Maryland Tolerance Act
The Maryland Toleration Act (Engl. Maryland Toleration Act ), which in the English colony in 1649 Province of Maryland came into force, was one of the first laws that explicitly other (Christian) denominations as the Church of England tolerated. It is considered to be the forerunner of the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution .
Due to the large number of Christian denominations that could already be found in the American colonies in the 17th century, such a policy of tolerance was actually inevitable. Cæcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore , the Catholic Lord Proprietor of the Province of Maryland is believed to be the author of the edict. As governor for Maryland he set after unrest in the province 1648 William Stone , who decreed this religious edict of tolerance on his behalf on April 21, 1649. In response to the edict, there was renewed rebellion in the province, and Puritans seized power in Maryland. It was not until 1657 that Calvert was reinstated and the Edict of Tolerance of 1649 was renewed.