Final answer:
The colony of Maryland was founded as a safe haven for Catholics and an economic venture focused on tobacco cultivation. While the Calvert family aimed for religious tolerance, their proprietary rule drew criticism from the Protestant majority, leading to social conflict and significant changes in governance. Tobacco and related labor systems, including slavery, were central to the colony's growth.
Step-by-step explanation:
Maryland Colony Founded in 1632
The colony of Maryland, founded in 1632, was established primarily as a safe haven for Catholics and for the economic benefit of growing tobacco. Under the proprietorship of the Calvert family, it was neither a democracy from the outset with full religious freedom nor an independent kingdom. While the Calverts intended to practice religious toleration for all Christians and dealt fairly with the Indians, they did not create the political and social systems solely through Catholic priests and missionaries. Indeed, tobacco production shaped its economy and accelerated the entrenchment of slavery in 1664 when Maryland passed the first law to create a permanent slave class.
Despite the Calverts’ encouragement of both Protestants and Catholics to settle, a majority of Protestants grew resentful of the perception that the Catholic minority ruled them. This situation changed post-1689 due to a Protestant rebellion that led to the Calverts losing their charter, although they later regained it in 1715. Nonetheless, tobacco continued to be the backbone of Maryland's economy and the need for a labor force to cultivate it led to the use of indentured servants and slaves.