Maryland is the 42nd state in geographic size, yet it is the 19th in population. Maryland was the 7th state to ratify the Constitution of the United States on April 28, 1788 and one of the original thirteen colonies. Captain John Smith first explored Maryland in 1608 and William Claiborne set up a trading post on Kent Island in the Chesapeake Bay in 1631. Britain granted land to Cecilius Calvert, Lord Baltimore, in 1632 and his brother led 200 settlers to St. Mary's River in 1634. The extreme bravery of the Maryland troops during the American Revolution battle of Long Island won the states nickname "The Old State Line". It was during the War of 1812, when a British fleet tried to take Fort McHenry, Marylander Francis Scott Key wrote The Star Spangled Banner. Other famous Marylanders include: Benjamin Banneker, Upton Sinclair and Charles Wilson Peale. @
