{"id":643,"date":"2018-07-11T04:00:20","date_gmt":"2018-07-11T04:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/?p=643"},"modified":"2018-07-14T05:16:31","modified_gmt":"2018-07-14T05:16:31","slug":"maryland-the-old-line-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/maryland-the-old-line-state\/","title":{"rendered":"Maryland – The Old Line State"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/h2>\n

Maryland is located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. To the south and west Maryland borders Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington DC.\u00a0 To the north is Pennsylvania and to the east is Delaware.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Maryland in the United States<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Maryland may well be the narrowest state due to the constriction of the borders near the western town of Hancock at which point the distance between the northern and southern borders is only 1.83 miles. These narrow borders are the result of the Mason-Dixon line<\/a> to the north and the Potomac River, which curves strongly north at this point, to the south.<\/p>\n

The population is approximately six million residents.<\/p>\n

As of 2015, Maryland had the highest median household income of any state.<\/p>\n

The largest city in the state is Baltimore while the capital is Annapolis.<\/p>\n

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Baltimore<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The state’s most common nickname is the Old Line State, the origin of which we will discuss later in this post.<\/p>\n

Maryland is named after the English queen Henrietta Maria of France<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Maryland ratified the new Constitution of the United States of America on 28 April 1788.<\/p>\n

Geography:<\/h2>\n

For the 9th smallest state, roughly comparable to the size of Hawaii, Maryland has a diverse range of geographic types. In the east, Maryland features sandy dunes with seagrass, giving way to low marshlands<\/p>\n

\"\"
Tidal Wetlands<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

with a large biodiversity profile among bald cypresses near the Chesapeake Bay. Further west are the gently rolling hills of oaks in the Piedmont<\/p>\n

\"\"
Potomac River Falls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

and farther to the west, to the border with West Virginia as pine groves in the mountains.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The influence and importance of the Chesapeake Bay cannot be overstated when it comes to Maryland life and geography. Sixteen of Maryland’s twenty three counties border on the tidal waters of the Chesapeake Bay estuary and its many tributaries, which combined total more than 4,000 miles of the shoreline. Most of the state’s waterways are part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Freshwater Tidal Lake<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The highest point in Maryland, with an elevation of 3,360 feet (1,020 m), is Hoye Crest on Backbone Mountain, in the southwest corner of Garrett County, near the border with West Virginia, and near the headwaters of the North Branch of the Potomac River.<\/p>\n

The majority of Maryland’s population is concentrated in the cities and suburbs surrounding Washington, D.C., as well as in and around Maryland’s most populous city, Baltimore. The Eastern Shore is less populous and more rural, as are the counties of western Maryland. The two westernmost counties of Maryland, Allegany and Garrett, are mountainous and sparsely populated, resembling West Virginia and Appalachia more than they do the rest of Maryland.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Regional Map of Maryland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

History:<\/h2>\n

Maryland is considered the birthplace of religious freedom in America. Maryland was founded by George Calvert, 1st Lord Baltimore<\/a>. Calvert was a trusted foreign minister and personal friend of King James I. When Calvert converted to Catholicism in 1625 he was automatically disqualified from holding public office, however his friendship with King James remained. Calvert had had an early interest in the administration of colonial affairs and petitioned James for a charter to provide a religious haven for Catholics persecuted in England as well as to extend the territories of the English Empire. Consequently, in 1632 James\u2019s son, Charles, granted Calvert a charter to settle lands in America held by the Crown. Unfortunately, the first Lord Baltimore died before the colony could be founded, so the charter was granted to his son, Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore<\/a> on June 20, 1632.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Cecil Calvert<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Officially, the new “Maryland Colony” was named in honor of Henrietta Maria of France, wife of Charles I of England<\/a>. George Calvert initially proposed the name \u201cCrescentia,\u201d the land of growth or increase, but the King proposed Terra Mariae [Mary Land], which was concluded on and Inserted in the bill.<\/p>\n

