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Quizzes > History

George and Cecilius Calvert: Maryland Colony APUSH Quiz

Quick quiz to test your recall on Maryland Colony APUSH topics. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Matthew WilkinsonUpdated Aug 25, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art of colonial fort and ship on sky blue background for Maryland APUSH quiz joint stock corporations early colonies

This quiz helps you review George and Cecilius Calvert and key Maryland Colony APUSH ideas, from founding to the Maryland Toleration Act. Build skills for the exam with our period 2 apush test, see how economies developed in the 13 colonies economy quiz, and add a lighter check with Maryland trivia.

Easy
Who was the founder of the Maryland colony?
William Penn
Cecil Calvert, 2nd Lord Baltimore
John Smith
Sir Walter Raleigh
Cecil Calvert, also known as the 2nd Lord Baltimore, received the charter for Maryland in 1632 and oversaw its settlement. His father, George Calvert, had originally petitioned for a colony that would provide refuge for English Catholics. Maryland was established as a proprietary colony under Cecil Calvert's governance.
What was the first permanent settlement in Maryland?
Boston
Jamestown
Annapolis
St. Mary's City
St. Mary's City was founded in 1634 by settlers sent by Cecil Calvert and became Maryland's first capital. It served as the administrative and religious center for the proprietary colony. The site has been extensively excavated and is now a historic archaeological park.
What type of colony was Maryland?
Royal colony
Joint-stock colony
Proprietary colony
Charter colony
Maryland was established as a proprietary colony, meaning it was governed by the proprietor (the Calvert family) rather than directly by the Crown. The proprietor held the authority to appoint governors and officials. This system differed from royal colonies, which were administered by governors appointed by the king.
Which religious group was guaranteed freedom under the Maryland Toleration Act of 1649?
All Protestants
Only Catholics
All religions
All Christians
The Maryland Toleration Act granted freedom of worship to all Trinitarian Christians, meaning it protected both Catholics and Protestants who professed belief in the Trinity. It did not protect non-Christians or non-Trinitarian sects. This act was one of the earliest laws mandating religious tolerance in British America.
Which cash crop became Maryland's primary economic focus in the 17th century?
Indigo
Cotton
Tobacco
Rice
Tobacco was the backbone of Maryland's economy in the 17th century, just as it was in neighboring Virginia. Planters cleared land and planted tobacco to meet high demand in England. This cash crop shaped settlement patterns and labor systems.
In what year did King Charles I grant the charter for the Maryland colony?
1619
1660
1632
1607
King Charles I granted the charter for Maryland in 1632 to Lord Baltimore (Cecil Calvert). The charter laid out the boundaries and proprietary rights for the new colony. Settlers arrived in 1634 to establish the first settlement.
What title did the Calvert family hold in relation to Maryland?
Lords Proprietary
Company Shareholders
Elected Officials
Royal Governors
The Calvert family were known as the Lords Proprietary of Maryland, meaning they held both ownership and governing rights granted by the king. This allowed them to appoint governors and officials and collect rents. Proprietary colonies contrasted with royal colonies controlled directly by the Crown.
Which colonial capital replaced St. Mary's City in 1694?
Dover
Baltimore
Annapolis
Philadelphia
Annapolis became the capital of Maryland in 1694 after the legislature voted to move from St. Mary's City. The new site was more centrally located near the Chesapeake Bay. Annapolis remains Maryland's capital today.
What system did Maryland use to encourage settlers to migrate and work the land?
Indenture-free system
Pilgrim compact
Headright system
Congregational system
Maryland adopted the headright system, granting 50 acres of land for each person whose passage to America a colonist paid. This encouraged wealthy planters to import indentured servants and later enslaved Africans. The policy accelerated settlement in the Chesapeake region.
What was the name of Maryland's legislative body established in 1635?
Colonial Congress
House of Delegates
House of Burgesses
General Assembly
The Maryland General Assembly convened for the first time in 1635 and consisted of a governor, a proprietary council, and a lower house of representatives. It was one of the earliest colonial legislatures. The institution evolved into the modern Maryland General Assembly.
Which boundary line resolved the border dispute between Maryland and Pennsylvania in the 1760s?
Mason - Dixon line
Chesapeake line
Mason - Calvert line
Calvert - Penn line
The Mason - Dixon line, surveyed between 1763 and 1767 by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, settled a long-standing boundary dispute between Maryland and Pennsylvania. It later took on symbolic significance in the division between free and slave states.
Which Native American tribe primarily inhabited the region of Maryland when colonists arrived?
Iroquois
Powhatan
Piscataway
Wampanoag
The Piscataway Confederacy inhabited much of what became Maryland when English settlers arrived in 1634. They engaged in trade and occasional conflict with colonists. Over time, disease and displacement dramatically reduced their population.
Medium
The headright system in Maryland granted settlers which of the following?
Right to vote immediately
Exemption from taxes for five years
50 acres of land per servant transported
Freedom of religion
