1. Maryland's Revolutionary War Contributions: On April 19, 1775, the first shots of the American Revolutionary War were fired at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts. Maryland played a significant role in the war effort, with roughly one-third of the state's population serving in the Continental Army. Marylanders fought in some of the war's most crucial battles, including Yorktown and Trenton.

2. Assassination of Abraham Lincoln: On April 19, 1865, the body of President Abraham Lincoln arrived in Baltimore on its journey back to Illinois following his assassination at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. The train carrying his remains stopped at Baltimore's Camden Station for a public viewing, where thousands of mourners paid their respects.

3. Landmark Civil Rights Decision: On April 19, 1960, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a landmark decision in the case of Maryland vs. Brady. The ruling required that states provide legal counsel to indigent defendants in felony cases. The outcome of the case laid the foundation for the landmark decision in Gideon v. Wainwright, which extended the right to counsel to all defendants, regardless of their financial means.

4. Baltimore Riots: On April 19, 2015, the death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man, while in police custody sparked protests and riots in Baltimore. The incident heightened tensions surrounding the relationship between the police and the African American community, leading to a national conversation about police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement.

5. Chesapeake Bay Meeting: On April 19, 2017, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan met with the governors of Virginia and Pennsylvania to sign a historic agreement to work together to clean up the Chesapeake Bay. The Chesapeake Bay Executive Council pledged to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution, enhance water quality, and increase local fish and shellfish populations in the Bay by 2025. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States and a crucial natural resource for the region.