This picturesque state capital near the Chesapeake Bay is known for its history, sailing and seafood. Annapolis served as the capital of the United States for nine months in 1783 and 1784. The Banneker-Douglass Museum is dedicated to preserving Maryland’s African American heritage. The city also contains the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial, which commemorates the 1767 arrival of the African slave written about in Alex Haley’s “Roots.” The Maryland State House towers over downtown Annapolis, Md., a city that served as the nation’s capital for nine months in 1783 and 1784.