History of Maryland in Timeline

Maryland is a Mid-Atlantic state bordering Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Washington, D.C. It is the ninth-smallest state by land area but the 18th-most populous and fifth-most densely populated, with over 6 million residents. Annapolis is its capital, while Baltimore is its most populous city.

1902: Labor Reforms in Maryland

In 1902, Maryland regulated conditions in mines, outlawed child laborers under 12, mandated compulsory school attendance, and enacted the nation's first workers' compensation law.

1904: Republican coalition elected to state government

In 1904, Blacks were part of a biracial Republican coalition elected to state government in Maryland and comprised 20% of the electorate.

1904: The Great Baltimore Fire

In 1904, the Great Baltimore Fire burned for over 30 hours, destroying 1,526 buildings across 70 city blocks, with over 1,231 firefighters working to control it.

1905: Disenfranchisement Bills

In 1905, a disenfranchisement bill was rebuffed in large part because of black opposition.

1907: Disenfranchisement Bills

In 1907, a disenfranchisement bill was rebuffed in large part because of black opposition.

1908: Political Reforms in Maryland

In 1908, reformers in Maryland continued to work for standard state-issued ballots, closed voting booths, primary elections and candidate listings without party symbols, measures resisted by Blacks.

1909: College Park Airport Founded

The College Park Airport, the nation's oldest airport, was founded in 1909.

1910: Workers' Compensation Law Enacted

In 1910, Maryland's workers' compensation law, after being redrafted, was finally enacted.

1911: Disenfranchisement Bills

In 1911, a disenfranchisement bill was rebuffed in large part because of black opposition.

1917: Establishment of Military Bases

In 1917, with the nation's entry into World War I, new military bases, including Camp Meade, the Aberdeen Proving Ground, and the Edgewood Arsenal, were established in Maryland, and existing facilities like Fort McHenry were expanded.

1923: Maryland becomes the "Free State"

In 1923, after criticism for not passing Prohibition laws, Maryland was nicknamed the "Free State" by Baltimore Sun editor Hamilton Owens, popularized by H. L. Mencken.

1932: Bonus Army Marches Through Maryland

In 1932, the "Bonus Army" marched through Maryland on its way to Washington, D.C.

1937: Maryland Institutes Income Tax

In 1937, Maryland instituted its first income tax to generate revenue for schools and welfare.

1952: Chesapeake Bay Bridge Opens

In 1952, the eastern and western halves of Maryland were linked for the first time by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, replacing a nearby ferry service.

1953: Colts Represent NFL in Baltimore

In 1953, the Baltimore Colts began representing the NFL in Baltimore.

1962: Jousting is the official state sport

In 1962, Jousting became the official state sport of Maryland.

1962: End of Steamboat Service

In 1962, passenger and freight steamboat service ended throughout Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers.

1970: Maryland's Population Composition

In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Maryland's population as 17.8 percent African-American and 80.4 percent non-Hispanic White.

1973: Spiro Agnew's Resignation

In 1973, former Maryland governor Spiro Agnew, a Republican, resigned after pleading no contest to tax evasion.

1974: Maryland Submits Desegregation Plan

In 1974, Maryland, along with seven other states, submitted plans to desegregate its state universities, and Maryland's plans were approved by the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare.

1980: Maryland Votes for Jimmy Carter

In 1980, Maryland was one of six states to vote for Jimmy Carter in the presidential election.

1983: Colts Move to Indianapolis

In 1983, the Baltimore Colts moved to Indianapolis.

1990: Increased European Immigration

Between 1990 and 2010, the shares of European immigrants born in Eastern Europe increased significantly.

1992: Bill Clinton's Performance in Maryland

In 1992, Bill Clinton performed better in Maryland than in any other state except Arkansas, his home state.

1994: Baltimore Stallions Season

In 1994, the Baltimore Stallions played in the Canadian Football League (CFL).

1996: Clinton's Sixth Best State

In 1996, Maryland was Bill Clinton's sixth-best state in terms of election results.

1997: Washington Capitals and Wizards Relocate

In 1997, the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals and the National Basketball Association's Washington Wizards relocated after the construction of an arena in Washington, D.C., now known as Capital One Arena.