Lord Baltimore’s first settlers arrived in the new colony in March 1634, with his younger brother Leonard Calvert<\/a> (1606\u20131647), as first provincial Governor of Maryland. They made their first permanent settlement at St. Mary’s City<\/a> in what is now St. Mary’s County. They purchased the site from the paramount chief of the region, who was eager to establish trade. St. Mary’s became the first capital of Maryland, and remained so for 60 years until 1695. More settlers soon followed. Their tobacco crops were successful and quickly made the new colony profitable. However, given the incidence of malaria, yellow fever and typhoid, life expectancy in Maryland was about 10 years less than in New England.<\/p>\n

Maryland was founded for the purpose of providing religious toleration of England’s Roman Catholic minority. Although Maryland was the most heavily Catholic of the England mainland colonies, this religious group was still in the minority, consisting of less than 10% of the total population. Unlike the Pilgrims and Puritans, who began enforcing conformity with their beliefs as soon as they settled in America, Calvert envisioned a colony where people of different religious sects would coexist under the principle of toleration.<\/p>\n

In 1642 a number of Puritans left Virginia for Maryland and founded Providence (now called Annapolis) on the western shore of the upper Chesapeake Bay. This would lead to armed conflict by 1644, a situation that would not resolve until 1646. Puritans revolted again in 1650 and took over the legislature, swiftly establishing laws the prohibited all worship other than their own. Puritan rule lasted until 1658.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Annapolis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After the English Civil War, Maryland outlawed Catholicism and severely restricted the rights of Catholic peoples. This state of affairs lasted until after the American Revolutionary War.<\/p>\n

Most of the English colonists arrived in Maryland as indentured servants, and had to serve a several years’ term as laborers to pay for their passage. In the early years, the line between indentured servants and African slaves or laborers was fluid. As the flow of indentured laborers to the colony decreased with improving economic conditions in England, planters in Maryland imported thousands more slaves and racial caste lines hardened. The economy’s growth and prosperity was based on slave labor, devoted first to the production of tobacco as the commodity crop.<\/p>\n

In December 1790, Maryland donated land selected by first President George Washington to the federal government for the creation of the new national capital of Washington, D.C.<\/a> The land was provided along the north shore of the Potomac River from Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, as well as from Fairfax County and Alexandria on the south shore of the Potomac in Virginia; however, the land donated by the Commonwealth of Virginia was later returned to that state by the District of Columbia retrocession in 1846.<\/p>\n

Influenced by a changing economy, revolutionary ideals, and preaching by ministers, numerous planters in Maryland freed their slaves in the 20 years after the Revolutionary War.<\/p>\n

During the War of 1812<\/a>, the British military attempted to capture Baltimore, which was protected by Fort McHenry<\/a>. During this bombardment the song “Star Spangled Banner<\/a>” was written by Francis Scott Key<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Bombardment of Fort McHenry<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The National Road<\/a> (U.S. Hwy 40 today) was authorized in 1817 and ran from Baltimore to St. Louis \u2013 the first federal highway. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad<\/a> (B&O) was the first chartered railroad in the United States.<\/p>\n

The state remained with the Union during the Civil War. A new state constitution in 1864 abolished slavery and Maryland was first recognized as a “Free State” in that context.<\/p>\n

Maryland instituted its first ever income tax in 1937 to generate revenue for schools and welfare.<\/p>\n

Baltimore was a major war production center during World War II. The biggest operations were Bethlehem Steel’s Fairfield Yard, which built Liberty ships; and Glenn Martin, an aircraft manufacturer.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Fairfield Yard<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Maryland experienced population growth following World War II, particularly in the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. suburbs. Agricultural tracts gave way to residential communities. Concurrently the Interstate Highway System was built throughout the state, most notably I-95 and the Capital Beltway, altering travel patterns. In 1952 the eastern and western halves of Maryland were linked for the first time by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which replaced a nearby ferry service.<\/p>\n

