to the Foothills of the Allegheny Mountains

By Ric Cottom

Johns Hopkins University Press
Released: October 16th, 2017
Paperback (256 pages)

Your Maryland: Little-Known Histories from the Shores of the Chesapeake to the Foothills of the Allegheny Mountains
 
Description:
Your Maryland: Little-Known Histories from the Shores of the Chesapeake to the Foothills of the Allegheny Mountains
  • Manufacturer: Johns Hopkins University Press
  • Brand: Johns Hopkins University Press
  • ISBNs: 9781421424057, 1421424053
  • EAN: 9781421424057
  • PartNumber: 9781421424057
Details:
  • Paperback
  • Format: Illustrated
  • Edition: Illustrated
  • Number of Pages: 256
  • Author: Ric Cottom
  • Publication Date: October 16th, 2017
  • Release Date: October 16th, 2017
Physical Description:
  • Size: 8.5 Inches by 5.5 Inches by 0.74 Inches
  • Weight: 0.7495716908 Pounds
Click here for more information

Pirates of the Chesapeake Bay: From the Colonial Era to the Oyster Wars

By Jamie L. H. Goodall

The History Press
Released: February 24th, 2020
Paperback (160 pages)

Pirates of the Chesapeake Bay: From the Colonial Era to the Oyster Wars
 
Description:
Pirates of the Chesapeake Bay: From the Colonial Era to the Oyster Wars
  • Manufacturer: The History Press
  • Brand: The History Press
  • ISBN: 146714116X
  • EAN: 9781467141161
Details:
  • Paperback
  • Number of Pages: 160
  • Author: Jamie L. H. Goodall
  • Publication Date: February 24th, 2020
  • Release Date: February 24th, 2020
Physical Description:
  • Size: 9.0 Inches by 6.0 Inches by 0.47 Inches
  • Weight: 0.97 Pounds
Click here for more information

Maryland Legends: Folklore from the Old Line State (American Legends)

By Trevor J. Blank

The History Press
Released: May 20th, 2014
Paperback (192 pages)

Maryland Legends: Folklore from the Old Line State (American Legends)
 
Description:
Maryland Legends: Folklore from the Old Line State (American Legends)
  • Manufacturer: The History Press
  • Brand: The History Press
  • ISBN: 1626194130
  • EAN: 9781626194137
  • PartNumber: , black & white illustrations
Details:
  • Paperback
  • Edition: Illustrated
  • Number of Pages: 192
  • Authors: Trevor J. Blank, David J. Puglia
  • Publication Date: May 20th, 2014
  • Release Date: May 20th, 2014
Physical Description:
  • Size: 9.0 Inches by 6.0 Inches by 0.44 Inches
  • Weight: 0.7 Pounds
Click here for more information

Maryland in the French & Indian War (Military)

By Timothy Ware

History Press
Released: February 20th, 2023
Paperback (128 pages)

Maryland in the French & Indian War (Military)
 
Description:
Maryland in the French & Indian War (Military)
  • Manufacturer: The History Press
  • Brand: History Press
  • ISBN: 1467150347
  • EAN: 9781467150347
Details:
  • Paperback
  • Number of Pages: 128
  • Author: Timothy Ware
  • Publication Date: February 20th, 2023
  • Release Date: February 20th, 2023
Physical Description:
  • Size: 9.0 Inches by 6.0 Inches by 0.302 Inches
  • Weight: 0.63 Pounds
Click here for more information

Early Settlers of Maryland

By Gust Skordas

Genealogical Publishing Company
Released: December 4th, 2008
Paperback (544 pages)

Early Settlers of Maryland
 
Description:
Early Settlers of Maryland
  • Manufacturer: Genealogical Publishing Company
  • Brand: Genealogical Publishing Company
  • ISBN: 0806306165
  • EAN: 9780806306162
Details:
  • Paperback
  • Number of Pages: 544
  • Author: Gust Skordas
  • Publication Date: December 4th, 2008
  • Release Date: December 4th, 2008
Physical Description:
  • Size: 8.5 Inches by 5.5 Inches by 1.1 Inches
  • Weight: 1.37568451488 Pounds
Features:
  • Used Book in Good Condition
Click here for more information

Maryland (A True Book: My United States) (A True Book (Relaunch))

By Vicky Franchino

Children's Press
Released: September 1st, 2017
Paperback (48 pages)

Maryland (A True Book: My United States) (A True Book (Relaunch))
 
Description:
Maryland (A True Book: My United States) (A True Book (Relaunch))
  • Manufacturer: Children's Press
  • Brand: Children's Press
  • ISBN: 0531232883
  • EAN: 9780531232880
Details:
  • Paperback
  • Format: Illustrated
  • Edition: Illustrated
  • Number of Pages: 48
  • Author: Vicky Franchino
  • Publication Date: September 1st, 2017
  • Release Date: September 1st, 2017
Physical Description:
  • Size: 8.3 Inches by 6.8 Inches by 0.1 Inches
  • Weight: 0.2 Pounds
Click here for more information

