1. In 1814, during the War of 1812, British troops entered and burned the city of Washington, D.C. On August 13 of that year, the troops set fire to the White House, which was then known as the President's Mansion.

2. The Battle of Bladensburg, also a part of the War of 1812, took place in Maryland on August 13, 1814. The American forces were defeated by the British, allowing them to advance to Washington, D.C.

3. In 1848, the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, which began construction in 1828, was officially completed on August 13. The canal, which stretches from Cumberland, Maryland to Georgetown, Washington D.C., played a vital role in the transportation of goods and supplies during the 19th century.

4. On August 13, 1885, the Eastern Shore Railroad was incorporated in Maryland. The railroad was designed to connect the Eastern Shore region of Maryland with the rest of the state, providing a means of transportation for goods and passengers.

5. In 2013, the Maryland Statehouse held a ceremony to mark the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation. The proclamation, which declared freedom for slaves in Confederate states, took effect on January 1, 1863, but its effects were felt for years to come. The ceremony was held on August 13 to commemorate the signing of the proclamation by Maryland's governor, Thomas H. Hicks.