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Maryland is a state geographically located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States of America. It borders West Virginia, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, and Delaware. It is named after Henrietta Maria of France, the wife of Charles I of England. The capital is Annapolis, with Baltimore as the largest city.
See the fact file below for more information about the state of Maryland, or download our entire Maryland worksheet bundle to teach in a home or classroom environment.
Key Facts & Worksheets
- Maryland became the USA’s 7th state on April 28, 1788.
- The Capital City of Maryland is the vibrant Annapolis, with a population in 2020 of over 6 million.
- Its area is 12,406.68 square miles (32,133.2 km2)
- Maryland’s major cities are Baltimore, Annapolis, Bethesda, and Cumberland.
- Maryland State Symbols are:
- Bird – Baltimore Oriole
- The Baltimore Oriole is a medium-sized bird with a longish tail, a sturdy body, quite long legs, and a thick, pointed bill. Females are mainly yellow-brown with darker wings, while the male’s plumage is bright yellowish-orange contrasted with black.
- Flower – Black-Eyed Susan
- The Black-Eyed Susan, named because of its unusual black center, is a daisy-like flower with bright yellow petals loved by butterflies and bees. It is a hardy perennial, flowering in late summer, and grows up to 39 in (100 cm) tall.
- Animal – Chesapeake Bay Retriever (Dog)
- The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is a large breed of working dog with a thick, wooly, wavy, waterproof coat, usually brownish in color. It resembles a Labrador Retriever, is intelligent, loves swimming and retrieving, and generally has a happy disposition and lovable nature.
- Tree – White Oak
- The white oak is one of 21 species of oak native to Maryland. It is a hardy tree with bright green leaves, grows to over 100 ft (30 mt) tall, and is named for its whitish bark and gray twigs.
- Insect – Checkerspot Butterfly
- The tiny Checkerspot Butterfly has rounded wings patterned on top with orange, black, and cream, the same colors as Maryland’s heraldic shield. They collect nectar from flowering plants like wild blackberry and common milkweed and lay their eggs on the white turtlehead plant.
- Bird – Baltimore Oriole
Introducing Maryland USA
- Maryland is a state in the eastern United States. Maryland is bordered north by Pennsylvania and south by the Atlantic Ocean and Virginia. To the west are Virginia and West Virginia and to the east are Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean. Maryland’s early settlements and population centers thrived around the numerous rivers and waterways that empty into the Chesapeake Bay. Originally Maryland’s economy was mostly plantation-based, along with the cultivation of tobacco.
Brief History of Maryland
- The earliest human presence in the region around Maryland was probably roving hunters about 10,000 BCE.
- Before Europeans explored its coastline in the 16th century, Maryland was inhabited by at least eight groups of Native Americans.
- The state of Maryland was founded by George Calvert and is one of the smallest states in America.
- In 1634, the English made their first settlement in Maryland. The territory was named by King Charles I of England, who named it Terra Mariae (Mary Land) after his wife.
- Maryland Christians were granted religious freedom through the Act of Religious Toleration after the Puritans of Virginia were invited in 1649. Maryland was considered the birthplace of religious freedom in America.
- Maryland became the 7th state of the Union in 1788, and within a decade, the importation of enslaved people for sale was prohibited, allowing voluntary emancipation.
- The American Civil War, from April 12, 1861, to May 26, 1865, was fought between the Union and the Confederacy. The Confederates at Antietam in Maryland were defeated, with over 23,000 men killed or wounded.
- In 1864 a new constitution abolished slavery in Maryland, and it was recognized as a “Free State”.
- The late 19th and early 20th centuries were known as the Progressive Era and brought reforms in working conditions for Maryland’s labor force. In 1902, the states outlawed child laborers under 12 years of age and regulated working conditions in the mines.
- During the 1920s, women were granted the right to vote, followed immediately by the election of the first woman at the House of Delegates, Mary E.W Risteau.
- In 1942, a year after the bombing of the Japanese in Pearl Harbor, destroying USS Maryland, African-Americans in Baltimore pushed for representation on the public school board and were granted desegregation seven years later.
- In 1967 Thurgood Marshall of Baltimore was named the first African-American Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.
- African-Americans still form about 30% of Maryland’s population, descendants of people transported to the area as enslaved people from West Africa.
