1. On March 19, 1861, Maryland voted to remain in the Union during the Civil War. It was a crucial decision for the state, which had a conflicted position on secession due to its geographic location between the North and the South.

2. In 1937, Maryland became the first state in the country to mandate a minimum wage law. The law required employers to pay workers at least 25 cents per hour, which was a significant improvement from the previous standard of no minimum wage.

3. On March 19, 1968, the United States Supreme Court ruled in the case of Epperson v. Arkansas that states could not ban the teaching of evolution in public schools. The case was a landmark victory for science education and academic freedom.

4. In 1989, Maryland became the first state to pass a law requiring car drivers and passengers to wear seat belts. The law was aimed at reducing the number of deaths and injuries in car accidents, and it has since been adopted by all 50 states.

5. On March 19, 2007, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley signed a bill into law that abolished the state's death penalty. Maryland was the 18th state to abolish capital punishment, and the decision was seen as a significant victory for the anti-death penalty movement.