Under the headright system, Maryland awarded 50 acres of land for each individual whose passage to the colony a settler paid. This policy incentivized wealthier colonists to import indentured servants. It fostered the growth of plantation agriculture in the Chesapeake.
The Plundering Time (1644 - 1646) in Maryland was a period of unrest led by whom?
John Smith
Roger Williams
Thomas Hooker
William Claiborne
William Claiborne, a rival settler and trader, led an uprising called the Plundering Time when he opposed the proprietary government and Catholic leadership. His forces seized control of Maryland for a period during the English Civil War. The proprietary regime was restored in 1646.
The Maryland Toleration Act was repealed following which event?
Glorious Revolution of 1688
English Civil War
Restoration of Charles II
Protestant Revolution of 1689
The Protestant Revolution in Maryland in 1689 coincided with the Glorious Revolution in England, leading colonists to overthrow the proprietary government. Protestants repealed the Toleration Act, making the Church of England the official church. Maryland then briefly became a royal colony.
Which major event in England influenced political conflict in Maryland during the 17th century?
English Civil War
Industrial Revolution
Glorious Revolution
American Revolution
The English Civil War (1642 - 1651) heightened tensions between Catholics and Protestants in Maryland. Supporters of Parliament and monarchy clashed in the colony, leading to periods of instability like the Plundering Time. Those conflicts mirrored events back in England.
Which religious denomination became the majority in Maryland by the end of the 17th century?
Anglicans
Catholics
Quakers
Puritans
By the late 1600s, the Church of England (Anglican) became the dominant religious body in Maryland. This shift occurred after Protestant colonists seized power in 1689 and repealed earlier Catholic-friendly laws. Anglicans established themselves as the official church.
How did the Maryland colony primarily acquire labor for its tobacco plantations in the 17th century?
Voluntary immigration
Native American labor
Enslaved Africans and indentured servants
Free wage labor
Maryland planters relied heavily on indentured servants from Europe and, increasingly after the 1660s, on enslaved Africans. This labor system fueled the tobacco economy. Indentured servitude declined as slavery became more entrenched.
What did the "Ordinances for the Government of Maryland" establish?
Religious uniformity under Anglican Church
End of proprietary rule
Abolition of slavery
Framework for colonial government and law
The Ordinances for the Government of Maryland, enacted in 1635, laid out the colony's legal and administrative structure. They defined the roles of the governor, council, and assembly. Together they formed Maryland's early constitutional framework.
Which crop diversification occurred in Maryland due to soil depletion caused by tobacco?
Indigo and sugar
Coffee and tea
Cotton and rice
Wheat and corn
As tobacco exhausted the soil, Maryland farmers began growing wheat and corn to sustain local markets and livestock. This diversification helped stabilize the colony's economy. Grain exports to Europe also increased in the 18th century.
Which port became a major colonial trading center in Maryland during the 18th century?
Newport
Savannah
Jamestown
Baltimore
Baltimore grew rapidly during the 18th century due to its deep harbor and strategic location. It became a major export point for tobacco, grain, and later manufactured goods. The city's growth reflected Maryland's expanding economy.
The "Protestant Revolution" of 1689 in Maryland resulted in which outcome?
Establishment of the Church of England as the official church
Restoration of Catholic leadership
Abolition of the General Assembly
Complete religious freedom
During the Protestant Revolution in Maryland, Protestant colonists seized control and made the Anglican Church the official religion. They repealed the Toleration Act and suspended proprietary governance. Maryland briefly became a royal colony before proprietary rule was restored.
How did the Glorious Revolution of 1688 in England affect Maryland?
It led to royal takeover in 1691
It caused immediate independence of Maryland
It increased autonomy for proprietary colonies
It had no impact
The Glorious Revolution in England prompted Maryland Protestants to overthrow the proprietary government in 1689. In response, the Crown revoked the charter and Maryland became a royal colony in 1691. Proprietary rights were later restored, but under stricter conditions.
Which neighboring colony's founding led to a long border dispute with Maryland?
South Carolina
Georgia
Pennsylvania
Virginia
The founding of Pennsylvania in 1681 created overlapping land claims with Maryland due to imprecise charter boundaries. The dispute lasted decades until surveyors Mason and Dixon settled the line. The boundary conflict reflected commercial and political rivalry between the proprietors.
Hard
In contrast to joint-stock colonies like Virginia, Maryland was financed primarily by which means?
Proprietary investment by a single family
Direct royal funding
Foreign loans
Religious tithes
Maryland was funded through proprietary investment from the Calvert family rather than through stock subscriptions by investors. The proprietor financed settlement and government in exchange for land rents and fees. This differed from the Virginia Company's joint-stock model.
Which document acted as the basic legal code for Maryland up until the 18th century?
Mayflower Compact
Ordinances for the Government of Maryland
Code of 1755
Fundamental Orders
The Ordinances for the Government of Maryland of 1635 served as the colony's foundational legal code. It outlined administrative procedures, land policies, and judicial processes. These ordinances governed Maryland until later legal reforms.
Which protestant group challenged Catholic authority in Maryland during the 17th century?
