During the Revolutionary War, many communities adopted Liberty Trees -- living symbols of opposition to British rule. The trees became a target for destruction by British soldiers, but unlike many other cities, Annapolis never fell under British control during the war—meaning the Liberty Tree survived the war unharmed. It was a silent witness to the birth of a new nation and survived until 1999, the last surviving colonial Liberty Tree. 

George Washington's enslaved valet William Lee accompanied the General to every encampment and battle during the American Revolution. But, until recently, history has largely forgotten him. 

America might not have existed long without the heroic sacrifice of a small group of Marylanders on August 27, 1776. That late summer day men of the First Maryland Regiment found themselves surrounded and hopelessly outnumbered by British forces during the Battle of Brooklyn (also called the Battle of Long Island), the largest battle of the Revolutionary War, fought just weeks after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.