2000: Maryland Ranks Fourth for Gore

In 2000, Maryland ranked fourth in terms of support for Al Gore in the presidential election.

2001: Discrimination Protections Enacted

Since 2001, Maryland has enacted protections against discrimination based on sexuality.

2002: Ehrlich Elected Governor

In 2002, Robert Ehrlich became the first Republican elected Governor of Maryland in four decades.

2003: Charter Schools Allowed

In 2003, Maryland law was changed to allow for the creation of publicly funded charter schools, subject to approval by local Boards of Education.

2003: Hoyer Becomes House Minority Whip

In 2003, U.S. Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-5) began serving as House Minority Whip.

2003: Robert Ehrlich in Office

Robert Ehrlich was in office as Governor from 2003 until 2007.

2004: John Kerry's Performance in Maryland

In 2004, John Kerry had his fifth-best performance in Maryland during the presidential election.

2004: Lacrosse is the official team sport

In 2004, Lacrosse became the official team sport of Maryland.

2005: Maryland Managed Less Toxic Waste

In 2005, Maryland managed less toxic waste per capita than all but six states.

February 2006: Dubai Ports World Deal Controversy

In February 2006, Baltimore City was one of six major U.S. ports involved in the Dubai Ports World deal controversy.

2006: Foreign Born Population Counted

In 2006, Maryland counted 645,744 foreign-born residents, mainly from Latin America and Asia, with about four percent being undocumented immigrants.

2006: Hoyer's Term as House Minority Whip Ends

In 2006, U.S. Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-5) ended his term as House Minority Whip.

2006: Cardin Defeats Steele

In the 2006 election, Democrat Benjamin Cardin defeated Republican Michael S. Steele for the U.S. Senate seat, with 55 percent of the vote to Steele's 44 percent, maintaining Democratic dominance.

2006: Per Capita Personal Income

Per capita personal income in Maryland in 2006 was $43,500, fifth in the nation.

April 2007: Maryland Joins Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

In April 2007, Maryland joined the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

2007: Hoyer Elected Majority Leader

In 2007, U.S. Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-5), a Democrat, was elected as Majority Leader for the 110th Congress.

2007: Robert Ehrlich out of Office

Robert Ehrlich was in office as Governor from 2003 until 2007.

May 2008: Maryland Leads in AP Exam Scores

In May 2008, Maryland led the entire country in the percentage of students passing Advanced Placement examinations, with 23.4 percent earning passing grades.

2008: Obama Wins Maryland

In 2008, Barack Obama won Maryland's 10 electoral votes with 61.9 percent of the vote, defeating John McCain, who received 36.5 percent.

2008: Port of Baltimore Ranking

In 2008, the Port of Baltimore ranked 17th in the U.S. by tonnage.

2008: Walking is the official state exercise

In 2008, walking became the official state exercise of Maryland, making it the first state with an official state exercise.

2009: Maryland Ranked #1 in Education Week

In 2009, Education Week ranked Maryland #1 in its nationwide Quality Counts reports.

2009: Education Budget

In 2009, Maryland's budget for education was $5.5 billion, representing about 40 percent of the state's general fund.

2009: Maryland High Schools Ranked

In 2009, three Maryland high schools (in Montgomery County) were ranked among the top 100 in the country by US News, based in large part on AP test scores.

February 2010: Attorney General Opinion on Same-Sex Marriage

In February 2010, Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler issued an opinion stating that Maryland law should honor same-sex marriages from out of state.

2010: Same-Sex Couples in Maryland

According to The Williams Institute's analysis of the 2010 U.S. census, there were 12,538 same-sex couples living in Maryland, which represented 5.8 same-sex couples per 1,000 households.

2010: Increased European Immigration

Between 1990 and 2010, the shares of European immigrants born in Eastern Europe increased significantly.

2010: Republicans Win Most Counties

In 2010, Republicans gained control of most counties in Maryland, but the Democratic Party remained in control of eight county governments, including Baltimore.

2010: Ehrlich Loses to O'Malley

In 2010, Robert Ehrlich ran again for governor but lost to the incumbent, Democrat Martin O'Malley.

2010: Democratic Governor lost

In 2010, was the last year a democrat was elected Governor of Maryland before 2022.