Lutherans
Baptists
Puritans
Quakers
Puritans, led by figures like William Claiborne, contested the proprietary government's Catholic leadership. They viewed the Calverts' religious tolerance as favoring Catholics. Their opposition triggered episodes of violence and political upheaval.
The relocation of Maryland's capital to Annapolis reflected which colonial trend?
Preference for centrally located administrative centers
Desire for mountainous defenses
Move toward frontier settlements
Shift toward inland agricultural communities
Moving the capital to Annapolis in 1694 demonstrated a desire for a more accessible, centrally located seat of government. This mirrored trends in other colonies to relocate capitals for economic and strategic reasons. Annapolis's harbor facilities also supported trade.
How did Cecilius Calvert use his proprietary rights to shape Maryland's politics?
He appointed the colonial governor and council
He served as governor in person
He conducted elections directly
He allowed total self-rule
As Lord Proprietary, Cecilius Calvert appointed successive governors and the proprietary council that formed the upper house of the legislature. This gave him significant influence over colonial policies. He also reserved rights to approve laws.
Maryland's policy of religious toleration was more limited than Rhode Island's because it excluded:
Anglicans
Non-Trinitarian Christians
Jews
Catholics
The Toleration Act protected only Trinitarian Christians, excluding Unitarians, Jews, atheists, and others. Rhode Island's policy was broader, allowing freedom for all who denied the authority of a single organized church. Maryland's act was narrow in scope.
How did the tobacco economy affect Maryland's social structure?
It eliminated indentured servitude
It promoted the growth of a planter elite
It led to early industrialization
It decreased landholding inequality
The profitability of tobacco enabled wealthy planters to amass large plantations and landholdings. This created an elite class with political and economic dominance. Small farmers and indentured servants comprised the lower tiers of society.
Which economic practice did Maryland planters increasingly rely on after the 1670s?
Family farming only
Wage labor
African slave labor
Native American overseers
By the late 17th century, Maryland planters shifted from indentured servants to enslaved Africans as the main labor force. The transition reflected changes in Atlantic trade, legal codes, and labor availability. Slavery became entrenched in the colony's economy.
Which war temporarily disrupted Maryland's economy and governance in the mid-17th century?
King Philip's War
French and Indian War
English Civil War
Yamasee War
The English Civil War sparked political unrest in Maryland, leading to factions supporting Parliament or the Crown. The colony endured the Plundering Time and shifts in power. Governance and trade were significantly disrupted during this period.
Maryland's proprietary government faced challenges due to conflicts between the governor and:
Spanish colonists
The colonial assembly
Native tribes
The Church of England
Maryland governors often clashed with the elected assembly over taxation, spending, and legislative authority. These tensions reflected broader struggles between proprietary prerogatives and colonial self-government. The assembly asserted rights that sometimes undercut proprietary control.
Which feature distinguished Maryland's proprietary charter from royal charters?
It granted land and government to a proprietor
It allowed self-government
It required royal governors
It prohibited trade with foreign nations
Maryland's charter granted the Calvert family extensive land grants and governmental authority over the colony. This proprietary arrangement differed from royal charters, which vested authority directly in the crown and its appointed governors. The proprietor held rights to appointment and revenue.
Expert
Analyze the function of the proprietary council in colonial Maryland's government. It served as:
A religious council
The upper legislative chamber and advisory board to the governor
A judicial body only
A purely advisory body with no real power
The proprietary council functioned as the upper house of the legislature and advised the governor on administrative and judicial matters. It had significant influence over lawmaking and appointments. This dual role blurred executive and legislative powers under the proprietor's authority.
How did Maryland's proprietary system influence future American political thought on governance and rights?
It had no influence on later political thought
It provided a model for separation of powers and local self-rule
It established a precedent for annual presidential elections
It led to the first federal income tax
Maryland's blend of proprietary control with an elected assembly offered early examples of checks and balances. The balance between proprietor-appointed officials and local representatives foreshadowed later debates about separation of powers. It also contributed to the tradition of local self-government in America.
The Mason - Dixon survey had significant legal implications by:
Dividing Virginia and North Carolina
Determining the line between Canada and the U.S.
Legally settling the boundary ambiguity between Maryland and Pennsylvania
Reinforcing colonial claims to lands west of the Appalachians
The 1760s Mason - Dixon survey by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon legally defined the boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania. It resolved decades of proprietary disputes and provided a clear reference for property rights. The line later symbolically demarcated free and slave states.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Analyze Maryland Colony Foundations -

