The flag of Maryland is a quadripartite heraldic flag and shows the heraldry of the coat of arms of Maryland. These are the coats of arms of the families of the former owners of the British colony. Sir George Calvert, the Lord of Baltimore, was granted his coat of arms in 1622. It shows vertical black and gold stripes, which are reversed in colour by a diagonal stripe in the same colours. He became Lord of Baltimore (Ireland) in 1624. His first-born son Cecil, second Lord of Baltimore, founded the colony of Maryland in 1634. Cecil Calvert and his brother Leonhard chose a coat of arms for the colony that combined the heraldic elements of the Calverts with those of their grandmother's family, the Crosslands. During the period as a British colony owned by the Calverts, the Calvert colours were used as the flag, usually with the flag of Great Britain in the upper corner. During the Civil War, Maryland was occupied by Union (USA) troops and Annapolis and Baltimore were placed under martial law. Many Marylanders fled across the Potomac River to join the troops of the southern states (CSA). They used the red and white cross of the Crosslands as a distinguishing mark, often also flags of the CSA which were supplemented by the coat of arms of Maryland. The current flag of Maryland was first displayed at a parade in 1888 and was adopted as the state flag in a slightly different arrangement on 9th of March in 1904. The colours of the flag symbolise the "reunification of all citizens of the state", an allusion to the internal conflicts during the Civil War (1861–1865). The colours of the flag appear to be precisely defined, although this hardly plays a role in practice: Gold = HEX #ebac00 (ca. Pantone 143 c), Red = HEX #9e1d32 (ca. Pantone 201 c).
1624 · George Calvert becomes the Lord of Baltimore
(Ireland), in the early 1630s years he proposes at the King of England for patent for the possession of a colony on the Potomac River
28th of May 1631 · Captain Clayborne founds a settlement on Kent Island with colonists from Virginia
15th of April 1632 · the Lord of Baltimore dies before the making of his ownership patent
20th of June 1632 · the ownership becomes transferred to the eldest son and successor, Caecilius Calvert
25th of March 1634 · Caecilius Calvert founds on the north bank of the Potomac River, the settlement St. Mary's with 200 Catholic colonists, foundation of Maryland, first governor is Leonard Calvert, the younger brother of Caecilius Calvert
1650 · first constitution
27th of June 1691 · Maryland becomes a royal province
1695 · Annapolis becomes the capital
21st of February 1715 · Maryland becomes again a proprietary colony, possession of the Calvert family
1729 · Foundation of Baltimore (Maryland)
1775–1783 · Independence War of the colonies against Britain
8th of November 1776 · independence of Maryland from United Kingdom, proclamation of the State of Maryland
15th of November 1777 · founding of the United States
28th of April in 1788 · Maryland joines to the USA
1812–1814 · American-British war, the British troops can not conquer Baltimore
April 1861 · Massive protests against US President Abraham Lincoln's war policy towards the Confederate States of America (CSA), Maryland traditionally belongs on the side of the Confederacy, but is to be kept with the Union at all costs due to its geographical proximity to Washington, Lincoln arbitrarily suspends Article I/9 of the Constitution for Maryland (protection against arbitrary arrest and the right to a speedy judicial hearing), invasion of Union troops, the cities of Annapolis and Baltimore are placed under martial law
13th of May 1861 · Lincoln arrests the Baltimore Mayor George W. Brown, his police chief and all members of the City Council without a legal basis and imprison them until the end of the war in 1865
May 1861 · the parliament of Maryland protests against the arbitrary and illegal actions of the President of the United States, Lincoln arrests 31 delegates up to six months without judicial review hearing (violation of Lincoln against the addition of Article VI of the constitution), protest of the Federal Supreme Judge of the United States Roger B. Taney for breach of the Constitution by the President of the United States, Lincoln orders that all authorities have to ignore the judgments of the Supreme Federal Court (violation of Article III / 1 of the Constitution)
1861–1865 · Civil War: 17th of September in 1862 Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam), stop of the advance of the CSA troops
