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In 1629, 1st Lord Baltimore, George Calvert, sailed from Newfoundland to Virginia. At that time part of modern Maryland existed within Virginia. Lord Baltimore’s son and 2nd Lord Baltimore, Cecilius Calvert, received a charter from England’s King Charles I, and the new colony was named Maryland to honor the king’s wife, Queen Henrietta Maria, or Queen Mary. In 1634, settlers arrived to the colony; by 1649, Virginian Puritans settled also, and soon the Religious Tolerance Law was enacted. A period of religious strife between Puritans and Catholics endured for many years. The seat of government was moved from St. Mary’s City to Annapolis, named in honor of Queen Anne, which is now the state capital.
In 1776, Maryland became one of the thirteen colonies to revolt against Great Britain, entering the Revolutionary War. By April 28, 1788, Maryland became the seventh of the newly formed United States of America. Part of Maryland became the nation’s capital, Washington, D. C. Legend recounts Maryland’s Revolutionary War soldiers as having been called "the Old Line", leading to the state’s nickname, the Old Line State.
Maryland was visited by war again in the War of 1812; during this period, the British attempted to take Baltimore. It was this bombardment of Fort McHenry that led to Francis Scott Key’s 1814 composition of "The Star-Spangled Banner", which later became the National Anthem of the United States.
During the American Civil War, Maryland did not secede from the United States. A major battle of the Civil War occurred in Maryland, at the Battle of Antietam, during which some 23,000 soldiers were wounded or killed. This battle was a turning point in the war.
Maryland is also known for its famous inhabitants. Among celebrated Marylanders are Francis Scott Key, singer Billie Holiday, abolitionist Harriet Tubman, Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall, composer Philip Glass, baseball legend Babe Ruth, and singer Frank Zappa.
The Old Line State’s rich history and its legacy in education hold great promise for its future as it further develops its biotechnology and life sciences industries.
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