Ethan Walker
Maryland was founded in 1632 as a safe haven for Catholics, who were persecuted in England. George Calvert, the First Lord Baltimore, was a Catholic convert himself and sought to create a colony where Catholics and Protestants could coexist peacefully. He was granted a charter for the colony by King Charles I, naming it Maryland after the Queen of England, Henrietta Maria, who was openly Catholic. However, by the 1650s, Maryland's status as a Catholic haven began to wane, and by 1660, the population had become predominantly Protestant due to immigration. Despite this demographic shift, political power remained concentrated in the hands of the largely Catholic elite for a significant period.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year Maryland became a haven for Catholics | 1632 |
| Person responsible for Maryland becoming a haven for Catholics | George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore |
| Year George Calvert received the charter for Maryland | 1632 |
| Year George Calvert died | 1632 |
| Year Maryland passed the Act of Religious Toleration | 1649 |
| Year Maryland became primarily inhabited by Protestants | 1649 |
| Year Maryland became an official state religion | 1692 |
| Year Maryland became a haven for Catholics ended | 1856 |
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What You'll Learn
George Calvert's vision for a safe haven for Catholics
George Calvert, the first Baron Baltimore, was an English nobleman who founded the colony of Maryland in the early 17th century. He aimed to establish a safe haven for Catholics, who were facing harsh persecution in England at the time.
Catholics in England were subjected to various forms of persecution, including fines for not attending the official Anglican Church, owning weapons, and attempting to convert Protestants. They also faced restrictions on marriage, burial, and education. These conditions motivated Calvert to seek a colony where Catholics would be treated fairly. He first attempted to settle in Newfoundland, but the poor climate made it unsuitable for crops. He then considered Virginia but abandoned this plan after learning that Catholics were not welcomed in Jamestown.
Finally, in 1632, King Charles I granted Calvert a charter for a colony in the New World, which he named Maryland after the Queen of England, Henrietta Maria. Unfortunately, Calvert died before the charter was issued, and the responsibility fell to his son, Cecil Calvert. Cecil sent his brother, Leonard Calvert, along with a group of gentlemen and laborers, to settle the new colony in 1633.
George Calvert's vision for Maryland was shaped by his desire for religious tolerance and economic opportunity. He wanted to create a place where Catholics and Protestants could coexist peacefully, which was quite progressive for his time. This vision was reflected in the instructions given by the second Lord Baltimore to the colonists, urging them to refrain from offending one another in matters of religion. Maryland's Act of Religious Toleration in 1649 further solidified its commitment to religious freedom, granting all Christians the freedom to worship.
Despite challenges and shifts in religious dynamics over time, Maryland's foundation as a safe haven for Catholics under George Calvert's vision left a lasting impact on the colony's commitment to religious tolerance and diversity.
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The founding of Maryland
Maryland was founded in 1632 as a "proprietary colony" by Cecil Calvert, Lord Baltimore, who was himself a Catholic. The colony was named after the Queen of England, Henrietta Maria, who was also Catholic. Maryland was founded as a haven for Catholics, who were persecuted in England, where they could be considered enemies of the crown and potential traitors.
The idea for Maryland was conceived by Cecil's father, George Calvert, who was the former Secretary of State to King Charles I. George Calvert wished to create a safe haven for Catholics in the New World, where they could live peacefully alongside Protestants. In 1629, he applied for a charter to establish a colony in North America, but he died before it was granted in 1632. The charter was then transferred to his son Cecil, who became the 2nd Baron Baltimore. Cecil sent his brother, Leonard Calvert, to settle the new colony in October 1633.
The Calverts knew that anti-Catholic sentiment could threaten the success of their colony, so they published a paper titled "Objections Answered Touching Maryland". In this paper, they assured their Protestant countrymen that they posed no threat to the Protestant colonies and that they had no intention of subverting the English Crown or proselytizing their neighbors. The Calverts also actively recruited Protestant settlers for Maryland, offering generous land grants and a policy of religious tolerance.
In 1649, Maryland passed the Act Concerning Religion, also known as the Act of Religious Toleration, which granted freedom of worship to all Christians. This act was a pioneering step towards religious freedom and made Maryland a colony where all Christian groups could seek asylum. However, by the 1650s, Maryland ceased to be much of a haven for Catholics, as the population gradually shifted towards Protestantism due to immigration. Despite this demographic shift, the Catholic elite, including the Calverts, retained political power, which led to increasing tensions and ultimately, the Protestant Revolution of 1689.
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Religious tolerance in Maryland
Maryland was founded in 1632 by Cecil Calvert, Lord Baltimore, as a "haven for English Catholics", although this was not explicitly stated in writing. Instead, the Maryland colonial charter, granted by King Charles I, included something often referred to as the "Durham Clause". George Calvert, Cecil's father, had intended for the colony to be a place where Catholics, who were persecuted in England, could be treated fairly. He had first attempted to settle a colony in Newfoundland, but failed due to the poor climate. He then set his sights on Virginia, but quickly changed his mind upon learning that Catholics were no more welcome there than in England.
In 1633, Cecil Calvert sent his brother, Leonard Calvert, to settle the new colony in two ships: the Ark and the Dove. The first religious dispute occurred in 1638, when a Catholic, William Lewis, was charged by his Protestant servants with proselytizing by force of his authority. Lewis was found guilty and fined 500 pounds of tobacco. In 1641, a similar incident occurred when Thomas Gerard, also Catholic, was charged with taking the keys of the chapel from Protestants and removing their books from the building.
