1. The Battle of Bladensburg: On this day in 1814, the Battle of Bladensburg was fought in Maryland during the War of 1812. The battle was significant in that it resulted in the British invasion of Washington, D.C. and the burning of the White House and other public buildings.

2. Maryland State House: August 17 marks the anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone for the Maryland State House in 1772. The State House is the oldest in the country still in legislative use, having been the site of many historic events including the ratification of the U.S. Constitution by Maryland delegates in 1788.

3. Babe Ruth's first professional game: August 17, 1914 was the day that baseball legend Babe Ruth played his first professional game for the Boston Red Sox. Ruth was born in Baltimore, Maryland and began his baseball career playing for local teams.

4. Maryland's first automobile race: On August 17, 1899, Maryland hosted its first automobile race from Baltimore to Ellicott City. The race was organized by the Baltimore Automobile Club and marked the beginning of the state's fascination with cars and racing.

5. Country's first newspaper: The first newspaper in the United States, Publick Occurrences Both Forreign and Domestick, was published in Boston on September 25, 1690. However, it was shut down after only one edition. On August 17, 1727, Maryland published its first newspaper, The Maryland Gazette, which continued to run for over 200 years.