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Chesapeake Bay Bridge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Maryland’s regions experienced economic changes following World War II. Heavy manufacturing declined in Baltimore. In Maryland’s four westernmost counties, industrial, railroad, and coal mining jobs declined. On the lower Eastern Shore, family farms were bought up by major concerns and large-scale poultry farms and vegetable farming became prevalent. In Southern Maryland, tobacco farming nearly vanished due to suburban development and a state tobacco buy-out program.<\/p>\n

Urban renewal projects have been undertaken, with mixed success, and this process continues to this day.<\/p>\n

Economy:<\/h2>\n

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Maryland households are currently the wealthiest in the country, with a 2013 median household income of $72,483. Maryland ranked No. 1 with the most millionaires per capita in 2013, with a ratio of 7.7 percent. Also, the state’s poverty rate of 7.8 percent is the lowest in the country.<\/p>\n

Maryland’s economy benefits from the state’s close proximity to the federal government in Washington, D.C. with an emphasis on technical and administrative tasks for the defense\/aerospace industry and bio-research laboratories, as well as staffing of satellite government headquarters in the suburban or exurban Baltimore\/Washington area. Ft. Meade<\/a> serves as the headquarters of the Defense Information Systems Agency, United States Cyber Command, and the National Security Agency\/Central Security Service. In addition, a number of educational and medical research institutions are located in the state. In fact, the various components of The Johns Hopkins University<\/a> and its medical research facilities are now the largest single employer in the Baltimore area. Altogether, white collar technical and administrative workers comprise 25 percent of Maryland’s labor force, attributable in part to nearby Maryland being a part of the Washington Metro Area where the federal government office employment is relatively high.<\/p>\n

Manufacturing is highly diversified with no sub-sector contributing over 20 percent of the total. Typical forms of manufacturing include electronics, computer equipment, and chemicals.<\/p>\n

One major service activity is transportation, centered on the Port of Baltimore and its related rail and trucking access.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Port of Baltimore<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Maryland has a large food-production sector. A large component of this is commercial fishing, centered in the Chesapeake Bay, but also including activity off the short Atlantic seacoast. The largest catches by species are the blue crab, oysters, striped bass, and menhaden.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Blue Crab<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Maryland has large areas of fertile agricultural land in its coastal and Piedmont zones, though this land use is being encroached upon by urbanization. Agriculture is oriented to dairy farming plus specialty perishable horticulture crops, such as cucumbers, watermelons, sweet corn, tomatoes, muskmelons, squash, and peas. There is also a large automated chicken-farming sector in the state’s southeastern part.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Maryland Agriculture<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Maryland is a major center for life sciences research and development with more than 400 biotechnology companies located there.<\/p>\n

Tourism is popular in Maryland, with tourists visiting the city of Baltimore, the beaches of the Eastern Shore, and the nature of western Maryland, as well as many passing through en route to Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Ocean City Beaches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Transportation:<\/h2>\n

Maryland has multiple Interstate Highway System routes passing through as well as several auxiliary Interstate highways<\/p>\n

Maryland also has a state highway system that contains numbered routes.<\/p>\n

Maryland’s largest airport is Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport<\/a>, more commonly referred to as BWI. The only other airports with commercial service are at Hagerstown<\/a> and Salisbury<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"
BWI Airport<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C. are also served by the other two airports in the region, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport<\/a> and Dulles International Airport<\/a>, both in Northern Virginia.<\/p>\n

Amtrak trains, including the high speed Acela Express<\/a> serve Baltimore’s Penn Station, BWI Airport, New Carrollton, and Aberdeen along the Washington D.C. to Boston Northeast Corridor. In addition, train service is provided to Rockville and Cumberland by Amtrak’s Washington, D.C., to Chicago Capitol Limited.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Acela Express<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The State Nickname:<\/h2>\n

