1. In 1700, the first German settlers arrived in the new colony of Maryland. They established what would become the town of Germantown.

2. On February 27, 1861, Maryland's state legislature voted against secession from the Union, making it the first state south of the Mason-Dixon line to do so.

3. The first African-American student, William Watkins, was admitted to the University of Maryland School of Law on February 27, 1950. This was a significant step in the desegregation of higher education in the state.

4. On February 27, 1975, a train derailment and chemical spill occurred in Baltimore, causing thousands of residents to evacuate their homes. The incident led to increased safety regulations for transporting hazardous materials.

5. In 2013, Maryland became the first state in the country to pass a law banning the sale and possession of shark fins. The law was passed to help protect endangered species of sharks and reduce the demand for shark fin soup.