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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).
By Eric J. Wittenberg & Michael F. Nugent
Savas Beatie
Hardcover (576 pages)
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The titanic three-day battle of Gettysburg left 50,000 casualties in its wake, a battered Southern army far from its base of supplies, and a rich historiographic legacy. Thousands of books and articles cover nearly every aspect of the battle, but not a single volume focuses on the military aspects of the monumentally important movements of the armies to and across the Potomac River. One Continuous Fight: The Retreat from Gettysburg and the Pursuit of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, July 4-14, 1863 is the first detailed military history of Lee's retreat and the Union effort to catch and destroy the wounded Army of Northern Virginia. Against steep odds and encumbered with thousands of casualties, Confederate commander Robert E. Lee's post-battle task was to successfully withdraw his army across the Potomac River. Union commander George G. Meade's equally difficult assignment was to intercept the effort and destroy his enemy. The responsibility for defending the exposed Southern columns belonged to cavalry chieftain James Ewell Brown (Jeb) Stuart. If Stuart fumbled his famous ride north to Gettysburg, his generalship during the retreat more than redeemed his flagging reputation. The ten days of retreat triggered nearly two dozen skirmishes and major engagements, including fighting at Granite Hill, Monterey Pass, Hagerstown, Williamsport, Funkstown, Boonsboro, and Falling Waters. President Abraham Lincoln was thankful for the early July battlefield victory, but disappointed that General Meade was unable to surround and crush the Confederates before they found safety on the far side of the Potomac. Exactly what Meade did to try to intercept the fleeing Confederates, and how the Southerners managed to defend their army and ponderous 17-mile long wagon train of wounded until crossing into western Virginia on the early morning of July 14, is the subject of this study One Continuous Fight draws upon a massive array of documents, letters, diaries, newspaper accounts, and published primary and secondary sources. These long-ignored foundational sources allow the authors, each widely known for their expertise in Civil War cavalry operations, to describe carefully each engagement. The result is a rich and comprehensive study loaded with incisive tactical commentary, new perspectives on the strategic role of the Southern and Northern cavalry, and fresh insights on every engagement, large and small, fought during the retreat. The retreat from Gettysburg was so punctuated with fighting that a soldier felt compelled to describe it as "One Continuous Fight." Until now, few students fully realized the accuracy of that description. Complimented with 18 original maps, dozens of photos, and a complete driving tour with GPS coordinates of the entire retreat, One Continuous Fight is an essential book for every student of the American Civil War in general, and for the student of Gettysburg in particular. About the Authors: Eric J. Wittenberg has written widely on Civil War cavalry operations. His books include Glory Enough for All (2002), The Union Cavalry Comes of Age (2003), and The Battle of Monroe's Crossroads and the Civil War's Final Campaign (2005). He lives in Columbus, Ohio. J. David Petruzzi is the author of several magazine articles on Eastern Theater cavalry operations, conducts tours of cavalry sites of the Gettysburg Campaign, and is the author of the popular "Buford's Boys" website at www.bufordsboys.com. Petruzzi lives in Brockway, Pennsylvania. A long time student of the Gettysburg Campaign, Michael Nugent is a retired US Army Armored Cavalry Officer and the descendant of a Civil War Cavalry soldier. He has previously written for several military publications. Nugent lives in Wells, Maine. REVIEWS "...Is there anything left unwritten about the Gettysburg Campaign? Absolutely, and this bookis but one example. It is a must have for any student of the Civil War, and especially for a student of the Gettysburg Campaign."Civil War Notebook, 06/2008 |
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By Bernard Cornwell
HarperCollins
Released: 2001-09-18
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In this fourth, final, and rousing installment of Nathaniel Starbuck's Civil War adventures, Nate is given command of a punishment battalion: a motley collection of cowards, thieves, deserters, and murderers. Setting off to Join General Robert E. Lee's army, Starbuck's men reach Harper's Ferry in time to take part in Stonewall Jackson's capture of the Union garrison. From there, the regiment moves on to the legendary horror of Sharpsburg, beside the Antietam Creek, forever to be remembered as the bloodiest single day of the war. There, Starbuck and his troop will have their courage and commitment tested as never before. |
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By Ellen B. Hirschland
Northwestern University Press
Hardcover (352 pages)
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Over a period of fifty years, sisters Claribel and Etta Cone amassed one of the most acclaimed collections of late-nineteenth and twentieth-century art in America. Dr. Claribel and Miss Etta were two halves of an idiosyncratic team—Claribel bold and assertive and Etta reflective and sensitive—who used the fortunes of their German Jewish immigrant family to seek out works that inspired and pleased them, regardless of public opinion and with only self-taught expertise.
