Odds are if you’re not from Maryland, you probably don’t know much about the state – as is true with most states. However, if you are from Maryland, odds are that you’re overflowing with state pride because – let’s face it – we have the tendency to be lumped into D.C. and forgotten about. Albeit often forgotten, Maryland is a rather interesting place, all things considered. The following are just a few of the many things all Marylanders know to be true.
1. The Flag
You’ve got to admit: we’ve got a pretty cool flag. In fact, many Marylanders (me included) would go so far to say that it is in fact the coolest flag out of all fifty states. From gym shorts to socks to car stickers in the shape of a crab, you can find just about any item imaginable with the Maryland flag on it.
Case in point, this body suit that I didn't even realize that I needed until I saw it:
2. Crabs
No, not that kind of crabs (get your mind out of the gutter). If you’re from Maryland, you know all about crabs thanks to the Chesapeake Bay. It’s basically what we’re known for, especially crab cakes. To me, nothing says summer quite like picking crabs until you get what I have titled “Old Bay Lips.” Anybody who has ever picked crabs knows exactly what I’m talking about.
3. Old Bay
Although Old Bay is actually meant for crabs, shrimp and poultry, if you’re from Maryland you don’t just stop there. Old Bay goes on everything, especially potato products like French fries and chips. When I left Maryland to go to school in Georgia, I carried my Old Bay with me every time I went to the dining hall; halfway through my first week of school, people had begun to refer to me as “Old Bay” (which I honestly took great pride in).
4. Jousting????
My favorite fun fact about Maryland is probably the
fact that our state sport is jousting. I don’t even think I’ve ever been
presented with the opportunity to watch jousting anywhere in Maryland, but we’re I guess
still proud to call it our state sport.
5. Redskins vs. Ravens
Being so close to Washington D.C. means
that Marylanders can at times be split between sports teams. My own household
is an example of such: half of us cheer for the Ravens, the other half are
wrong cheer for the Redskins. This also applies to baseball with The Nationals
and the Oriels.
6. Being lumped in with Washington D.C.
Seeing as we surround D.C. on three sides, it makes sense that we become know for our close proximity to our nation’s capital. Don’t get me wrong, I love being so close to D.C. and being able to take advantage of everything it has to offer, but I cannot stand when people refer to Maryland as “the D.C. area.” We are not just an extension of the D.C.; we are an independent state outside of the nation’s capital. Heck, at one point we were the nation’s capital.
7. The National Anthem
As you may know, the Star Spangled Banner was written by Francis Scott Key as he witnessed a battle in the National Harbor during the War of 1812; that means that our national anthem was written in Maryland by a Maryland native. We Marylanders are pretty proud of that, which is pretty evident if you’ve ever been to a sporting event in Maryland. If you haven’t had the pleasure of hearing the national anthem, let me fill you in: the entire crowd yells “OH!” along with the singer when they sing “Oh, say does that star spangled banner yet wave” and let me tell you, it is quite an experience.
8. The State of confusion
“Is Maryland a northern state or a southern state?”
“But Maryland didn’t secede in the Civil War, so it can’t be a southern state!”
“But Maryland is below the Mason-Dixon Line, so doesn’t that make it a southern state?”
Maryland is a rather peculiar state. It has summers that are much like those of southern states, and winters much like those of northern states; I like to refer to this as the worst of both worlds. On top of this, Maryland is pretty split when it comes to whether or not it’s a northern or southern state. Half of the state is more urban and liberal – much like the north – while the other half is more rural and conservative – much like the south. This pattern dates far back in our history, leading to tensions during the Civil War; that’s why Maryland never seceded from the Union: it was a house divided within the house divided that was the United States. On top of that, Lincoln locked up all of the representatives who were going to vote to secede but that’s a whole other story that causes heated arguments. However, many consider Maryland to be a southern state because any state below the Mason-Dixon Line is considered to be a southern state and the Mason-Dixon Line just so happens to be the northern border of Maryland.