2010: Maryland Population Increase

The 2020 Census found that the population of Maryland was a 7.1% increase from the 2010 United States census.

January 2011: Poll Shows Support for Marriage

A January 2011 Gonzales Research & Marketing Strategies poll showed 51% support for marriage in the state.

2011: Minority Population Under Age 1

As of 2011, 58.0 percent of Maryland's population younger than age 1 were minority background.

2011: Hoyer Continues as Majority Leader

In 2011, U.S. Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-5) continued serving as Majority Leader for the 111th Congress.

2011: Virginia Earthquake Felt in Maryland

In 2011, the M5.8 Virginia earthquake was moderately felt throughout Maryland, highlighting the vulnerability of buildings not designed for earthquakes.

March 1, 2012: Freedom to Marry Bill Signed Into Law

On March 1, 2012, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley signed the freedom to marry bill into law after it passed in the state legislature.

May 2012: Court of Appeals Ruling on Out-of-State Marriages

In May 2012, Maryland's Court of Appeals ruled that the state would recognize marriages of same-sex couples who married out-of-state.

November 6, 2012: Voters Upheld the Bill

On November 6, 2012, Maryland voters upheld the same-sex marriage bill, passing Question 6 with 52% to 48%.

November 2012: Referendum on Same-Sex Marriage Law

In November 2012, Maryland held a referendum, as Question 6, on the same-sex marriage law.

2012: Top Maryland Athletes

In 2012, The Baltimore Sun published a list of Maryland's top ten athletes in the state's history, including Babe Ruth and Cal Ripken Jr.

2012: Hoyer Again Serves as House Minority Whip

In 2012, U.S. Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-5) began serving again as House Minority Whip.

2012: Ragweed Research

Rousonelos et al. found an unusual multiply resistant ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) by Rousonelos et al., 2012 with both ALS- and PPO-resistances in Maryland.

January 1, 2013: Same-Sex Couples Began Marrying

On January 1, 2013, same-sex couples began marrying in Maryland.

2013: Wealthiest Households in the Country

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Maryland households were the wealthiest in the country in 2013, with a median household income of $72,483.

2013: Maryland Ranked #1 in Education Week

In 2013, Education Week ranked Maryland #1 in its nationwide Quality Counts reports.

2013: Same-Sex Marriage Legalization

In 2013, same-sex marriage was legalized in Maryland.

2014: Religious Identification in Maryland

According to the Pew Research Center in 2014, 69% of Maryland's population identified as Christian, with Protestants making up nearly 52% of the adult population, followed by Catholicism at 15%. Judaism was the largest non-Christian religion with 4% of the population.

2014: Healthcare Payment Reform

In 2014, Maryland switched to a global budget revenue system, whereby hospitals receive a capitated payment to care for their population.

2014: Discrimination Protections Enacted for Gender

Since 2014, Maryland has enacted protections against discrimination based on gender.

2015: Maryland's Median Household Income

As of 2015, Maryland had the highest median household income of any state in the U.S., primarily due to its location near Washington, D.C., and its diverse economy.

2015: Nepal Earthquake Asylum Seekers

Following the 2015 Nepal earthquake, a significant number of Nepali Americans, including Bhutanese Americans of Nepali descent, sought asylum in Maryland, contributing to one of the largest populations of Nepali Americans in the U.S.

2016: Most Spoken Languages in Maryland

As of 2016, the most spoken languages in Maryland other than English were Spanish (9%), Chinese (1.2%), West African languages (mostly Yoruba and Igbo, 1%), French (1%), Korean (0.7%), Afro-Asiatic languages (mostly Amharic, 0.6% and Arabic, 0.4%), and Tagalog (0.6%).

2016: Ragweed Developed Third Resistance

By 2016, an unusual multiply resistant ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) in Maryland had developed a third, EPSP resistance.

2016: Gross State Product Estimate

In 2016, the Bureau of Economic Analysis estimated Maryland's gross state product to be $382.4 billion.

2016: Change in Data Collection for White Hispanic Births

Since 2016, data for births of White Hispanic origin are not collected, but included in one Hispanic group; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

March 2017: Maryland Bans Fracking

In March 2017, Maryland became the first state with proven gas reserves to ban fracking by passing a law against it.

