MARYLAND

MARYLAND - MD /US-MD

Nicknames: the Old Line State, the Free State and the Chesapeake Bay State.

Borders: Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east.

US region: Mid Atlantic region of the United States.

Capital city: Annapolis.

Largest city: Baltimore.

Other important cities: Columbia, Germantown, Silver Spring, Waldorf…

Maryland's flag bears the arms of the Calvert and Crossland families. Calvert was the family name of the Lords Baltimore who founded Maryland, and their colors of gold and black appear in the first and fourth quarters of the flag. Crossland was the family of the mother of George Calvert, first Lord Baltimore. The red and white Crossland colors, with a cross bottony, appear in the second and third quarters. This flag first was flown October 11, 1880, in Baltimore at a parade marking the 150th anniversary of the founding of Baltimore. It also was flown October 25, 1888, at Gettysburg Battlefield for ceremonies dedicating monuments to Maryland regiments of the Army of the Potomac. Officially, it was adopted as the State flag in 1904.

The Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) is the official Maryland bird.

The Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) has been the official Maryland flower since 1918 when it was designated the "Floral Emblem" of Maryland by the General Assembly.

"Manly deeds, womanly words"
The official motto is the Italian motto of the Calvert family - "Fatti maschil, Parole femine" (loosely translated as Manly deeds, Womanly words). The motto and arms of the Calvert family appear on the reverse of the state seal.

RESOURCES:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryland

http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Maryland/Maryland-state-motto.html

http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/symbols/00list.html