1. On April 29, 1785, John Carroll was appointed the first Catholic bishop in the United States. Carroll would go on to play a significant role in Maryland's history, establishing Georgetown University and leading efforts to protect religious freedoms in the state.

2. In 1861, Confederate sympathizers attacked and destroyed bridges along the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad line in Maryland, marking the beginning of a campaign of sabotage that would plague the rail line throughout the Civil War.

3. The Maryland General Assembly passed legislation on April 29, 1908, creating the state's first public high school for African American students. The Frederick Douglass High School would prove to be an important institution for black communities in Maryland for decades to come.

4. On April 29, 1938, Maryland Governor Harry Nice signed into law the first statewide minimum wage in the United States, setting the minimum wage at 25 cents per hour.

5. Maryland-native Harriet Tubman, the famous conductor of the Underground Railroad who helped countless slaves escape to freedom, was born on April 29, 1822. Tubman's heroic efforts to aid escaping slaves and her work as a Civil War nurse and spy have made her an enduring symbol of courage and perseverance in Maryland and beyond.