Why is the western part of Maryland part of the main state instead of West Virginia or PA?
Author: admin | Category: western marylandMaryland is only about 3 miles wide at Hancock.
In 1632, British King Charles I granted Caecilius Calvert, Baron of Baltimore, all land south of latitude 40°N and north of the Potomac River on the mainland and north of Watkins Point on the Delmarva Pennisula for his Maryland Colony. In 1681, his son, King Charles II, granted William Penn all land west of the Delaware River between of the latitudes 39°N and 42°N and also the land within 5° west of the Delaware Bay for his Pennsylvannia Colony.
These overlapping grants naturally lead to conflict between the two colonies. In 1732, Delaware and Pennsylvannia agreed to a boundary settlement in principal. In 1763, the two colonies engaged Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon to survey a compromise boundary. Mason and Dixon set the western boundary line at latitude 39°43'N, well south of Philadelphia yet north of the Potomac River. The Mason-Dixon line eventually divided those colonies that had outlawed slavery from those that permited slavery.
The Maryland panhandle may not make much sense today, but hundreds of years of conflict gave Maryland this strip of land and no one wants to renew the conflicts of old.
April 17th, 2009 at 4:41 am
Because it was part of maryland before west virginia was a state states usually dont change there borders
References :
April 17th, 2009 at 5:31 am
In 1632, British King Charles I granted Caecilius Calvert, Baron of Baltimore, all land south of latitude 40°N and north of the Potomac River on the mainland and north of Watkins Point on the Delmarva Pennisula for his Maryland Colony. In 1681, his son, King Charles II, granted William Penn all land west of the Delaware River between of the latitudes 39°N and 42°N and also the land within 5° west of the Delaware Bay for his Pennsylvannia Colony.
These overlapping grants naturally lead to conflict between the two colonies. In 1732, Delaware and Pennsylvannia agreed to a boundary settlement in principal. In 1763, the two colonies engaged Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon to survey a compromise boundary. Mason and Dixon set the western boundary line at latitude 39°43'N, well south of Philadelphia yet north of the Potomac River. The Mason-Dixon line eventually divided those colonies that had outlawed slavery from those that permited slavery.
The Maryland panhandle may not make much sense today, but hundreds of years of conflict gave Maryland this strip of land and no one wants to renew the conflicts of old.
References :
Maryland at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryland
Pennsylvania at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania
Mason-Dixon Line at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mason-Dixon_line