The Founding, Governance, and Development of Maryland and the Carolinas
The Founding and Early Governance of Maryland
Maryland was established as a haven for English Catholics, primarily through the efforts of George Calvert.
Calvert served as the principal Secretary of State for England but resigned the office after joining the Roman Catholic Church, which was no longer the official Church of England.
Historical context: During the 1600s, significant animosity existed between the official Protestant Church of England and Roman Catholics. Despite being persecuted, England maintained a sizable Catholic population.
Calvert's resignation did not result in losing the king's favor. King James I bestowed upon him the title of Lord Baltimore (the first Lord Baltimore).
Lord Baltimore was an investor in the Virginia Company of London and helped oversee New England's affairs for the government.
Calvert initially bought land in Newfoundland but found it to be a harsh environment for settlement; he subsequently looked further south.
After visiting Virginia, Calvert was granted territory north of the Potomac River by King Charles I (the successor to James I).
The territory was named Maryland and received an official charter in 1632.
Settlers and Prophetic Authority in Maryland
Following George Calvert's death, his son, Cecilius Calvert, became the second Lord Baltimore and the first proprietor (owner) of Maryland.
The Maryland charter recognized the Calvert family as proprietors, granting them authority over the conduct of settlement and the government.
The charter allowed non-Protestant settlement as a means for Catholics to escape persecution in England.
Initial Settlement (1634):
A group of approximately 200 colonists, including many Catholics, arrived in Virginia in 1634.
They traveled along the Chesapeake Bay and settled at Blakiston's Island, where they established the first marker claiming the area as Maryland.
The first permanent settlement was established at St. Mary's.
Governance Structure:
Cecilius Calvert never governed Maryland in person; he appointed his brother, Leonard Calvert, as the first governor/deputy.
Leonard Calvert established a manor system similar to New Netherland, where land was centrally controlled and divvied among tenants.
Initially, relations between Maryland settlers and local Native Americans were friendly.
Territorial Conflict and Political Instability
Virginia claimed portions of Maryland's territory, leading to conflict.
William Claiborne, acting for Virginia (without official sanction), established a trading post on Kent Island within Maryland's territory.
Claiborne refused to recognize Lord Baltimore's jurisdiction and sought recognition from the colony of Virginia instead.
In 1635, conflicts at sea occurred between Maryland and Claiborne’s settlers. English authorities eventually ruled against Claiborne's official claims.
Richard Ingle, a Protestant tobacco trader, captured St. Mary's and plundered the settlement, forcing Governor Leonard Calvert to flee to Virginia.
Calvert returned with the aid of Virginia's royal governor and recaptured St. Mary's.
Pressure from Richard Ingle and other dissenters led to a period of instability where the Calvert family lost favor in England.
William Stone, a Protestant deputy governor, attempted to undermine Catholic leadership but secured the Toleration Act in 1649.
The Toleration Act granted religious freedom to all those who believed in the Trinity (the Holy Trinity).
Transition to Protestant Dominance and Royal Control
Following Stone's departure, a Roman Catholic successor was named, leading to temporary cooperation between Catholic and Protestant settlers.
Investigation and Legislative Shift:
New leadership recognized royal authority over Maryland.
An investigation of those dissenting against the Maryland Charter led to a new governor calling for a legislative assembly.
This assembly repudiated the Toleration Act, ending guarantees of religious freedom for Roman Catholics and turning Maryland into a Protestant-dominated colony.
Civil War in Maryland:
A civil war broke out; former deputy governor William Stone was wounded and imprisoned along with his supporters.
The Calvert family eventually persuaded the Committee of Trade in England to restore their privileges.
Restoration was subject to the condition of appointing a new governor and establishing a legislature/assembly independent of the proprietorship.
Evolution of Maryland: Catholic Haven → Territorial Dispute with Virginia → Protestant Equality Demand → Protestant Domination → Civil War → Royal Control.
The Early Exploration and Settlement of the Carolinas
Carolina was formed as a proprietorship, privately owned by a group of eight owners.
In 1629, Sir Robert Heath was granted a patent to settle the region, which triggered exploration and overlapping (conflicting) claims.
Albemarle Colony (1653):
Established by settlers from Virginia moving south into what is now North Carolina.
Encouraged by the Virginia General Assembly to secure the southern frontier against the Spanish and unfriendly Native Americans.
Growing Interest:
English interest in the Carolinas surged after they seized Jamaica and the Caribbean from Spain in 1655.
Jamaica became a primary jumping-off point for economic development in the Southern U.S.
New England traders sought access to the Caribbean through networks with the Southern colonies.
Cape Fear Company (1660):
A combine of New Englanders and London merchants organized to establish a trading post in the Carolinas.
Development of Charleston and the Fundamental Constitution
Permanent development began in the 1660s following a project by a planter in Barbados.
King Charles II granted a claim to eight proprietors covering North and South Carolina.
This grant claimed territory from the Atlantic to the Pacific ("sea to sea").
The proprietors established a Privy Council to govern as their representatives.
Charlestown (Charleston):
Promoted in 1663 to residents of New England and Barbados.
Established as a port city and a strategic military point against the Spanish.
Served as a major trade hub between New England, the Caribbean, and England.
The Fundamental Constitution:
Established rights for proprietors and those granted land.
Recognized cooperative Native American chiefs as having rightful claims to the region.
Defined "freeholders" as small landowners with individual farms.
Treaty of Madrid (1670):
A temporary agreement between England and Spain recognizing cooperation in the New World.
Served as the basis for future boundary disputes between the Carolinas and Spanish Florida.
Native American Conflicts and the Final Split of the Carolinas
Within ten years, the population of Charleston reached 400.
The Cusos War (1670s):
Conflict between Carolina and the Cusos tribe near Charleston.
Dissatisfaction with the government was exacerbated by the Spanish, who egged on the violence.
The Cusos War saw the first English efforts to enslave Native American captives as an alternative to African slavery or indentured servitude.
Aftermath and the Westos Tribe:
Carolina sought new ties with Native groups (like the Westos along the Savannah River) to offset the Cusos.
An uprising by the Westos in 1680 was suppressed.
The Westos were later persuaded to help Carolinians establish trade ties further west.
Sectional Conflict:
The Albemarle settlement (regarded as a squatter colony) thrived in the north and resisted the authority of the Charleston government.
In the 1690s, northern settlers denied the authority of the Carolina government.
Creation of Royal Colonies:
1691: North Carolina established itself as separate.
In the early 1700s, amid weakened proprietorship, wars between England/France/Spain, and new Native American conflicts, the British government intervened.
The Crown separated the two officially; both North and South Carolina became Royal Colonies under the direct control of Great Britain.