Maryland

= __//**Maryland**//__ = By Christina Rizopoulos and Naja Williams = //Geography://  = Maryland is located along the East coast of North America. It is surrounded by Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Delaware and bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Chesapeake Bay is Maryland's main geographic feature, which happens to be the largest estuary in North America. Also, running along the western border of Maryland is the Potomac River. This river is 413 miles long, and separates eastern Virginia from western Maryland. The western part of the state is also home to part of the Appalachian Mountain Range, which makes up one-fifth of Maryland's landmass. Mountains such as the Blue Ridge Mt., Allegheny Mt., Green Ridge Mt., Meadow Mt., Negro Mt., and Sugar Loaf Mt. cover the western area and divide it up into valleys. Maryland also has many harbors that lie along the coast of the state, including Annapolis Harbor, Chesapeake Harbour, Dutch Harbor, Inner Harbor…etc. However, it is not certain to tell which harbors date back to colonial days. Farming in colonial Maryland was prosperous and efficient. Because it was part of the South, soil was rich and well-suited for tobacco farming. The land was turned into to plantations, where slaves and indentured servants worked the land. All of these geographic features greatly affected the development of this colony. The biggest developments were the rapid population growths because of the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River. These features encouraged fishing and trade throughout the colony and establishing booming businesses.

[[image:maryland_state_map.jpg width="156" height="121"]] // History: //
Maryland was named in honor of Henrietta Maria who was the wife of King Charles the first. The areas earliest human occupation belonged to hunters which is said because of the countless architects found such as the points of weapons. Maryland played a large role in US history as a divider between North and South within the colonies. Sir George Calvert, whose title was Lord Baltimore, was a Roman Catholic nobleman who was angry about the severe laws against the Roman Catholics in England. Calvert decided to immigrate to Virginia in hopes of enjoying a more relaxed environment with freedom to practice his religion. To his disappointed when moving to Virginia he found that it was very similar to New England. Calvert went back to England after finding land on both side of Chesapeake Bay and asked for a grant from Charles I to create a safe haven for Catholics wishing to practice their religion freely. He received the grant, but unfortunately couldn’t use because he passed away. George Calvert’s son took his position and also the grant for that land. Soon problems arose over the land which was once granted to Virginia, but Lord Baltimore still maintained the grant. The charter given to Lord Baltimore, unlike any previously granted, secured to the emigrants equality in religious rights and civil freedom, and an independent share in the legislation of the province. The colony was created in 1634 by two hundred emigrants, mostly Roman Catholics. The policy of paying the Indians for their land, and their following impartial treatment, inaugurated nonviolent relationships, though these did not stay intact for long. Calvert treated all the Indians as equal men and both the emigrants and natives helped each other and taught each other traits. Maryland was the first country to begin the principle of religious toleration to people of all beliefs and influenced many other colonies after it.

//Economics://
The colonists of Maryland survived off the bountiful resources of the Chesapeake Bay, the Potomac RIver, and the rich soil for crops. The water bodies provided water and fish for the colonists, as well as transportation. And the crops supplied them with a plentiful source of food. However, the principle form of commerce; and base of Maryland's economy; was tobacco farming. At that time gold and silver also became scarce, so the colony was able to use tobacco as a form of currency. Slaves, as well as indentured servants worked to tend and harvest these crops on plantations. This form of labor was highly common, especially in the South.



//Social:// During the 1770s in Maryland, opinions were divided on the issue of devotion to Great Britain. Many of the leaders of colonial Maryland were wrapped up in their own benefit and maintaining their authority. Many others, who might have been expected to assert commitment to England in order to keep their position, instead chose to support the American cause. In Maryland at the bottom of the social ladder were slaves and indentured servants. Successful planters, wealthy merchants, and landowners were the colonial elite. Women assumed traditional roles and took care of their home and brought up their children. On small farms throughout the colony, they also worked the fields and cared for livestock alongside their husbands and children. Education was available for children, but not mandatory until 1870. Maryland had a state board of education and members of counties were elected to be on the board. Some languages that were spoken and taught in Maryland were Dutch, English, French and German. The majority of people living in the colony were Catholic since that was a main reason for the starting of the colony. Lord Baltimore gave the colony religious freedom which attracted more settlers of many different religions as well. Some common activities of the people living in Maryland included sailing and crabbing, shooting wild ducks and geese, and playing lacrosse which was taught to them by the Native Americans who had opened up their land to the settlers.

//Political: //
Maryland was given a royal charter. This charter was granted in express terms "as ample rights, jurisdictions, privileges, prerogatives, … royal rights … as used and enjoyed … within the bishopric or county palatine of Durham." The goal of granting this charter was to attempt to introduce a system of limited feudalism. All English colonies in America founded after Maryland were of this type. The government originally was a monarchial form of government. However, the distance from the "mother country" lessened the feeling of sovereignty and loyalty. Thus rooting the spirit of freedom and democracy within the colony, which increased in power during the colonial period.

// French and Indian War: //
During the French and Indian war many settlers in Western Maryland were killed. Many forts were built in Maryland to help protect its citizens such as Fort Cumberland and Fort Fredrick. The people of Maryland, especially towards the Western part, were very afraid during this war and a large amount of them fled their homes and farms looking for a safer area to live until the hysteria was over. Most went to these forts specifically in the areas of Fredrick, Annapolis, and Baltimore. These cities got larger, and stayed larger because generally the people who had fled during the French and Indian war did not return back to their homes. This greatly increased the population of Fredrick, Annapolis, and Baltimore while decreasing the population in Western Maryland. There were a mixture or loyalists and Patriots, but a higher percent were patriots.     //Revolution://

The state of Maryland decided to raise a battalion in January of 1776, in which William Smallwood was the colonel. The battalion was organized as eight companies and one light infantry company that was made up of men from northern and western Maryland. This group was assigned to the Main Army under George Washington. The battalion was also assigned to the unit of William Alexander and Lord Sterling, along with the Delaware Battalion. By 1781, Maryland had lost many lives. The loss of three regiments was just a portion of the many casualties the state had suffered. Maryland had paid a heavy price for its freedom during the Revolutionary War, but had contributed greatly to its efforts. Maryland was the 7th state to ratify the Constitution with a vote of 63 to 11. The state sent five delegates to the Constitutional Convention, and three of them signed it.



//Triangle Trade//: As economic colonies of England, the Chesapeake colonies were bound by the mercantile system, which enabled England to receive raw goods from the colonies, turn them into finished goods, and market them to the rest of the world.

==== // Salutary Neglect: // The British did not strictly enforce commerce laws with the colonies and they did not have much control or say in the colonies actions. Maryland benefited from Salutary Neglect because it was able to form its own government and political system. ====

//Mercantilism:// British mercantilist laws protected the British merchants from foreign competition by requiring all tobacco to be shipped to England.

==== // Great Awakening: // Several revivals in a variety of locations in the colonies especially involving religion. In Maryland The Great Awakening widened the dicussion of the separation between church and state. ====

//Cash Crops:// John Wolfe (and Englishman in 1612) discovered that tobacco would grow well in the Virginia-Maryland area and would sell profitably in England.

Bibliography:
== [] == __ [|http://history.com] __

ABC clio  http://www.chesapeakebay.net/aboutbay.aspx?menuitem=13953

 http://www.chesapeakebay.net/bayhistory.aspx?menuitem=14591

 http://www.go-maryland.com/Potomac-River/

 http://www.go-maryland.com/Appalachian-Mountains-Maryland/

 http://www.lat-long.com/ListLocations-1-Maryland-Harbor.html

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