maryland act maryland act known act concerning religion law religious tolerance christians passed april assembly maryland colony second law requiring religious tolerance british north american colonies created pioneer statutes passed legislative body organized colonial government guarantee degree religious liberty specifically bill usually referred act granted freedom conscience christians colony rhode_island passed series laws prohibited religious persecution including non rhode_island government separate church state historians argue helped inspire later legal freedom religion united_states family founded maryland partly refuge english catholics sought enactment law protect catholic settlers religions conform dominant britain colonies act allowed freedom worship christians maryland sentenced death denied jesus revoked appointed commissioner staunch advocate regained control maryland act reinstated repealed permanently following events glorious revolution protestant revolution maryland law religious tolerance british north_america influenced related laws colonies portions echoed writing amendment united_states_constitution religious freedom american law origin law maryland colony founded like father originated efforts led colony charter catholic time england dominated intended colony haven catholics fleeing england source income descendants maryland settlers catholic including catholic priests earliest chronicler colony history intentions maryland colony anglican nation charter granted anglican king assumed church_of_england official church anglican later newcomers quickly came early catholic settlers law passed colonial assembly dominated law effect act protestant tolerance catholics reverse maryland earliest days colonists leave religious rivalries giving instructions establishment defense colony asked men appointed lead ensure peace catholics asked catholics practice faith privately possible peace ordinance maryland earliest comprehensive law expressed general commitment rights man specifically detail religious minorities kind peace prevailed english civil war opened religious threatened control maryland death governor seized control colony 2nd baron baltimore quickly regained power recognized religious tolerance specifically law vulnerable recognition combined arrival group induced establish providence freedom worship partially confirm promises wrote maryland act encouraged colonial assembly pass april description maryland act act tolerance allowing specific religious groups practice religion punished retaining ability right time granted tolerance christians believed trinity law explicit limiting effects christians person persons believe jesus christ shall henceforth troubled respect religion free exercise thereof province settlers denying trinity jesus christ punished execution seizure lands meant jews christianity practicing religions risk lives person insulted virgin mary jailed fined christians right worship protected law outlawed use religious insults attempt limit use religious insults described attempt world limit use hate speech law attempt prosecute non christian jew named accused saying jesus son god described tricks deny having said things argued responding questions asked held trial case later dismissed given citizenship condition restoration rule following english civil war law detractors groups protected concerned act government general royalist concerned swearing allegiance catholic required submit pope considered opposed law believing church_of_england colony sole established church repeal legacy years passage act repealed years earlier colony seized following execution king charles england outbreak english civil war early stages conflict colonial assembly maryland neighbors virginia publicly declared support king parliament appointed protestant commissioners loyal cause subdue colonies leader took control colonial government addition maryland act assistance protestant bennett passed new law barring catholics openly practicing religion regained control making deal colony act passed colonial assembly time thirty years following glorious revolution england england deposed protestant ascended throne rebellion maryland rule quickly rescinded act banned public practice catholicism reinstated colonial rule fact colony established church_of_england official church explicitly barred catholics voting family regained control colony converted political control remained risk attempt catholics took era american revolution religious tolerance freedom practice maryland law secure religious freedom included severe limitations nonetheless significant milestone enlightenment generally considered idea religious freedom took root stands legal guarantee religious tolerance american british history later laws ensuring religious tolerance freedom including british act holy experiment pennsylvania laws concerning religion colonies south_carolina influenced example according historian measure marked notable departure oppression passage amendment constitution century later religious freedom fundamental guarantee document echoes act use phrase free exercise thereof despite lack guarantee religious freedom broad based tolerance law significant step forward struggle religious liberty
Maryland Toleration Act