ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Maryland in the Civil War

A long time ago, there was a big war in America called the Civil War. One of the states that was involved in this war was Maryland. Maryland was a very important state during the Civil War because it was located next to Washington, D.C., which was the capital of the United States at the time.

During the war, people in Maryland had different opinions about what was happening. Some people wanted Maryland to support the Union, which was the group of states that wanted to keep the country united. Other people wanted Maryland to support the Confederacy, which was the group of states that wanted to break away and form their own country.

There were also some people in Maryland who didn't want to take sides because they didn't think it was their fight. But the leaders of both sides knew that Maryland was an important state to win over because it was so close to the capital. So, they both tried to convince people in Maryland to join their side.

At first, Maryland was controlled by the Union, which meant that the Union soldiers were in charge of the state. But there were also Confederate sympathizers in Maryland who secretly supported the Confederacy. They formed groups and tried to sabotage Union efforts.

One of the most famous events in Maryland during the Civil War was the Baltimore Riot in 1861. This happened when Union soldiers were trying to move through Baltimore to get to Washington, D.C. Confederate sympathizers in the city attacked the soldiers and a riot broke out. Many people were injured, and some soldiers died.

Eventually, the Union was able to gain more control over Maryland, but there were still many people in the state who supported the Confederacy. Despite this, Maryland remained in the Union, and the state played an important role in the outcome of the Civil War.