Maryland earned the nickname \u201cOld Line State\u201d in the American Revolution. The Maryland Line, Maryland\u2019s regiments of regulars, achieved a reputation as the saviors of the Continental Army and the cause of independence. References to the \u201cOld Line\u201d are a tribute to the Maryland Line, but more specifically, to the first incarnation of the Maryland Line, the men who first mobilized in December 1775 and early 1776 and fought at Long Island on 27 August 1776, serving under William Smallwood, Francis Ware, Thomas Price, and Mordecai Gist. The battle-worn survivors of this regiment ostensibly reorganized in December 1777, continuing their enlistments \u201cfor three years or during the war.\u201d But by the close of 1777, few remained from the original line Washington witnessed at Long Island. Bled weak by fighting in the vanguard of the war, they received reinforcements from the Maryland companies of the Flying Camp, and earned recognition for their sacrifices in the form of a nickname.<\/p>\n

The Flag:<\/h2>\n

The official flag of the state of Maryland consists of the heraldic banner of George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore (1579\u20131632).<\/p>\n

\"\"
Maryland Flag<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The flag was officially adopted by the Maryland General Assembly in 1904. The first Maryland flag design consisted of the seal of Maryland on a blue background.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Maryland State Seal<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The black and gold design on the flag is the coat of arms from the Calvert line. It was granted to George Calvert as a reward for his storming a fortification during a battle. The red and white design is the coat of arms of the Crossland line, the family of Lord Baltimore’s mother, and features a cross bottony with the red and white sides of the cross alternating. Since George Calvert’s mother was an heiress, he was entitled to use both coats of arms in his banner. The Maryland flag is the only US state flag to be directly based on English heraldry.<\/p>\n

During the colonial period, only the gold and black Calvert arms were associated with Maryland. The state stopped using the colors following independence, but they were reintroduced in 1854.<\/p>\n

The red and white colored arms of the Crossland family, which belonged to the family of Calvert’s (Lord Baltimore’s) paternal grandmother, gained popularity during the American Civil War, during which Maryland remained with the Union despite a large proportion of the citizenry’s support for the Confederacy, especially in the central city of Baltimore and the counties of the southern part of the state and the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Those Marylanders who supported the Confederacy, many of whom fought in the Army of Northern Virginia of General Robert E. Lee, adopted the Crossland banner.<\/p>\n

Likewise, the black and gold (yellow) colors with the chevron design of the Calvert family were used in the flags and devices and uniform pins of the Union Army regiments in the northern Army of the Potomac. After the war, Marylanders who had fought on either side of the conflict returned to their state in need of reconciliation. The present design, which incorporates both of the coats of arms used by George Calvert, began appearing as a consequence of this desire for unity.<\/p>\n

Section 7-202 of the General Provisions Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland provides: “(a) The State flag is divided into quarters. (b) The first and fourth quarters are a paly of six pieces, or (gold) and sable (black), and a bend dexter (right diagonal band) counterchanged, so that they consist of six alternating gold and black vertical bars with a diagonal band on which the colors are reversed. (c) The second and third quarters are quartered argent (white) and gules (red), a cross bottony counterchanged, so that they consist of a quartered field of white and red, charged with a Greek cross that has arms terminating in trefoils and opposite coloring so that red is on the white quarters and white is on the red quarters, as represented on the escutcheon of the State seal.”<\/p>\n

\"\"
US and Maryland Flags on Our Flagpole<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Maryland is the only state in the union that has a specific guideline not only on how to display the flag but on what the flagpole should look like as well. In 1945, the Maryland General Assembly made a gold cross bottony the official ornament for the top of any flagpole carrying the state flag. Some time before October 10, 2007, Government House (the governor’s mansion) in Annapolis ceased to display the cross bottony at the top of the flag pole, but the flags at the State House continue to do so (adhering to Maryland General Provisions Code \u00a7 7-202 & 7-203 (2016)). All other state government buildings, including public schools, obey this guideline, but many private individuals and businesses do not.<\/p>\n

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Gold Cross Bottony<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next Up:<\/p>\n

Our next installment will consider the 8th state to join the Union, and also the first to leave it during the Civil War, South Carolina.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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