Maryland Statehood Day

Nickname: The Old Line State. Smith Island is also Maryland's official state dessert. The United States Naval Academy was founded on October 10, 1845 at Annapolis. King Williams School opened in 1696 it was the first school in the United States. Biggest City: Baltimore. Tilghman Island is home to the Skipjacks, the only commercial sailing fleet in North America. The First Marylanders Were Native Americans.

The U.S. National Anthem Was Written in Maryland. Francis Scott Key, a Maryland-based lawyer and amateur poet, penned the words to his poem “The Defence of Fort McHenry” in 1814. The poem was widely published and soon came to be known as “The Star-Spangled Banner”. Composer John Stafford Smith set it to the tune of “To Anacreon Heaven”, which further increased its popularity. Eventually, it was adopted as the U.S. national anthem on March 3, 1931.

Maryland is known for its crabs from the Chesapeake Bay, blue crabs in particular. The state is also home to many thoroughbred horse farms and is known for being the birthplace of the National Anthem. Other things that Maryland is known for include its pit beef sandwiches, Old Bay seasoning, and Natty Boh beer.