Colony of Maryland

Colony of Maryland
Calvert family · Public domain · source
Conventional long name	Colony of Maryland
Common name	Maryland
Status	Colony
Empire	Kingdom of England (1632–1707), Kingdom of Great Britain (1707–1776)
Event start	Charter granted
Year start	1632
Date start	June 20
Event end	Independence declared
Year end	1776
Date end	July 4
P1	Indigenous peoples of the Americas
S1	Maryland
Flag type	Reverse of the Great Seal of Maryland (1648 design)
Symbol type	Reverse of the Great Seal
Capital	St. Mary's City (1634–1695), Annapolis (1695–1776)
Common languages	English
Religion	Church of England (established, 1692)
Government type	Constitutional monarchy
Title leader	Proprietor
Leader1	Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore
Year leader1	1632–1675
Leader2	Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron Baltimore
Year leader2	1751–1776
Legislature	General Assembly
House1	Upper House
House2	Lower House

Colony of Maryland. The Province of Maryland was an English and later British colony in North America, founded in 1632. Established as a proprietary colony for the Calvert family, its early history was defined by a unique experiment in religious tolerance amidst the sectarian strife of the 17th century. The colony's economy grew around the cultivation of tobacco and the labor of indentured servants and enslaved Africans, with its capital moving from St. Mary's City to Annapolis. Maryland played a significant role in the political and military events leading to the American Revolution.

Founding and early history

The colony originated from a 1632 charter granted by King Charles I to Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, whose father, George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore, had conceived the venture. The first settlers, including both Catholic and Protestant colonists, arrived in 1634 aboard the ships Ark and Dove, establishing their initial settlement at St. Mary's City. Early conflicts included disputes with the Virginia Colony over territory and a brief period of rule by Puritan commissioners during the English Civil War, known as the "Plundering Time". The colony's borders were later formalized through agreements like the Mason-Dixon Line survey, resolving long-standing disputes with the Pennsylvania Colony.

Government and politics

Maryland was governed as a proprietary colony under the absolute authority of the Lords Baltimore, who appointed a governor and an advisory Governor's Council. The colonial legislature, the Maryland General Assembly, was bicameral, consisting of an appointed Upper House and an elected Lower House. Significant political turmoil included the overthrow of the proprietary government in 1689 following the Glorious Revolution, leading to direct royal control until 1715. Key political figures included governors like Thomas Savage and legislators such as Thomas Johnson, with the capital officially moving from St. Mary's City to Annapolis under Governor Francis Nicholson.

Economy and society

The colonial economy was overwhelmingly agrarian, dominated by the plantation system and the export of tobacco to markets in London and Bristol. This cash crop economy relied heavily on bound labor, first from indentured servants and increasingly from enslaved Africans imported via the Atlantic slave trade. Major ports like Baltimore and Annapolis facilitated trade, while the interior saw the growth of towns such as Frederick. Society was hierarchical, with a planter aristocracy, including families like the Carrolls and Dulanys, holding most political and economic power. Cultural institutions like the Annapolis theater and the founding of King William's School, a precursor to Washington College, emerged in the 18th century.

Religious tolerance and conflict

Founded as a haven for English Catholics, the colony's 1649 Maryland Toleration Act decreed tolerance for all Trinitarian Christians, a pioneering but limited step in religious freedom. This policy was challenged by Puritan settlers, who seized control of the government in the 1650s and repealed the act, leading to periods of persecution. Following the Glorious Revolution, the Church of England was established by law in 1692, disenfranchising Catholics and taxing citizens for its support. Despite this, religious diversity persisted with communities of Quakers, Presbyterians, and Lutherans, particularly in growing towns like Baltimore and Frederick.

Role in the American Revolution

In the decades before the American Revolution, Marylanders protested British imperial policies such as the Stamp Act and the Townshend Acts, with groups like the Sons of Liberty organizing in Annapolis and Baltimore. The colony formally rejected British authority through the Annapolis Convention and its representatives, including Samuel Chase and William Paca, signed the Continental Association and later the Declaration of Independence. Militarily, the famed Maryland Line regiment distinguished itself in crucial battles like the Battle of Long Island and the Battle of Guilford Court House. Maryland's final colonial governor, Robert Eden, was deposed in 1776, and the state adopted its first constitution, with Thomas Johnson becoming its first elected governor.

Category:Former British colonies Category:History of Maryland Category:1632 establishments in the British Empire Category:1776 disestablishments in the British Empire