Geography and Climate of Maryland
Geography
- Maryland has an area of 12,406.68 square miles (32,133.2 km2).
- The topography includes areas of forests and beaches, mountains, and marshes.
- Maryland’s natural vegetation before the arrival of European colonists was mostly forest. Over the centuries, people cleared vast areas of forest for both farming and urbanization, with only two-fifths of the state remaining forested now.
- Hoye Crest on Backbone Mountain is Maryland’s highest point, with an elevation of 3,360 ft (1,020 m).
Climate
- Maryland has a wide array of climates. Some regions are subtropical with hot, humid summers and short, mild winters, while other regions are moderately cold with occasional snowy winters.
Maryland’s Flora and Fauna
- Maryland has a varied, abundant, and healthy plant life, with many foreign and ornamental species growing in the state.
- The state tree, the white oak, is found throughout the state and is highly valuable to native wildlife. The state flower, a daisy named the black-eyed susan, grows prolifically throughout the state.
- Native shrubs include Winterberry and Inkberry Holly, Hillside Blueberry, Red Chokeberry, and Virginia Sweetspire, with hardy palm trees growing in the warmer central and eastern parts of Maryland.
- Maryland’s estimated 90 species of mammals include black bears, bobcats, coyotes, and deer to the smaller otters and raccoons.
- Over 400 species of birdlife are found in Maryland, along with over 90 species of reptiles and amphibians, including terrapin turtles.
Economy of Maryland
- Manufacturing in Maryland is highly diversified and includes electronics, computer equipment, and chemicals.
- Steel, gold, and coal are among the minerals mined in Maryland.
- Maryland’s Baltimore City is among the top 15 largest ports in the U.S., with the Port of Baltimore carrying approximately 40 percent of the port’s ship traffic.
- Commercial fishing centers around the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic coast, with oysters, blue crabs, and bass being the primary catches.
- Commercial farming includes dairy, livestock, tobacco, corn, soybeans, and vegetables.
- Maryland offers a huge variety of choices for tourists. It has amazing summer beaches, historic districts, picturesque towns, rock and mountain climbing, plus hiking routes through both forests and coastal regions.
Maryland’s Professional Sports Teams
- Baltimore Ravens (National Football League)
- Washington Redskins (National Football League)
- Baltimore Orioles (Major League Baseball)
Maryland’s Most Famous Citizens
- Samuel Chase (Supreme Court Justice)
- Billie Holiday (singer)
- Francis Scott Key (lawyer, poet)
- Thurgood Marshall (Supreme Court Justice)
- Babe Ruth (baseball player)
- Upton Sinclair (author)
- Harriet Tubman (abolitionist)
- Leon Uris (author)
Did You Know?
- Maryland has several nicknames. One is Little America due to the variety of terrain, from the rocky Appalachian mountains to the sandy shores of the Atlantic Ocean to vast farmlands and extensive marshes. Other nicknames for the state are the Free State and Old Line State.
- Baltimore, Maryland, is where one will find the world-renowned John Hopkins University and Hospital, and Annapolis, Maryland, is home to the U.S. Naval Academy.
Maryland Worksheets
This bundle contains 9 ready-to-use Maryland Worksheets that are perfect for students who want to learn more about Maryland, which is a state geographically located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States of America. It borders West Virginia, Washington D.C., Pennsylvania, and Delaware. It is named after Henrietta Maria of France, the wife of Charles I of England.
Download includes the following worksheets:
- Maryland Facts
- Picturing the Past
- Beautiful Maryland
- Antietam’s Struggle
- Famous Citizens
- Professional Sports Teams
- Active Athletes
- Maryland Counties Wordfind
- State Symbols
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Maryland have its own flag?
The flag of Maryland consists of correct heraldry, bold colors, and interesting patterns. The design of the flag comes from the shield in the coat of arms of the Calvert family, including the arms of his father and his grandmother.
What is Maryland known for?
Maryland has much to offer visitors and is well known for its beautiful beaches to its thick, lush forests. Food-wise, Maryland is renowned for its abundant supply of delicious blue-shelled crab, and there is actually an annual crab-themed festival where crabs are raced as well as eaten.
What is a person from Maryland called?
People who reside in Maryland are often referred to as Marylanders or Marylandians.
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Link will appear as Maryland Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, May 21, 2017
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.