In 1649, Maryland passed the Act Concerning Religion, also known as the Act of Religious Toleration, which became a pioneering step in granting freedom of worship to all Christians. The Act made it illegal for Marylanders to use derogatory religious terms for one another, and decreed that all Christians were free to worship as they wished, so long as they believed in the Trinity and in the divinity of Jesus Christ. No Christians would be persecuted for their faith, and none could be forced to attend services of or pay tithes to any other denomination. Despite challenges, Maryland's commitment to religious freedom endured, evolving into protections enshrined in its 1867 State Constitution.
However, by the 1650s, Maryland ceased to be much of a haven for Catholics. From 1660 onwards, the population of the province gradually shifted due to immigration, becoming predominantly Protestant. Political power, however, remained concentrated in the hands of the largely Catholic elite. This demographic shift led to increasing tensions, and in the summer of 1689, an army of seven hundred Protestant citizen soldiers, known as "Protestant Associators", defeated a proprietarial army led by the Catholic planter, Charles Calvert, in what became known as the Protestant Revolution or Coode's Rebellion. The rebellion resulted in the outlawing of Catholicism and the loss of political power for Catholics, who were forbidden from holding public office. Religious toleration would not be restored in Maryland until after the American Revolution.
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The Calvert family's role
The Calverts, an English aristocratic family, played a significant role in establishing Maryland as a haven for Catholics in the early 17th century. The family patriarch, George Calvert, was the driving force behind the endeavour.
George Calvert, the 1st Baron Baltimore and former Secretary of State to King Charles I, envisioned creating a safe haven for English Catholics, who faced harsh persecution in Protestant England. In 1629, he applied for a charter to establish a colony in the Mid-Atlantic area of North America. Initially, he attempted to settle in Newfoundland, but the harsh climate foiled his plans. He then considered Virginia but abandoned the idea upon learning of the prevalent anti-Catholic sentiment in Jamestown.
In 1632, King Charles I granted George Calvert a charter for a colony in the New World, which he named Maryland after the Queen of England, Henrietta Maria. Unfortunately, George Calvert died before the charter was issued, and it was subsequently transferred to his eldest son, Cecil Calvert, the 2nd Baron Baltimore. Cecil Calvert became the founder of the province of Maryland, and like his father, he was a Catholic.
Cecil Calvert sent his brother, Leonard Calvert, to settle the new colony in October 1633. The Calverts intended Maryland to be a place where Catholics and Protestants could coexist peacefully. They recruited settlers from both religious groups, offering generous land grants and a policy of religious tolerance. The Maryland colonial charter included the "Durham Clause," which, while not explicitly mentioning religious tolerance, was designed to prevent religious strife.
The Calverts also published a paper titled "Objections Answered Touching Maryland" to address Protestant fears and assure their Protestant countrymen that they posed no threat to other colonies and had no intention of subverting the English Crown or proselytizing their neighbours.
Despite their efforts, Maryland's status as a haven for Catholics was short-lived. By the 1650s, the colony's religious demographics shifted, and Protestants became the majority. The Church of England became the established state church in 1692, and Catholics faced legal repression. However, Maryland's early commitment to religious tolerance, embodied in the Act of Religious Toleration of 1649, laid the groundwork for the protections enshrined in its 1867 State Constitution, ensuring the freedom to worship for all Christians.
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The end of Maryland's status as a Catholic haven
The colony of Maryland, established by George Calvert and his son Cecil, was intended as a haven for Catholics, who at the time were a persecuted minority in England and its colonies. The Calvert family, themselves Catholic, sought to create a place where their co-religionists could practice their faith freely. This policy was enshrined in the Maryland Toleration Act of 1649, which guaranteed freedom of worship for all Christians. However, this period of religious tolerance would come to an end in the late 17th century, as a result of both external and internal pressures.
One significant factor was the broader political context of the English Civil War and the Interregnum. The Puritan victory in the Civil War brought a more intolerant religious climate to England, and this had repercussions in the colonies. The Commonwealth government, suspicious of Catholic loyalties, sought to bring Maryland more firmly under its control and to curb the influence of Catholicism there. In 1654, the Puritan revolutionary government in England took control of Maryland, arresting Calvert's representatives and imposing a new government less favorable to Catholics.
Another important factor was the demographic shift within Maryland itself. As time went on, the proportion of Catholics in the colony diminished, as immigration from other colonies and from England brought more Protestants to Maryland. This shifted the religious balance of power, and the Catholic elite found themselves a minority among the colonists they governed.
Additionally, there were internal divisions within Maryland that contributed to the end of its status as a Catholic haven. Factions within the colony, often along religious lines, vied for power and influence. Economic and political disputes often overlapped with religious ones, creating a volatile situation. For example, disputes over land ownership and the tobacco trade often fell along religious lines, with Catholic landowners and merchants finding themselves at a disadvantage.
Finally, the Calvert family's control of the colony was periodically interrupted, and their policies were not always consistently pro-Catholic. During the periods when the Calverts lost control of the colony, their policies of religious tolerance were often overturned or ignored. Additionally, even during their periods of rule, the Calverts sometimes had to make concessions to the growing Protestant population, limiting the influence of Catholicism in the colony.
So, a combination of external political pressures, demographic shifts, internal divisions, and inconsistent policies led to the end of Maryland's status as a unique Catholic haven in the English colonies. By the late 17th century, the religious landscape of Maryland had changed significantly, with Protestants holding the balance of power and Catholics no longer enjoying the same freedoms and protections they once had.
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Frequently asked questions
Maryland was founded as a haven for Catholics in 1632.
Maryland was founded by Cecil Calvert, the son of George Calvert, who had originally sought the colony.
George Calvert wanted to found a colony as he wished to create a safe space for Catholics, who were persecuted in England.
While Maryland was founded as a Catholic haven, by 1649 the population was primarily Protestant.
No, by the 1650s Maryland was no longer considered a haven for Catholics. By the 1856 election, nearly two centuries had passed since Maryland was a Catholic haven.
