Exploration and settlement of the Maryland area dates back to 1608 when Captain John Smith explore the Chesapeake Bay. English settlers first moved there in around 1632 when King Charles 1st granted a royal charter for Maryland.
From 1763 to 1767 a couple of blokes named Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon surveyed the boundary line with Pennsylvania, which later became known as the Mason-Dixon line. Before the Civil War the Mason-Dixon line popularly designated the boundary dividing the slave states from the free states. To this day it is still used to distinguish the North from the South.
In 1791, Maryland ceded land (with Virginia) to form the District of Columbia.
During the war of 1812 (actually in 1814) the British attempted to capture Baltimore and the ensuing bombardment of Fort McHenry inspired Francis Scott Key to write the words to "The Star-Spangled Banner", part of which was later used for the American National Anthem (officially accepted in 1931). It was actually originally titled "Defence of Fort McHenry" and has four stanzas. Possibly a funny note to this story is that the poem was set to a popular British drinking song and hence the American National Anthem was born.
During the Civil War, Maryland was still a slave state but remained in the Union. Consequently men from Maryland fought on both sides and many families were divided over their involvement.
Popular tourist spots include: Fort McHenry, Harpers Ferry, Baltimore Aquarium, Annapolis, US Naval Academy and just cruising on the Chesapeake Bay.
Our good friends Jeff and Nicole live in Maryland so the majority of time we have spent in Maryland has been with them. We have also been for a short visit to Annapolis and also went and watched a Baltimore Orioles baseball game with friends Nikki and Mike.