Maryland State Day, Motto, and Nickname

STATE DAY March 25 STATUS Official DATE OF ADMISSION TO UNITED STATES April 28, 1788 RANKING IN STATE ADMISSION 7th FORMER DESIGNATION Province of Maryland HISTORY Established as a state holiday in 1916, Maryland Day celebrates the landing of the two ships, the Arkand the Dove, that brought the first settlers to Maryland soil in 1634. Maryland was one of the United States’ first 13 colonies, established primarily by Catholics and Protestants seeking freedom from religious persecution. The efforts of England to assert dominance over the colony, as well as its support of Puritan leadership in the colony, fueled Maryland’s participation in the Revolutionary War. Although the seeds of Maryland’s independence were planted during the first battles with England, it would take another 12 years before Maryland residents would actually realize statehood, on April 28, 1788. Maryland residents still recognize the date of the arrival of the first settlers as their official state holiday. MOTTO Fatti maschii, parole femine ("Strong deeds, gentle words") Debate continues today as to the intended meaning of Maryland’s Italian-language motto. No fewer than seven translations have been proposed since the early 1600s. The common (and literal) translation for many years was "Manly deeds, womanly words," but this was replaced by a more gender-neutral translation written by Edward C. Papenfuse in or around 2001. Maryland’s motto has not officially been adopted, although it does appear on the state seal. NICKNAMES  "The Free State," "The Old Line State," "The Cockade State," "America in Miniature," "The Chesapeake State," "The Crab State," "The Oyster State," "The Queen State," "The Monumental State," "The Terrapin State" The nickname "The Free State" refers to Maryland’s controversial refusal to support the prohibition of liquor in the 1920s and a newspaper editor’s defense of Maryland’s stance. "Old Line State" has its origins in the Revolutionary War and refers to George Washington’s name for the courageous Maryland soldiers who stood their ground as "the old line." The expression is also thought to refer to the property line that separated Lord Baltimore and William Penn, when England still had possession of the land. During the Revolutionary War, Maryland soldiers wore bright-colored circular pendants or ornaments on their hats called cockades, thus giving them the nickname "Cockade Soldiers," and their state the nickname "The Cockade State." Sweeping variations in topography give Maryland the nickname of "America in Miniature." Maryland is well known for its Chesapeake Bay recreation destinations. Crab and oyster are harvested in Maryland, giving it the monikers of  "The Crab State" and "The Oyster State."  Originally named after Queen Henrietta Maria, Maryland is sometimes also referred to as "The Queen State." John Quincy Adams' famous description of the city of Baltimore as "The Monumental City" for its many monuments gave Maryland its related nickname. The University of Maryland’s athletic teams are called the Terrapins, or "the Terps" for short. The teams are named after the state reptile, the diamondback terrapin, which can be found in Chesapeake Bay and is currently protected.  -World Trade Press