Maryland History - the history of Maryland
   
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Vacation 2 USA   >   Maryland   >   History
Vacation 2 USA   >   History   >   Maryland History

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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).


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Maryland, A Middle Temperament: 1634-1980 (Maryland Paperback Bookshelf)

By Robert J. Brugger

The Johns Hopkins University Press
Paperback (864 pages)

Maryland, A Middle Temperament: 1634-1980 (Maryland Paperback Bookshelf)
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Maryland: A Middle Temperament explores the ironies, contradictions, and compromises that give "America's oldest border state" its special character. Extensively illustrated and accompanied by bibliography, maps, charts, and tables, Robert Brugger's vivid account of the state's political, economic, social, and cultural heritage—from the outfitting of Cecil Calvert's expedition to the opening of Baltimore's Harborplace—is rich in the issues and personalities that make up Maryland's story and explain its "middle temperament."

Voices from Colonial America: Maryland 1634-1776 (National Geographic Voices from ColonialAmerica)

By Robin Doak

National Geographic
Released: 2007-12-11
Hardcover (112 pages)

Voices from Colonial America: Maryland 1634-1776 (National Geographic Voices from ColonialAmerica)
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First-person accounts, archival illustrations, and historic maps reveal Maryland's rich history. Discover how the colony was founded by Catholics yet largely settled by Protestants; how it was uniquely ruled by a single proprietor; why a ton of tea was burned in Annapolis; how tobacco and wheat were often used as money; and why the American Revolution ended here.

True Crime: Maryland: The State's Most Notorious Criminal Cases

By Ed Okonowicz

Stackpole Books
Paperback (144 pages)

True Crime: Maryland: The State s Most Notorious Criminal Cases
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From its settlement in 1634 to its important proximity to the nation's capital in the present, Maryland has served as a crossroads of America, influencing critical events, not the least of which have been numerous crimes. This book begins with a general survey of lawbreaking in the state and then focuses on its landmark cases, including the terrifying killing spree of the Beltway Snipers, the mysterious Lover's Lane Murders, the attempted assassination of George Wallace, the still-unsolved disappearance of murderer Bradford Bishop, and the tragic saga of cop killer Terrence Johnson.

Maryland: A New Guide to the Old Line State

By Earl Arnett & Edward C. Papenfuse

The Johns Hopkins University Press
Paperback (672 pages)

Maryland: A New Guide to the Old Line State
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From Antietam to Assateague, from Charles County's Tobacco Road to the mountainous Green Ridge Forest, the natural and historic sites of Maryland are among the nation's richest and most diverse. Now, the newly revised and updated edition of this widely acclaimed guidebook provides a complete, compact, and reliable companion for travel anywhere in the state.

First published as a project of the Works Progress Administration in 1940 and last revised for the 1976 bicentennial, Maryland: A New Guide to the Old Line State has been reorganized, rewritten, and completely updated. Personally traveling nearly all of the 5,000 miles covered, the authors combine first-hand experience with the latest scholarly research. The result is a unique new guidebook that tells the stories of Maryland's familiar people and places and of those often overlooked. Travelers can follow Piscataway Indian trails as well as John Wilkes Booth's escape route; visit the homes of Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman as well as the mansions in Annapolis and Hampton; explore the sites of the Crisfield oyster boom and Georges Creek coal rush as well as those of John Brown's raid and the Battle of Antietam. The updated Guide also provides information on the many museums and visitor attractions in Baltimore, Frederick, and other Maryland cities.

Supplementing the more than 120 archival photographs are contemporary ones by photographer Edwin Remsberg which show the immensity of changes the state has undergone. Some photos literally look down the same street or road fifty or sixty years later, revealing dramatic urban development or subtle shifts in mood. Fifty new maps by cartographer Bill Nelson offer an accurate guide to every tour.

Previous editions of this book have been hailed as definitive touring guides to Maryland. Now once more revised and updated—and this time fully reorganized— Maryland: A New Guide to the Old Line State emerges as a freshly appealing guidebook for native, newcomer, and visitor alike.

A Guide to Genealogical Research in Maryland

By Henry C. Peden Jr.

The Maryland Historical Society
Paperback (140 pages)

A Guide to Genealogical Research in Maryland
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This new edition is a comprehensive research guide to all of Maryland’s family history resources, including libraries, archives, historical and genealogical societies. An updated bibliography includes hundreds of the most valuable genealogical book titles as well as available e-mail addresses, web sites, and fax numbers for all the state’s research centers and societies. The Guide is organized into sections such as Vital Records, Church Records, Tax Lists, and Special Finding Aids.

