What is Marylands maritime history?
The maritime history of Maryland extends back thousands of years to when Native Americans living in the area used the waterways for transport, communication, food, and recreation like people do today. Four European explorers visited the area by ship during the period from 1498 to 1608 but it was not until 1634 that the first European settlers arrived. From that point in time, ships arrived with some frequency bringing colonists and commercial goods to sustain them. Maryland is traditionally a seafaring state and fishing, especially dredging for oysters, is one of its major industries. Historically, the Chesapeake has been of strategic importance to the U.S. Navy and home to the U.S. Naval Academy.
