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115-606: The first European settlement in Maryland was established in Southern Maryland at St. Mary's City in 1634. This settlement is considered by historians to be the birthplace of religious freedom in North America. Throughout the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, the area developed an agricultural slave economy, with agriculture maintaining prominence following emancipation . Many historical events occurred in Southern Maryland during

230-470: A Native American princess . In the same letter accusing Margaret Brent of mishandling Leonard Calvert's estate, Cecil Calvert also disparaged her brother, Giles Brent, for having married a Native American woman. At the end of the letter, Cecil Calvert ordered Brent and her brother and sisters to leave the Maryland Colony. Although the assembly was largely supportive of Brent and largely took her side in

345-545: A Naval ordnance test ground (at Indian Head ), electric power plants (at Aquasco and Morgantown) and an oil terminal (at Piney Point ). The towns of Solomons Island and Chesapeake Beach are tourist resorts. The Maryland International Raceway and Budds Creek Raceway near Chaptico attract many auto and motocross racing enthusiasts. Military installations in Southern Maryland include: Suburban areas of Southern Maryland also have many Washington-area military related commuters. The Southern Maryland National Heritage Area

460-583: A former Virginia colonist who was fluent in their language and they met quickly with the chief of the region. The Tayac Kittamaquund, paramount chief of the Piscataway Indian Nation, sold thirty miles of land there to the English newcomers. He wanted to develop them as allies and trading partners (especially because of their advanced technology, such as farming implements, metal-working, gunpowder and weapons, types of food and liquor, etc.). For some time,

575-445: A grid or strips of land. However, most residents of St. Mary's City later preferred to live on their tobacco plantations in the surrounding countryside. The settlement was meant to be the capital of the new Maryland Colony and Province of Maryland . St. Mary's City experienced an economic boom due to successful tobacco farming, which was the most important export commodity. Tobacco became an extremely valuable cash crop in

690-511: A lucrative boom crop, began to experience price declines. This was likely due to increased production and competition in other colonies. The problem was then aggravated by Maryland planters cutting their tobacco product with other leaves in order to make up for the decrease in the price of a tobacco barrel. Although helpful in the very short run, in the longer run this cutting practice hurt the reputation of Maryland tobacco in England and further devalued

805-517: A major challenge. St. Mary's City is widely considered to be the birthplace of religious freedom in North America. The colony there started under a mandate of religious tolerance in a time when England was anything but religiously tolerant. This was due to the colony's charter, which did not prohibit non- protestant churches. In 1649, the Maryland Colonial Assembly passed of one of the earliest laws requiring religious tolerance, known as

920-559: A militia and led an attack to retake St. Mary's City. They succeeded in driving off the Protestant militia and regained control of the town. Then Calvert and his men carried out successful raids on Kent Island in the Chesapeake, which had become a stronghold of his foes, defeating the force there. At this point Calvert had the upper hand, although the threat still remained. However, within a year, Leonard Calvert became sick and died, creating

1035-558: A specific mandate of providing haven for people of both Catholic and Protestant Christian faiths. It is also an internationally recognized archaeological research area and training center for archaeologists, and is home to the Historical Archaeology Field School. There have been over 200 archeological digs in St. Mary's City over the last 30 years. Archaeological research continues in the city. Historic St. Mary's City

1150-399: A temporary power vacuum in the colony and also worryingly for the residents of St. Mary's City, leaving Calvert's militia, which had been protecting the city, unpaid. Margaret Brent had been named by Leonard Calvert as the executor of his last will and testament, a very unusual designation for a woman of her time. She therefore handled the liquidation of Leonard Calvert's estate. However at

1265-468: A time of continued religious persecution of the Roman Catholics in England. In 1631, Calvert obtained a grant from King Charles I in recognition of his services to king and country. It had been a dream of George Calvert to establish a colony in North America and to also make it a haven for persecuted Catholics. George Calvert died shortly before the Maryland charter received the royal seal; however,

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1380-628: A working colonial farm and the fully working replica of The Dove sailing ship , which was one of the "two original settlers ships that established the first Maryland colony" (Maryland's historical equivalent of the Mayflower ). Historic St. Mary's City also provides presentations on different aspects of colonial era woodland Indian life. At special times of the year, members of the Piscataway Indian Nation also provide reenactments and other cultural demonstrations. The Piscataway people were

1495-619: Is "the best single portrait of men and manners, of rural and urban life, of the wide range of society and scenery in colonial America." Annapolis became the temporary capital of the United States after the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783. Congress was in session in the state house from November 26, 1783, to August 19, 1784, and it was in Annapolis on December 23, 1783, that General Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of