This richly illustrated biography documents their lives from a unique perspective: that of their great-niece, who wrote this book with her daughter. Ellen B. Hirschland and Nancy Hirschland Ramage delve into Claribel’s and Etta’s world, following the sisters through letters and personal stories as they travel to meet some of the artists whose works would turn their adjoining apartments into a gallery. They bought art by Manet, Gauguin, and Cézanne, as well as of Picasso and Matisse, whom they came to know well. The sisters’ experiences in Paris from 1901 through the 1920s provide an exceptional view of the bright artistic ferment in the city at that time. They were two Victorian women from Baltimore buying avant-garde masterpieces, attending salons with friends Gertrude and Leo Stein, and building a collection that would initially enrage the conservative people around them. Only with time would their keen eyes and unwavering taste prove them right.
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By Nancy Woloch
McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
Paperback (408 pages)
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This volume is a collection of over 100 primary sources in women's history that reveals the diversity of women's experience from the colonial era through the 19th century. The documents range from the familiar to the unusual. Collectively, they evoke interest, inspire reflection, and invite commentary from readers. This volume can stand alone, or it can be used in combination with Susan Ware's MODERN AMERICAN WOMEN, 1890 TO THE PRESENT. |
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By John Barth
Anchor
Released: 1987-08-18
Paperback (768 pages)
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This is Barth's most distinguished masterpiece. This modern classic is a hilarious tribute to all the most insidious human vices, with a hero who is "one of the most diverting...to roam the world since Candide" (Time ). |
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By Mary Sharratt
Mariner Books
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In the tradition of Philippa Gregory's smart, transporting fiction comes this tale of dark suspense, love, and betrayal, featuring two star-crossed sisters, one lost and the other searching.
Bright and inquisitive, Hannah Powers was raised by a father who treated her as if she were his son. While her beautiful and reckless sister, May, pushes the limits of propriety in their small English town, Hannah harbors her own secret: their father has given her an education forbidden to women. But Hannah's secret serves her well when she journeys to colonial Maryland to reunite with May, who has been married off to a distant cousin after her sexual misadventures ruined her marriage prospects in England.
As Hannah searches for May, who has disappeared, she finds herself falling in love with her brother-in-law. Alone in a wild, uncultivated land where the old rules no longer apply, Hannah is freed from the constraints of the society that judged both her and May as dangerousâtoo smart, too fearless, and too hungry for life. But Hannah is also plagued by doubt, as her quest for answers to May's fate grows ever more disturbing and tangled. |
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By Matt Lake
Sterling
Released: 2006-07-25
Hardcover (256 pages)
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What's Weird Around Here? That’s a question Mark Moran and Mark Sceurman have enjoyed asking for years—and their offbeat sense of curiosity led them to create the bestselling phenomenon, Weird N.J. Now the weirdness has spread: several key locales throughout the U.S. are getting the full Weird treatment, with travel guides to the strange, bizarre, and wacky. Each fun and intriguing volume offers more than 250 illustrated pages of places where tourists usually don’t venture—it’s chock-full of oddball curiosities, ghostly places, local legends, crazy characters, cursed roads, and peculiar roadside attractions. What’s NOT shockingly odd here? That every previously published Weird book has become a bestseller in its region. So join the fun on a trek through Maryland, Michigan, and Minnesota. Some of what’s out there is disturbing, some hilarious, but all of it is unforgettably…weird |
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By Vivien T. Thomas
University of Pennsylvania Press
Paperback (264 pages)
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Visitors to the Blalock Building at the Johns Hopkins University Medical Center are greeted by portraits of two great men. One, of renowned heart surgeon Alfred Blalock, speaks for itself. The other, of highschool graduate Vivien Thomas, is testimony to the incredible genius and determination of the first black man to hold a professional position at one of America's premier medical institutions.
