1. In 1864, the Battle of the Wilderness began in Virginia, just south of the Maryland border. Thousands of Union and Confederate soldiers were killed or wounded in the brutal fighting that took place over two days.

2. On May 5, 1933, the Baltimore City Police Department was established. The department has since grown to become one of the largest police forces in the nation, serving a population of over 600,000.

3. The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore opened on May 5, 1876, as the Druid Hill Park Zoo. It was one of the first public zoos in the country and has since become home to over 1,500 animals from around the world.

4. On May 5, 1818, Maryland became the first state to pass a law requiring free public education for all children. The law was meant to ensure that all children had access to basic education, regardless of their family's income or social status.

5. The first Maryland State House was completed on May 5, 1779, in Annapolis. It served as the seat of government for Maryland and was also where the Continental Congress met from 1783 to 1784, making it the temporary capital of the United States. Today, the Maryland State House is the oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use in the country.