1610-550: Is a former colonial town that was founded in March 1634, as Maryland 's first European settlement and capital. It is now a state-run historic area, which includes a reconstruction of the original colonial settlement and a designated living history venue and museum complex. Half the area is occupied by the campus of St. Mary's College of Maryland . The entire area contains a community of about 933 permanent residents and some 1,400 students living in campus dorms and apartments. The city

1725-563: Is a large public access historic interpretation area with four public museums and is a re-creation of the original colonial capital of Maryland and also the original settlers village. It has several living history museums , and the entire complex is staffed by period dressed actors who recreate history theatrically, as well as archeologists and archeology students who provide scientific and historical interpretation, public archeological site displays, reconstructed colonial buildings, including ongoing year-round outdoor historical reenactments ,

1840-628: Is adjacent to the city limits. A settlement in the Province of Maryland named "Providence" was founded on the north shore of the Severn River on the middle Western Shore of the Chesapeake Bay in 1649 by Puritan exiles from the Province/Dominion of Virginia led by the third Proprietary Governor of Maryland , William Stone (1603–1660). The settlers later moved to a better-protected harbor on

1955-498: Is an unincorporated community under Maryland state law and is located in southern St. Mary's County , which occupies the southernmost tip of the state on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay . The community is bordered by the St. Mary's River , a short, brackish-water tidal tributary of the Potomac River , near where it empties into the Chesapeake. St. Mary's City is the historic site of

2070-450: Is contained within Maryland's 5th congressional district , which has been represented by Rep. Steny Hoyer since 1981. Maryland's two U.S. senators are Chris van Hollen (junior) and Ben Cardin (senior). Oysters are still widely available although they were once fished from the bay and its tidal tributaries in greater numbers, and are served either fried, raw, or stuffed. " Rockfish ",

2185-414: Is credited for having done so implicitly. The violence stemming from the English civil war eventually spread to the colonies and a Protestant raiding party attacked St. Mary's City, driving off many settlers and burning several structures. After the attack there were only about 100 people still living in the town. The raiders took control of the city and added further fortifications. The raiders plundered

2300-699: Is land and 0.92 square miles (2.38 km ) is water. Annapolis lies within the humid subtropical climate zone ( Köppen Cfa ), with hot, humid summers, cool winters, and generous precipitation year-round. Low elevation and proximity to the Chesapeake Bay give the area more moderate spring and summertime temperatures and slightly less extreme winter lows than locations further inland, such as Washington, D.C. See or edit raw graph data . In November 2020, NASA reported that Annapolis had 18 days of high-tide (non-storm-related) flooding from May 2019 to April 2020, an increase over 2018's 12 days, and higher than

2415-524: Is now St. Mary's County, Maryland choosing to settle on a bluff overlooking the St. Mary's River , a relatively calm, tidal tributary near the mouth of the Potomac River where it empties into the Chesapeake Bay . The site had been occupied by members of the Yaocomico branch of the Piscataway Indian Nation , who had abandoned it as being vulnerable to attack by the Susquehanna. The settlers had with them

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2530-543: Is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland . It is the county seat of Anne Arundel County and its only incorporated city. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River , 25 miles (40 km) south of Baltimore and about 30 miles (50 km) east of Washington, D.C. , Annapolis forms part of the Baltimore–Washington metropolitan area . The 2020 census recorded its population as 40,812, an increase of 6.3% since 2010. This city served as

2645-548: Is under the administration of the "Historic St. Mary's City Commission", a government agency of the State of Maryland. The public honors college, St. Mary's College of Maryland , is a state-funded coed undergraduate liberal arts college. It is only one of two "Public Honors Colleges" in the nation and one of only a handful of small public liberal arts colleges. It was specifically tasked by the state of Maryland to be modeled after far more expensive private elite liberal arts colleges with

2760-601: The American Civil War , when Maryland ratified a new Constitution that abolished slavery. During the American Revolutionary War , British forces landed on St. George Island in St. Mary's County on July 15, 1776, under the command of John Murray, 4th Earl of Dunmore . Dunmore's forces were defeated by local Flying Camp militia led by Captain Rezin Beall , and they left the island on August 9, 1776. During

2875-564: The American Revolutionary War , the War of 1812 , and the American Civil War . Much of the area remains rural, however the region saw suburban growth in the late 20th and early 21st centuries as Washington's suburbs expanded southward. In 2023, the region was designated as the Southern Maryland National Heritage Area. Counties located in Southern Maryland include Calvert County , Charles County , St. Mary's County , and

2990-613: The American Revolutionary War , with Great Britain recognizing the independence of the United States. The city and state capitol was also the site of the 1786 Annapolis Convention , which issued a call to the states to send delegates for the Constitutional Convention to be held the following year in Philadelphia . The Annapolis Peace Conference took place in 2007. Annapolis is the home of St. John's College , founded 1696. The United States Naval Academy , established 1845,