Princes of Ireland, Planters of Maryland: A Carroll Saga, 1500-1782

By Ronald Hoffman

Omohundro Institute and University of North Carolina Press
Released: February 25th, 2002
Paperback (464 pages)

Princes of Ireland, Planters of Maryland: A Carroll Saga, 1500-1782
 
Description:
Princes of Ireland, Planters of Maryland: A Carroll Saga, 1500-1782
  • Manufacturer: Omohundro Institute and UNC Press
  • Brand: Omohundro Institute and University of North Carolina Press
  • ISBNs: 080785347X, 0807825565
  • EAN: 9780807853474
  • PartNumber: 21 illustrations, 7 maps, 4 tables, 1 fi
Details:
  • Paperback
  • Edition: Revised ed.
  • Number of Pages: 464
  • Author: Ronald Hoffman
  • Publication Date: February 25th, 2002
  • Release Date: February 25th, 2002
Physical Description:
  • Size: 9.25 Inches by 6.12 Inches by 1.02 Inches
  • Weight: 1.48591564588 Pounds
Click here for more information

A Primary Source History of the Colony of Maryland

By Liz Sonneborn

Audible
Released: November 4th, 2011
Audible Audiobook

A Primary Source History of the Colony of Maryland
 
Description:
A Primary Source History of the Colony of Maryland
  • Manufacturer: Audible Studios
  • Brand: Audible
Details:
  • Product Category: Audible Audiobook
  • Format: Unabridged
  • Author: Liz Sonneborn
  • Publication Date: November 4th, 2011
  • Release Date: November 4th, 2011
Click here for more information

The Western Maryland Railroad and Its Civil War Legacy

By Scott L. Mingus Sr.

Independently published
Released: June 1st, 2022
Paperback (138 pages)

The Western Maryland Railroad and Its Civil War Legacy
 
Description:
The Western Maryland Railroad and Its Civil War Legacy
  • Manufacturer: Independently published
  • EAN: 9798820245893
Details:
  • Paperback
  • Number of Pages: 138
  • Authors: Scott L. Mingus Sr., Robert L. Williams
  • Publication Date: June 1st, 2022
  • Release Date: June 1st, 2022
Physical Description:
  • Size: 9.0 Inches by 6.0 Inches by 0.32 Inches
Click here for more information


Your Comments


Please share your comments about fishing in Maryland:

   

 
 

 
 
Note: Our company does NOT provide travel, vacation, hotel, car rental services or associated products or services. Any links (including but not limited to banners, text links, or search forms) to such items on this web site are adverts from third parties. Sorry we can NOT answer questions about these types of products or services.

Unless specifically noted on the page in question, our company is NOT associated with any particular destinations, resorts, attractions or places of interest that may be described on this website. In such cases, we have often provided links to the official sites where possible, or other third party sites containing useful information, purely as a courtesy and for informational purposes only.

All information about attractions, places of interest, travel destinations, travel services, etc., was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared, but may be change at any time. Readers are advised to check with the facility/resort operator, their travel agent, travel provider, or the attraction operator, for current information.


Copyright © 2006-2023, Answers 2000 Limited

CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED 'AS IS' AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.
CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE,COMES FROM AMAZON EU S.à r.l. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED 'AS IS' AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.

Disclosure: Our company's websites' content (including this website's content) includes advertisements for our own company's websites, products, and services, and for other organization's websites, products, and services. In the case of links to other organization's websites, our company may receive a payment, (1) if you purchase products or services, or (2) if you sign-up for third party offers, after following links from this website. Unless specifically otherwise stated, information about other organization's products and services, is based on information provided by that organization, the product/service vendor, and/or publicly available information - and should not be taken to mean that we have used the product/service in question. Additionally, our company's websites contain some adverts which we are paid to display, but whose content is not selected by us, such as Google AdSense ads. For more detailed information, please see Advertising/Endorsements Disclosures

Our sites use cookies, some of which may already be set on your computer. Use of our site constitutes consent for this. For details, please see Privacy.

Click privacy for information about our company's privacy, data collection and data retention policies, and your rights.

Contact Us   Privacy   Terms of Use   Advertising/Endorsements Disclosures


In Association With Amazon.com
Answers 2000 Limited is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
In Association With Amazon.co.uk
Answers 2000 Limited is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk.
As an Amazon Associate, our company earns from qualifying purchases. Amazon, the Amazon logo, Endless, and the Endless logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.


All trademarks are property of their respective owners.
All third party content and adverts are copyright of their respective owners.

Some graphics on our web sites are Copyright (C) 1997-2000 Hemera Technologies Inc., and used under license. All such pictures are provided for viewing purposes only and are not to be saved or downloaded. All such pictures of recognizable individuals are models and used for illustrative purposes only, and not meant to imply any association or endorsement of said individual with any product or service.