Maryland History

The history of the state of Maryland, like that of many U.S. states, has been fraught with conflict. Boundary disputes with Virginia, which began with the 1632 charter granted to George Calvert, the 1st Baron Baltimore, were finally settled in 1930, although the use of the Potomac River remains an issue today.

Another boundary issue developed with Pennsylvania. Maryland's royal charter placed its northern border at the 40th parallel, which would have encompassed part of Philadelphia. The resulting violent conflict, Cresap's War, began in 1730 and fighting finally ended in 1738 when King George II stepped in, mandating a cease-fire. The dispute wasn't resolved, however, until 1767, when the Mason-Dixon Line was established as the boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania - not, as some believe, as the boundary between the North and the South.

Religious freedom was a contentious issue in Maryland history. The 2nd Baron Baltimore sought to make the colony a refuge for persecuted Catholics. However, as Maryland's population of Puritans grew, so did religious conflict. And although a toleration act - sometimes viewed as a forerunner to the First Amendment - was passed in 1649, it was repealed when the Puritans gained control. This led to a brief armed conflict, but the Puritans retained power. Finally, when a large number of Catholics immigrated to the state in the 19th century, persecution of Catholics waned.

The colony of Maryland joined in the Revolution against the British and helped to ratify the Articles of Confederation and the new Constitution. Subsequently, in 1788, Maryland was admitted to the union as the 7th state. In 1790, Maryland and Virginia ceded land on which to build the nation's new capital city of Washington, D.C., but in 1847, 32 square miles were returned to Virginia.

Maryland's position as a border state placed it in an unenviable position during the Civil War. Families were torn apart as their sons fought for different sides in the conflict. And although Maryland was a slave state, it remained in the Union. Culturally, rural Maryland is more Southern in nature, while densely populated urban regions display more Northern traits.

Maryland Demographics

As of 2005, Maryland had an estimated population of more than 5.6 million, making it 19th in the U.S. Eighty-seven percent of Marylanders have graduated from high school, while 34.5% hold Bachelor's degrees or higher, which ranks the state 5th, nationwide. The Census Bureau also reports that Maryland is the 2nd wealthiest state in the U.S., with a median household income of over $62,500.

Maryland demographics, broken down by ancestry, include German, Irish, and English, with Baltimore being home to the state's largest concentrations of African Americans, Italians and Poles.

Maryland Economy

Maryland's unemployment rate (3.6% in early 2007) generally runs below the U.S. rate. Management and professional positions account for the largest number of jobs, 41%, with 22% employed by government agencies - Federal, state, and local. The proximity of Washington, D.C. provides varied opportunities for administrative and technical workers. Many Federal agencies are, in fact, located in Maryland: Census Bureau, Environmental Protection Agency, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration, and National Security Agency, to name only a few. In addition, the military has a significant presence in Maryland. Facilities include Andrews Air Force Base, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Fort Meade, and the U.S. Naval Academy.

With over 350 biotechnology firms, Maryland's life-sciences industry ranks 3rd in the U.S. Other major components of the Maryland economy are transportation (focused on Baltimore's port, rail and trucking industries); fishing (Chesapeake Bay yields oysters, clams, fin fish and more crabs than any other state); manufacturing (machinery, missiles, chemicals, metals, and food products); farming (corn, tobacco, soybeans, broiler chickens); and tourism.

Maryland Real Estate

It is expected that the value of Maryland real estate will continue to grow moderately, in spite of a recent slowdown in sales. A relatively strong employment scene brought about by a shift toward the medical, education, and defense sectors should contribute to this trend. It is anticipated that between 40,000 and 60,000 jobs will be created by 2011, which would mean an additional 25,000 households in Maryland, producing an estimated $500 million in income and property taxes each year.

According to the Census Bureau's 2005 American Community Survey, the median value of homes in Maryland was $280,200 (8th in the nation), and the median monthly costs for those with a mortgage was $1,561.