| A short history of the Maryland State flag | The flag of Maryland consists of the heraldic banners of the family of George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore. It is the only state flag in the United States to be based on British heraldry, though Washington, D.C.'s is as well. It was officially adopted by Maryland in 1904. The black and gold design on the flag is that of the Calvert family. It was given to Calvert as a result of storming a fortification in battle (the vertical bars approximate the bars of the palisade). The red and white design is that of the Crossland family, the family of Calvert's mother, and features a cross bottony. George Calvert adopted a coat of arms that included a shield with alternating quadrants featuring both the colors of his paternal family (in the 1st and 4th quarters) and of his maternal family (in the 2nd and 3rd quarters). |
| A short history of Maryland (The Old Line State) | In 1767, Dixon and Mason established its boundary with Pennsylvania on a famous line (the Mason-Dixon Line). They were the Proprietors and ruled Maryland until the state was formed in 1776. On April 28, 1788 it ratified the U.S. Constitution. |
| Area of Maryland | 10,460 sq. miles |
Capital
| Annapolis |
| Major Products | Dairy products, poultry, coal, cement, electrical and electronic equipment, processed food, tourism |
| State Motto | Fatti maschii, parole femine (Manly deeds, womanly words) |
| Nickname(s) | Old Line State; Free State |
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