This tiny state helped shape America from the very beginning. #maryland #chesapeakebay #USHistory #USStates #USAFacts

This tiny state helps shape America from the very beginning. Maryland may be small, but it has played a huge role in American history. The state became the seventh state in 1788 and was one of the original 13 colonies. Baltimore is home to one of the busiest ports on the east coast, helping make Maryland an important center for trade. The famous star-spangled banner was written after Francis Scott Key watched the Battle of Baltimore in 1814. That poem eventually became the national anthem of the United States. Maryland is also famous for its blue crabs, especially those caught in the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States, and stretches across Maryland and Virginia. Maryland is also home to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, one of the most prestigious military schools in America. The state has a surprising variety of landscapes, from Atlantic beaches to mountains in the west. And despite its small size, Maryland consistently ranks among the wealthiest states in America.