2. Maryland, a Religious Refuge
Like other religious groups in England, ROMAN
CATHOLICS sought a place of refuge in America.
In 1633, CECIL CALVERT founded the colony of
MARYLAND for both Protestants and Catholics.
Protestants soon outnumbered Catholics in the
colony. MARYLAND’S leaders responded by
issuing the TOLERATION ACT in 1649. This law
guaranteed all Christians the right to worship as
they pleased.
6. The Two Carolinas
In 1663 King Charles II granted eight English
nobles a large tract of land south of VIRGINIA.
The nobles named the land CAROLINA, the Latin
form of CHARLES.
From the beginning, the land was divided
naturally into 2 regions. NORTH CAROLINA was
settled by people from Virginia, and SOUTH
CAROLINA attracted settlers from the West
Indies, England, and other parts of Europe.
8. Georgia, a Colony for the Poor
JAMES OGLETHORPE founded the colony of
GEORGIA in 1732 as a refuge for England’s poor
and those serving time in debtor’s prison.
OGLETHORPE set strict lifestyle rules in the
colony. He limited land ownership and forbade the
use of liquor. As a result, few people wanted to
come to GEORGIA, and the colony grew slowly.
