Culture Share Saturday: Maryland 🇺🇸

This week we’re exploring Maryland — the “Old Line State”!

📚 Where does “Maryland” come from? The name means “land of Mary” and honors Queen Henrietta Maria, the wife of King Charles I of England.

🌎Have you heard of Harriet Tubman? She was one of the most famous “conductors” of the Underground Railroad. A conductor is someone who drives or operates a train, but the Underground Railroad was not a real railroad. It was a secret network used in the 1800s to help enslaved people escape to freedom. “Conductors” helped guide people between safe places.

🦀 Crabs are an important part of Maryland culture, especially around the Chesapeake Bay. Maryland’s regional vocabulary includes lots of words and expressions connected with catching, cooking, and eating crabs.

⚾ Babe Ruth, one of the most famous baseball players of all time, was born in Maryland.

Fun fact: Many people believe the Baby Ruth candy bar was named after Babe Ruth, although the company that created it denied the connection. The candy appeared as Babe Ruth was becoming famous, which certainly helped fuel the association!