Maryland: A History of its People

By Suzanne Ellery Chapelle, Dean R. Esslinger & Constance B. Schulz

The Johns Hopkins University Press
Hardcover (352 pages)

Maryland: A History of its People
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An introductory high school textbook surveying the history of Maryland, with emphasis on the blacks, women, immigrants, and other special groups contributing to the variety of its population.

Maryland In The Civil War

By William S. Shepard

Uncle Seth Cutler Press
Released: 2011-02-27
Kindle Edition (82 pages)

Maryland In The Civil War
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Just in time for the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, “Maryland In The Civil War” answers the need for a compact and accurate history of this tragic and heroic era. These four essays explore famous battles on Maryland soil such as Antietam, and little known episodes such as Maryland’s invasion of the Eastern Shore counties of Virginia, followed by the military occupation of Delaware!

The first essay, “The Setting, 1859-1860,” explores the Southern sympathies of the Eastern Shore, and slavery as an institution here. We trace the contributions and legacy of Eastern Shore natives Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass.

The second essay, “The Crisis, 1861,” concentrates on the efforts of Governor Hicks to keep Maryland in the Union. It is a thrilling story and a surprising one, for Hicks, a Dorchester County farmer who had been elected thanks to the Know-Nothing (American) Party nomination in 1857, soon found himself fighting the grand issues of the day with a General Assembly that was controlled by Southern Democrats. The pressures to at least convene a legislative convention to consider the secession issue – as Virginia was doing at the same time – caused enormous pressure. And the Pratt Street Riots of April 19, 1861, when federal troops passing through Baltimore ran into a rioting gang of outraged civilians, caused emotions to run at fever pitch.

Hicks’s nightmare came about, as Maryland became a “Battlefield, 1861-1863,” the third essay. Here, I hope that readers will take their Kindles with them to the battlefields of Antietam, South Mountain, and Monocacy, follow the narrative, and ponder over the sacrifices made on those battlefields. Antietam still holds the doleful record of the greatest American casualties ever sustained in one day.

In the fourth essay, “Last Rolls of the Dice, 1864-1865,” we follow the desperate gamble of General Jubal Early, CSA, to capture Washington. And of course, the path of deluded actor John Wilkes Booth is treated here, both the assassination of Lincoln, and the strange episode of Dr. Samuel Mudd, of Bryantown in Southern Maryland, who treated the injured Booth and just missed the death penalty at his ensuing trial.

Since Marylanders fought on both sides, neither should be forgotten. The Maryland Memorial at Gettysburg, seen on the cover of this e-book, portrays the scene, two wounded soldiers, USA and CSA, helping each other as they limp along. For a conflict that pitted brothers against each other, sometimes literally, that symbol of coming together is a worthy one, as Americans still ponder the past, and its lessons for the present.

Mid-Maryland: A Crossroads of History

The History Press
Paperback (192 pages)

Mid-Maryland: A Crossroads of History
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The region of Mid-Maryland—consisting of Washington, Frederick and Carroll Counties—has been a historical crossroads, vital in the development of Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic region.

This collection of compelling and insightful essays offers fresh perspectives on an area incomparably rich in history, taking the reader on a tour of some of the most critical themes—such as the events and effects of the Civil War, African American history and historic preservation efforts—in the region's past.

Editors Powell and Thompson have compiled contributions from professional and amateur historians, creating an invaluable and accessible collection sure to appeal to all with an interest in sharing and preserving Mid-Maryland's past.

Witch Trials, Legends, and Lore of Maryland: Dark, Strange, and True Tales

By William H Cooke

Undertaker Press
Paperback (156 pages)

Witch Trials, Legends, and Lore of Maryland: Dark, Strange, and True Tales
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Does a witch's ghost haunt a park in Annapolis? Why should Baltimore really be called Charm City? What weird stories and traditions regarding witches in the Chesapeake region are true and where did the others originate? What is the real history of witchcraft in early Maryland? How were accusations of witchcraft handled by the authorities? Why did Maryland not suffer the same fate as Salem in 1692? Reviewing early Maryland records, newspaper articles, and other accounts from the 17th to the early 20th century, this book answers these questions and more, while revealing Maryland's fascinating witch-related history.

The Colony of Maryland: A Primary Source History (Primary Source Library of the Thirteen Colonies and the Lost)

By Melody S. Mis

PowerKids Press
Library Binding (24 pages)

The Colony of Maryland: A Primary Source History (Primary Source Library of the Thirteen Colonies and the Lost)
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