Maryland Toleration Act: Summary And Analysis

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In 1632 Maryland officially became a proprietary colony which meant that an individual was awarded and possesed governmental control of the land. The authority was given to Cecilius Calvert who happen to be a Catholic and was the son of King Charles I. As his father was the first Baron Baltimore he became the second Baron Baltimore. He did not exclude Protestants from Maryland, restrict them in the exercise of their religion, nor et up a Roman Catholic establishment (Johnson, 1876). “The charter gave him ... “full, free, and absolute power,” including control of trade and the right to initiate all legislation, with an elected assembly confined to approving or disapproving his proposals” (Foner, 2016, p. 63). Calvert's image of Maryland was …show more content…

With that being said, Calvert warned Leonard to be careful to secure unity and peace’ between Catholics and Protestants (Hartsock …show more content…

William Stone became the first Protestant governor. This lead to the making of the Maryland Toleration Act. This act was passed on April 21, 1649, which became an act of religious tolerance where it only applied to Christians who believed in the Trinity. "And whereas the inforcing of the Conscience in matter of Religion hath frequently fallen out to bee of dangerous Consequence in those Commonwealths where it hath beene practised . . . no person or persons whatsoever within this Province . . . professing to believe in Jesus Christ shall from henceforth be any waies troubled, molested or discountenanced, for or in respect of his or her Religion." (Schwarz, 1999). This meaning that any of the settlers who spoke bad of the Trinity, Jesus Christ, or the Virgin Mary would be punished. The punishments varied from being fined, whipped, or even imprisoned.

Christians used this law to hide behind it and felt protected, although people from other religions were practicing their own religion at a very high risk. In one occasion the Toleration act was utilized to try and prosecute Jacob Lumbrozo who was a non-Christian. Lumbrozo was a Jew who was accused of implying that Jesus was not the son of God and the New Testament was nothing but fake. By the end of the trial Calvert decided to drop the charges and at some point Lumbrozo gained full citizenship

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