 Annapolis
is the State capital of Maryland. Toward the end of the
Revolutionary War, the city also served as capital to
the newly forming American nation when the Continental
Congress met in Annapolis from November 26, 1783 to June
3, 1784.
Located on the Severn River in
Anne Arundel County,
Annapolis is not only the center of Maryland government
but also home to the U.S. Naval Academy, and St. John's
College whose curriculum is based upon the study of the
classics.
- Incorporated 1708 (Chapter 7, Acts of 1708)
- Named in 1694 for Princess Anne, heiress
apparent. As Queen Anne (1665-1714), she ascended
the throne of Great Britain and Ireland in 1702, and
ruled until her death in 1714.
- Population
1990 census: 33,195
2000 census: 35,838
From the founding of Maryland in 1634, however, St.
Mary's City became the first seat of Maryland's colonial
government. (In southern Maryland, Historic St. Mary's
City can be visited today in
St. Mary's County.)
Nonetheless, in 1694, the General Assembly designated
Anne Arundel Town as the new capital and, in February
1694/5, the government moved there.
After Queen Mary's death in December 1694, Anne
Arundel Town was renamed Annapolis for her sister, the
heiress apparent, Princess Anne. As Queen Anne
(1665-1714) of England, Scotland, and Ireland, Anne
ascended the throne in 1702. In 1707, she became Queen
of Great Britain and Ireland, which she ruled until her
death in 1714. |
