States from A-Z: Maryland and Massachusetts

Maryland: The Free State

Maryland, also known as “Old Line State” and “Free State,” joined the Union on April 28, 1788 as the seventh of the original thirteen colonies. It is located in the Mid-Atlantic region and borders Virginia and Washington DC in the Southwest, West Virginia in the West, Pennsylvania in the North and Delaware in the Northeast. The District of Columbia, the capital of the US, is an enclave in the western part of the state. Annapolis has been the capital of the state since 1694, it is also a very important center of trade for the surrounding agricultural region. Its economy is based mainly on the production of radar devices and underwater equipment for military purposes, as well as research and development in the communications sector. The US Marine Academy (1845) is in Annapolis, as well as Saint John’s College (1784). A city landmark is the State House (1772-1780), the oldest parliament building in the US. The Treaty of Paris, which ended the American War of Independence, was ratified here in 1783.

The relatively small state is also a state of extremes: there is the metropolis of Baltimore, and then there are the remote hills of the Appalachian Mountains, and peaceful little fishing towns near the coast. With a population density of 209 people per square kilometer, it is one of the most highly populated US states. Apart from the metropolis of Baltimore, approximately hals of the Washington DC metropolitan are belongs to Maryland. Baltimore is Maryland’s cultural center. Some of the most famous museums in the state are in Baltimore. These include the Peale Museum (1814) with its historic collections about the state’s history, the Baltimore Museum of Art with American and European works of art, and the Walters Art Gallery with a collection of arts that ranges from ancient times up to the 19^th century. Baltimore is an important center for industry and trade, it is the biggest city in Maryland with a population of 740,000 and it is also one of the most important sea ports within the US. Its economy is focused on research on development, especially pharmaceutics, medical equipment and medical services. Apart from private research laboratories, 61 federal laboratories are to be found in Baltimore. Real GDP per capita was $39,161 in 2006, placing Maryland as number 14 in the national ranking.

 

The Pennsylvania border marks the border between North and South

 

The first settlers arrived in the region on March 25, 1634. Maryland was the only Catholic colony among all the strictly Protestant British colonies in North America. The Mason-Dixon Line, which is also the border between Maryland and Pennsylvania, was drawn there in 1760 to settle a dispute between the Penn and Calvert families. Originally, the royal charter – based on an inaccurate map – had granted Maryland the Potomac River and the territory north of the 40^th parallel. This would have made Philadelphia, which is Pennsylvania’s biggest city, a part of Maryland. So the ruling families in Mary land and Pennsylvania, Calvert and Penn, ordered surveyors Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon to calculate a new border. The new border, which was named after the two, also became the traditional and often mentioned border between the American North and the Southern states.

The capital of the US, Washington DC, was established in a district that had been split off Maryland for exactly that purpose. Maryland became a battlefield in 1812, when the British again tried, in a futile attempt, to regain control of the colonies. The British troops failed as they tried to destroy the shipyard and take the city of Baltimore, because the port was too well fortified. The bitter fight inspired eye witness Francis Scott Key to write the Star-Spangled Banner, which became the words to the national anthem. During the War of Secession, Maryland remained relatively neutral. When it became clear that Maryland would remain in the Union, it was not included in the Emancipation Proclamation. However, Maryland abolished slavery with its new constitution in 1864.

 

Massachusetts: the Bay State

The name Massachusetts, derived from the Native American word mass adchu ut – near the great hills – was first mentioned in Captain John Smith’s book “A Description of New England” (1616). Nicknames for Massachusetts are Bay State and Old Colony. Its capital Boston is the largest city in New England and one of the oldest, most prosperous cities in the US, and also one of the most important cultural centers. The Boston Tea Party (December 16, 1773) made it famous, when protests against a raise of the tea tax by the British Parliament set off the War of Independence. The ca. 4-kilometers long (2.5 miles) Freedom Trail – a red brick road – leads to sixteen historic places, among them the Boston Common, the Massachusetts State House and the Old State House.

 

Within the metropolitan area of Boston are both the world-famous Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), founded in 1861, which is of similar importance. The MIT is one of the leading universities for technological research and education. It is a private, non-denominational university of technology and it was the first to educate chemical engineers, and made economy, social sciences, and humanities part of the engineering education. At present, 10,255 students study at the MIT. The MIT prides itself on its high educational quality. Students take part in active research from a very early date.

With regard to culture, the Symphony Hall (one of the three concert halls with the best acoustics in the world) is world-famous, as is the Boston Symphony Orchestra (and the Boston Pops Orchestra) that gives the majority of its concerts in the Symphony Hall.

The region’s economic power is dominated mostly by educational institutions, health services, the financial sector and technology. In addition, there is an archbishop in Boston, as well as traditionally a cardinal.

Massachusetts is among the most prosperous states

Founded as Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1629 by English Puritans, it was one the thirteen colonies revolting against British rule during the American Revolution. The Massachusetts Constitution, which is still in effect today, was ratified in 1780 and is one of the oldest modern constitutions in the world.

Massachusetts’ economy during the 18^th and 19^th century mainly profited from the whaling of Nantucket Island and the cities of New Bedford and Salem, and from cod fishing. The best fishing grounds for that were just off the Massachusetts coast. Countless depictions of that fish on coins and in the architecture of Boston remind of that. The peninsula in the southeast of Massachusetts is called Cape Cod. Cape Cod, with the Cape Cod National Seashore, is a very popular destination for summer vacations.

Massachusetts is one of the economically most successful US states. Real GDP per capita – the most important indicator for prosperity – was at $46,721 in 2006. This makes Massachusetts number 3 in the national ranking.