Thomas's dreams of attending medical school were dashed when the Depression hit. After spending some time as a carpenter's apprentice, Thomas took what he expected to be a temporary job as a technician in Blalock's lab. The two men soon became partners and together invented the field of cardiac surgery.
Partners of the Heart is Thomas's extraordinary autobiography. Trained in laboratory techniques by Alfred Blalock and Joseph W. Beard, Thomas remained Blalock's principal technician and laboratory chief for the rest of Blalock's distinguished career. Thomas very rapidly learned to perform surgery, to do chemical determinations, and to carry out physiologic studies. He became a phenomenal technician and was able to carry out complicated experimental cardiac operations totally unassisted and to devise new ones.
In addition to telling Thomas's life story, Partners of the Heart traces the beginnings of modern cardiac surgery, crucial investigations into the nature of shock, and Blalock's methods of training surgeons. |
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By Shirley Menendez
Sleeping Bear Press
Hardcover (40 pages; 1)
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Illustrated by Laura Stutzman Located just below the Mason-Dixon line, Maryland is flavored with both northern and southern culture and tradition. Defined by the largest estuary in the United States (The Chesapeake Bay), Maryland's historic sites/sights include capital city Annapolis and the U.S. Naval Academy, Muddy Creek Falls, and the running of the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore. Noteworthy residents include Harriet Tubman and Francis Scott Key. Shirley C. Menendez grew up in Staunton, Virginia, and graduated from Mary Baldwin College. She earned a master's degree in library science from Drexel University. Before joining the administrative staff of Georgetown University, she was a librarian in the Prince George's County Memorial Library System in Maryland and the Westchester Library System in New York. Shirley lives in Gaithersburg, Maryland, with her husband, who is also a writer. Laura Stutzman graduated from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, and in 1984 formed a studio called Eloqui with her husband, illustrator Mark Stutzman. She has created imagery for books and magazines, corporations, non-profit organizations, and privately commissioned portraits. Laura teaches a weeklong camp each year for children grades 8 through 12 who are serious about art. She makes her home in Mountain Lake Park, Maryland. |
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By H.L. Mencken
Melville House
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"The native American Voltaire, the enemy of all puritans, the heretic in the Sunday school, the one-man demolition crew of the genteel tradition."-Alistair Cooke Fiercely intelligent, scathingly honest, and hysterically funny, H.L. Mencken's coverage of the Scopes Monkey Trial so galvanized the nation that it eventually inspired a Broadway play and hit movie. Mencken's no-nonsense sensibility is still exciting: his perceptive rendering of the courtroom drama; his piercing portrayals of key figures Scopes, Clarence Darrow, and William Jennings Bryan; his ferocious take on the fundamentalist culture surrounding it all-including a raucous midnight trip into the woods to witness a secret "holy roller" service.
Shockingly, these reports have never been gathered together into a book of their own-until now.
A Religious Orgy in Tennessee includes all of Mencken's reports for The Baltimore Sun, The Nation, and The American Mercury. It even includes his coverage of Bryan's death just days after the trial-an obituary so withering Mencken was forced to rewrite it (both versions are included, although the rewrite seems, if anything, even less forgiving).
With the rise of "intelligent design," Mencken's work has never seemed more unnervingly timely-or timeless. |
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