Vol. I Chapter 12
Maryland
Virginia was a chartered company, run for profit by several shareholders. Maryland was the first proprietary colony, far more feudalistic. It was a grant of land to a single proprietor. There was less incentive for immediate profit.
Lord Baltimore could rule with king-like powers. But like the English king, he could only levy taxes with consent of the assembly of freemen or landholders.
Maryland was made a haven for Catholics. But no religious test was required, in order to encourage settlement. Protestants soon outnumbered Catholics 10 to 1.
There was generally peace with the Indians. Baltimore's men dealt fairly with the Indians and purchased land. But settlers could only get land as feudal tenants, paying quitrents to the proprietor. This hampered settlement.
The assembly and proprietor fought over powers, and the assembly won the right to initiate legislation. The governor could dissolve the assembly, but the assembly only voted to approve one year's worth of taxes.
In 1649, the assembly passed the Toleration Act. All Christians had free exercise, but there was a death penalty for Jews, Unitarians, and other non-conformists. This act prohibited certain speech, and certain acts on the Sabbath, which was more a compromise with Puritans, who came to power in England.
In 1652, Parliament sent commissioners and ousted the proprietary government. There was more religious conflict as the restoration of Charles II led to reinstatement of the old proprietary.
Maryland was similar to Virginia in that it had large tobacco plantations and was thinly settled. But it was much more feudal -- nobody could buy land outright until later when this restriction was relaxed to encourage settlement. Negro slaves were used, as in Virginia.
Virginia was a chartered company, run for profit by several shareholders. Maryland was the first proprietary colony, far more feudalistic. It was a grant of land to a single proprietor. There was less incentive for immediate profit.
Lord Baltimore could rule with king-like powers. But like the English king, he could only levy taxes with consent of the assembly of freemen or landholders.
Maryland was made a haven for Catholics. But no religious test was required, in order to encourage settlement. Protestants soon outnumbered Catholics 10 to 1.
There was generally peace with the Indians. Baltimore's men dealt fairly with the Indians and purchased land. But settlers could only get land as feudal tenants, paying quitrents to the proprietor. This hampered settlement.
The assembly and proprietor fought over powers, and the assembly won the right to initiate legislation. The governor could dissolve the assembly, but the assembly only voted to approve one year's worth of taxes.
In 1649, the assembly passed the Toleration Act. All Christians had free exercise, but there was a death penalty for Jews, Unitarians, and other non-conformists. This act prohibited certain speech, and certain acts on the Sabbath, which was more a compromise with Puritans, who came to power in England.
In 1652, Parliament sent commissioners and ousted the proprietary government. There was more religious conflict as the restoration of Charles II led to reinstatement of the old proprietary.
Maryland was similar to Virginia in that it had large tobacco plantations and was thinly settled. But it was much more feudal -- nobody could buy land outright until later when this restriction was relaxed to encourage settlement. Negro slaves were used, as in Virginia.
posted by Jason Livermore at 10:53 PM
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