An Introduction to Baltimore... Baltimore lies around a natural harbour near the end of the northern arm of Chesapeake Bay, and not far from the fall line of the Appalachian Mountains. An important East Coast port since the 17th century and fifth among US ports today, the city’s location has been pivotal in its development. The construction of the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad in the mid-19th century cemented the city’s importance as a transportation hub. Baltimore was established as a town in 1729, and became the county seat in 1768. Fort McHenry protected the city from attack by the British in 1814, an event commemorated by Francis Scott Key in the Star Spangled Banner, now the National Anthem. Although it was the second-largest city in the USA in the 1820s, Baltimore now ranks 15th in terms of population.

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