A New History of the United States: The greater republic, embracing the growth and achievements of our country from the earliest days of discovery and settlement to the present eventful yearMorris, Charles
History
A New History of the United States: The greater republic, embracing the growth and achievements of our country from the earliest days of discovery and settlement to the present eventful year
Morris, Charles
United States -- History
Maryland is the next colony in order of settlement. The Roman Catholics
were among those who suffered persecution in England, and Maryland was
founded as a place of refuge for them. Among the most prominent of the
English Catholics was Sir George Calvert, known as Lord Baltimore. His
first attempt to found a colony was in Newfoundland, but the rigorous
climate compelled him to give it up. He decided that the most favorable
place was that portion of Virginia lying east of the Potomac. Virginia
had its eye already upon the section, and was preparing to settle it,
when Charles I., without consulting her, granted the territory to Lord
Baltimore. Before he could use the patent, he died, and the charter was
made to his son, Cecil Calvert, in 1632. He named it Maryland in
compliment to the queen, Henrietta Maria.
Leonard Calvert, a brother of Lord Baltimore, began the settlement of
Maryland at St. Mary's, near the mouth of the Potomac. He took with him
200 immigrants and made friends with the Indians, whom he treated with
justice and kindness. Annapolis was founded in 1683 and Baltimore in
1729.
Despite the wisdom and liberality of Calvert's rule, the colony met with
much trouble, because of Virginia's claim to the territory occupied by
the newcomers. William Clayborne of Virginia had established a trading
post in Maryland and refused to leave, but he was driven out, whereupon
he appealed to the king, insisting that the Catholics were intruders
upon domain to which they had no right. The king decided in favor of
Lord Baltimore. Clayborne however, would not assent, and, returning to
Maryland in 1645, he incited a rebellion which was pressed so vigorously
that Calvert was forced to flee. He gathered enough followers to drive
Clayborne out in turn. The Catholics then established a liberal
government and passed the famous "Toleration Act," which allowed
everybody to worship God as he saw fit. Many persons in the other
colonies, who were suffering persecution, made their homes in Maryland.
After a time, the Protestants gained a majority in the assembly and made
laws which were very oppressive to the Catholics. The strife degenerated
into civil war, which lasted for a number of years. The proprietor in
1691 was a supporter of James II., because of which the new king,
William, took away his colony and appointed the governors himself. The
proprietor's rights were restored in 1716 to the fourth Lord Baltimore.
The Calverts became extinct in 1771, and the people of Maryland assumed
proprietorship five years later. Comparative tranquillity reigned until
the breaking out of the Revolution.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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