    Examine the religious, economic, and political factors that led to the founding of the Maryland colony APUSH, emphasizing the proprietary model and governance structure.

  2. Evaluate Joint Stock Corporation Impact -

    Assess how joint stock corporation APUSH models provided capital for Maryland's settlement and influenced its early economic development.

  3. Compare Key APUSH Colonies -

    Contrast Maryland with other APUSH colonies to identify differences in religious tolerance, labor systems, and relationships with Indigenous peoples.

  4. Interpret the Act of Toleration's Significance -

    Interpret the Maryland Act of Toleration and its role in establishing religious freedom by 1750 all the southern plantation colonies.

  5. Assess Plantation Economy Growth -

    Analyze the evolution of tobacco cultivation and labor practices in Maryland and by 1750 all the southern plantation colonies.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Proprietary Foundation under Lord Baltimore -

    The Maryland colony APUSH story begins in 1632 when King Charles I granted Cecilius Calvert a proprietary charter, making Maryland a privately owned haven. This model contrasts with royal colonies and introduces early public-private financing themes akin to joint stock corporation APUSH concepts. Use the mnemonic "Calvert's Charter" to recall its proprietary origins.

  2. Maryland Toleration Act of 1649 -

    As one of the first laws guaranteeing religious freedom in English America, the Maryland Toleration Act protected Trinitarian Christians and set a precedent for religious tolerance. Students can compare it to other APUSH colonies to see how Maryland's inclusive approach influenced colonial governance. Think "Tolerance '49" to lock in the year and intent.

  3. Tobacco & the Plantation Economy -

    By the mid-17th century, tobacco fueled Maryland's growth, mirroring the broader shift whereby by 1750 all the southern plantation colonies relied on this cash crop. The headright system granted 50 acres per settler, shaping social hierarchy and land distribution. Remember H for Headright and Harvest to connect land grants with tobacco success.

  4. Proprietary Government & Colonial Assembly -

    Maryland's government featured a governor appointed by the Calvert family, plus a bicameral assembly with an Upper and Lower House, blending proprietary control with local representation. This hybrid governance model is a key point in APUSH colonies comparisons, illustrating early self-rule trends. Picture "Two Houses, One Proprietor" to capture its structure.

  5. Joint-Stock Origins & Southern Comparison -

    Though proprietary, Maryland inherited financial strategies from earlier joint stock corporation APUSH ventures, akin to Jamestown's Virginia Company, showing evolving colonial finance. By 1750, Maryland joined its southern neighbors in a plantation-based economy, yet its proprietary roots set it apart. Link "Joint Stock to Proprietor" to trace funding evolution across colonies.

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