George Calvert established the colony of Maryland for economic gain and to create a place of refuge for Catholics, who were being persecuted. He had previously sustained an English settlement off Canada, but he found the climate to be difficult, and many settlers were unable to survive. Due to the weather, his wife left the settlement for Jamestown, and when he tried to join her, he was forbidden because of his Catholic faith. The colonists of Jamestown practiced Anglicanism. Upon this, George Calvert sought a new royal charter, but unfortunately, he died before it was complete.
The charter became the colony of Maryland, and he left the settlement to his sons. Interestingly, it was known as a haven for Catholics, but within a few short years, Puritans outnumbered the Catholics and took control of the colony. Catholics later regained control, but this switch in religions led to the Maryland Toleration Act, which laid the foundation for freedom of religion as stated in the First Amendment of the Constitution.
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