The Great Seal of Maryland

OBVERSE
The State Flower

The Black-eyed Susan is the flower emblem of the
State of Maryland (Chapter 458, Acts of 1918).

Maryland State Flag

MARYLAND'S flag bears the arms of the Calvert and
Crossland families. Calvert was the family name of
the Lords Baltimore who founded Maryland. Crossland
was the family of the mother of the first Lord Baltimore.
The escutcheon or shield in the Maryland Seal bears the
same arms. This flag- seems to have been used from the
beginning- of the colony, although it was not adopted
officially until recently (Chapter 48, Acts of 1904).

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THE GREAT SEAL

THE Great Seal of Maryland is used by the Governor
and the Secretary of State to authenticate the Acts
of the Legislature and for other official purposes. The
first Great Seal was brought over during the early days
of the Colony. It was very much like the one pictured
above and it remained in use, although slightly altered,
until the Revolution. The State of Maryland adopted a
new seal similar in form and spirit to those of the other
states. After the passage of a hundred years, Maryland
readopted its old seal (Joint Resolution No. 5, Legisla-
tive Session of 1876). Only the Reverse of this seal has
ever been cut. The Obverse is, however, still considered
as part of the seal and is used, among other things, for
decorating public buildings.

Obverse

THE Obverse of the Seal shows Lord Baltimore as a
Knight in full armor mounted on a charger. The
inscription translated from Latin into English is "Cecil-
ius Absolute Lord of Maryland and Avalon, Baron of
Baltimore." Avalon was the name of Lord Baltimore's
grant in Newfoundland.

Reverse

THE Reverse consists of an escutcheon or shield bear-
ing the Calvert and Crossland arms quartered. Above
this is an earl's coronet and a full-faced helmet. The
escutcheon is supported on one side by a farmer and on
the other by a fisherman, symbolizing Lord Baltimore's
two estates of Maryland and Avalon. The Calvert motto
on the scroll is usually translated "manly deeds, womanly
words." The Latin legend on the border is translated
"with favor wilt thou compass us as with a shield." (Psalms
v, 12).'

The Great Seal of Maryland

REVERSE

The State Bird

THE Baltimore Oriole is the official Maryland Bird.
Although it was not so designated by the Maryland
Legislature until 1947 (Chapter 54, Acts of 1947),
special provisions have been made for its protection since
1882 (Chapter 154, Acts of 1882).