National Maryland Day
As promised, we are posting National Maryland Day in order to celebrate each state in the order they entered the Union. Maryland was the 7th state to officially enter the Union on April 28, 1788.
Now here is some awesome information I don’t remember learning in school, but I know I did (remember that History book I told you about?). Ok – so on with the story…..er…..history. During the war of 1812, on September 12th, the British wanted to take Baltimore. General Ross’s army landed ashore and advanced toward Fort McHenry (which guarded the entrance to Baltimore Harbor). Unlike the assault on Washington, the attack on Baltimore was a failure. For a day and night, the ships fired rockets and bombs at the fort to no avail. Here’s the best part.
While the firing was in progress, Francis Scott Key, a Washington lawyer, was aboard one of the larger British ships. Before you ask why an American was on the ship, settle down, I’m getting there. Anyway, Francis was sent to negotiate the release of a doctor that had been arrested after the Battle of Bladensburg. So while Admiral Chochrane had agreed to release the doctor, he wouldn’t allow any of the Americans go ashore until after the battle was over. After watching bombs bursting and the glare of rockets over Fort McHenry through the night he saw the flag the following morning still waving in victory. He was so inspired by the sight of it all that he wrote the “Star-Spangled Banner”. When the poem was set to music it became our national anthem. If you’re wondering about the infamous “Star-Spangled Banner”, it’s hanging in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.
Just for good measure, I’m going to share a tiny bit more history.
More Maryland history
Roughly 200 years earlier another famous man in history traveled through Maryland. Captain John Smith was exploring the Chesapeake Bay and the Nanticoke River where he kept a record of his travels. There he mingled with the Native Americans. He wrote of their culture. From hunting to planting and harvesting. Please tell me if you remember nothing else, that you at least remember his infamous link to Pocahontas. If you did forget then the link above will refresh your memory.
If you missed yesterday’s post you can click here.
