1. In 1968, the Democratic National Convention took place in Maryland's largest city, Baltimore. It was a contentious convention as protesters clashed with police outside the convention hall.

2. On August 5, 1854, David Wilmot, a Pennsylvania congressman, proposed the Wilmot Proviso, which aimed to ban slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico during the Mexican-American War. This proposal escalated tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States.

3. The Battle of Bladensburg took place on August 5, 1814, during the War of 1812. The battle resulted in a British victory and allowed them to advance and burn the White House and other government buildings in Washington, D.C.

4. In 1921, the state of Maryland created the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Commission to plan and oversee the construction of a bridge across the Chesapeake Bay. The bridge, which spans over 4 miles, was completed in 1952 and connects Maryland's eastern and western shores.

5. Francis Scott Key, the author of "The Star-Spangled Banner," was born in Maryland on August 1, 1779. Key wrote the iconic national anthem in 1814 during the Battle of Fort McHenry, which took place during the War of 1812. Key's original manuscript of the song is on display at the Maryland Historical Society.