May 2017: Democratic Party Voters

As of May 2017, the Democratic Party accounted for 54.9% of Maryland's registered voters.

July 2017: Maryland's Population Distribution

In July 2017, 66 percent of Maryland's population resided in Baltimore and four populous suburban counties bordering Washington, D.C., and Baltimore: Montgomery, Prince George's, Anne Arundel, and Baltimore counties.

2017: Top Two Health Insurers

As of 2017, the top two health insurers in Maryland were CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield with 47% market share followed by UnitedHealth Group at 15%.

2017: Maryland School Districts in Top Spending

Data from the 2017 census shows that among large school districts, four Maryland districts were in the top six for per-pupil annual spending.

2018: Bans on Conversion Therapy Enacted

In 2018, Maryland enacted bans on conversion therapy.

2018: Hoyer Ends Second Term as House Minority Whip

In 2018, U.S. Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-5) ended his second term as House Minority Whip.

2018: Top Countries of Origin for Maryland's Immigrants

In 2018, the top countries of origin for Maryland's immigrants were El Salvador (11%), India (6%), China (5%), Nigeria (5%), and the Philippines (4%).

July 1, 2019: Maryland Population Estimate

On July 1, 2019, the United States Census Bureau estimated that the population of Maryland was 6,045,680, a 4.71% increase from the 2010 United States census.

2019: Hoyer Returns as Majority Leader

In 2019, U.S. Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-5) began serving as Majority Leader again.

2019: Maryland Becomes Majority-Minority State

In 2019, non-Hispanic white Americans were 49.8% of Maryland's population, making Maryland a majority-minority state.

2020: African Americans in Maryland

As of 2020, African Americans constitute 31.1% of Maryland's population, primarily descendants of West African slaves.

2020: Native American Identification in Maryland

In 2020, 31,845 people in Maryland identified as Native American alone, and 96,805 identified as Native American in combination with one or more other races.

2020: LGBTIQ+ Bill of Rights

In 2020, Montgomery County unanimously passed an ordinance implementing an LGBTIQ+ bill of rights.

2020: Maryland Population

In 2020, the United States Census Bureau found that the population of Maryland was 6,185,278 people, a 7.1% increase from the 2010 United States census.

2020: Christian Population Identified in Maryland

Per the Public Religion Research Institute in 2020, 61 percent of Maryland's population identified with Christianity, while the unaffiliated population increased to 28%.

2021: Abolition of Gay Panic Defense

In 2021, Maryland abolished the gay panic defense.

March 2022: State Unemployment Rate

As of March 2022, the unemployment rate in Maryland was 4.6 percent.

May 7, 2022: Worst Multiresistant Weed Problem

As of May 7, 2022, the worst multiresistant weed problem in Maryland, an unusual multiply resistant ragweed, was a drag on soybean cultivation.

2022: Homeless Population in Maryland

According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 5,349 homeless people in Maryland.

2022: Wes Moore Elected Governor

In 2022, Wes Moore was elected Governor of Maryland, becoming the first Democrat elected since 2010 and the first African-American governor in the state's history.

2022: Top Private Employers

In 2022, the top private employers in Maryland by number of employees included BYK Gardner, Clean Harbors, Holy Cross Hospital, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Maryland Neuroimaging Center, Northrop Grumman, University of Maryland, and University of Maryland Medical Center.

2023: AES Corporation Announces Intent to Retire Warrior Run Coal Plant

In 2023, AES Corporation announced its intent to retire the Warrior Run coal plant in June 2024.

2023: Hoyer Ends Term as Majority Leader

In 2023, U.S. Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-5) ended his term as Majority Leader.

2023: Executive Order Protecting Transgender Rights

In 2023, an executive order was issued in Maryland protecting the rights of transgender individuals.

June 2024: Retirement of Warrior Run Coal Plant

In June 2024, AES Corporation intends to retire the 23-year-old Warrior Run coal plant, the state's last coal-fired power plant without shutdown plans.

November 2024: Maryland Sports Betting Earnings

As of November 2024, the state of Maryland has earned over $116 million towards the Blueprint for Maryland's Future Fund from sports betting, based on over $10.2 billion in bets placed in the first three years.