Why Did People Come to Maryland? Maryland is often called "America in Miniature." This phrase can have several meanings. It can mean that Maryland has many of the same geographic characteristics of the United States, like rivers, mountains and plains. It can mean that Maryland has farms, cities and suburbs. The saying "America in Miniature" also means that people of many different ethnic backgrounds, races, and religions live in Maryland today. People have been moving to Maryland since the beginning of its history. The first people to migrate to Maryland in colonial times came from England, Africa, and Germany. In the 1820s, some immigrants came from Europe to work on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. Many thousands of these people came from Ireland to help dig the canal. Many stayed to live in Maryland and some settled in Baltimore. In the 1840s, more Irish people came to Maryland because the Potato Famine made it difficult to feed your family in Ireland. In the 1850s, there were wars in Europe so many Germans came to Maryland and worked as coal miners. Between 1870 and 1920, people from many different areas of Europe, Asia, and Africa came to the United States. Many moved to Maryland, especially to the city of Baltimore. Photo from the Edward L. Bafford Photo Collection, UMBC Library. There are many reasons for people to migrate from one place to another. What do you think would cause people to move from one place to another? Answer this question (Question 2 on your Worksheet) by making a list of reasons for people to migrate from one place to another.

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