3105-479: The Maryland Toleration Act of 1649 . After 61 years as Maryland's capital an uprising of Protestants put an end to religious tolerance, overthrowing the old Catholic leadership and putting an end to colonial St. Mary's City itself, moving the colonial capital to Annapolis . St. Mary's City was abandoned as a capital but was slowly consolidated from smaller farms into a large, single slave plantation by

3220-669: The Potomac River in Virginia. Per orders from Lord Baltimore, Stone returned the following spring at the head of a Cavalier royalist force, loyal to the uncrowned King of England . On March 25, 1655, in what became known as the Battle of the Severn (the first colonial naval battle in North America ), Stone was defeated, taken prisoner, and replaced by Lt. Gen. Josias Fendall (1628–1687) as fifth Proprietary Governor . Fendall governed Maryland during

3335-415: The Potomac River with Virginia took place, including of Maryland men volunteering for Confederate service . John Wilkes Booth was helped by several people in his escape through the area and in crossing the river after killing President Abraham Lincoln . Thousands of captured Confederate troops were confined in harsh conditions at Point Lookout Prison Camp at the southern tip of the peninsula. During

3450-544: The Severn River . Students that attend the Naval Academy are enrolled for four years with a following five year commitment to serving on active duty in the Marine Corps or Navy. Students hold the naval rank of Midshipman , and on average about 4,500 are enrolled. St. John's College is a non-sectarian private college that was once supported by the state. It was opened in 1789 as the successor of King William's School, which

3565-846: The St. Mary's Peninsula and the Calvert Peninsula . Geologic formations of the Chesapeake Group can be found in Southern Maryland, including the Calvert Formation , the St. Marys Formation , and the Choptank Formation . Many of these formations are present at the Calvert Cliffs State Park in Calvert County. Southern Maryland is within the Atlantic Coastal Plain physiographic region. Southern Maryland

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3680-827: The Thomas Stone National Historic Site , Historic St. Mary's City , and Port Tobacco Village , among others. Museums in the area include the Calvert Marine Museum , and the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum . Waterfront sites along the Chesapeake Bay , the Potomac River , and the Patuxent River are also tourist attractions. These include Mallows Bay , the Mallows Bay–Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary , and Solomon's Island . The entire region

3795-536: The Treaty of Paris was ratified there on January 14, 1784, so Annapolis became the first peacetime capital of the U.S. It was in the Maryland State House that George Washington famously resigned his commission before the Continental Congress on December 23, 1783. The United States Naval Academy was founded in 1845 on the site of Fort Severn , and now occupies an area of land reclaimed from

3910-453: The "Colleges" ranking. Colonial St. Mary's City was first envisioned by an English Lord, George Calvert . Calvert had been born in Yorkshire to a Catholic family, but when he was twelve, the local authorities compelled his parents to send George and his brother Christopher to a Protestant tutor. From then on George conformed to the established religion and had a successful career in service to

4025-426: The 1995-2005 average of 2 days annually. The increase is attributed to sea level rise caused by climate change . Resultant flood damages caused local businesses to lose as much as $ 172,000 a year. On Naval Academy grounds, seawater came out of storm drains, with McNair Road and Ramsay Road flooding 20 times in 2020 and more than 40 times each in 2018 and 2019. Adaptation approaches such as sea walls and building up

4140-596: The British launched a campaign in the Chesapeake region . British forces landed in Benedict , Charles County on August 19, 1814. Intent on marching to Washington , the British marched to Upper Marlboro before engaging American troops at the Battle of Bladensburg . The battle resulted in a British victory. By nightfall on August 24, 1814, British forces entered Washington and burned several government buildings . The British then marched back to Benedict. Similarly to what occurred in

4255-553: The Colonial Players theater in 1981. Based on the play by Charles Dickens , the 90-minute production by the Colonial Players is an original musical adaptation, with play and lyrics by Richard Wade and music by Dick Gessner. Colonial Players, Inc. is a nonprofit organization founded in 1949. Its first production, The Male Animal , was performed in 1949 at the Annapolis Recreation Center on Compromise Street. In 1955,

4370-548: The Continental Army. For the 1783 Congress, the Governor of Maryland commissioned John Shaw , a local cabinetmaker, to create an American flag . Shaw's flag is slightly different from other designs of the time: the blue field extends over the entire height of the hoist. Shaw developed two versions of the flag: one which started with a red stripe and another that started with a white one. In 1786, delegates from all states of

4485-505: The King continued the grant to his eldest son and heir, Cecil. Cecil Calvert continued and expanded his father's plans. While their interest in providing a haven for fellow Catholics was genuine, it was imperative that the enterprise be profitable. Supporters in England of the Virginia colony opposed the Charter, as they had little interest in having a competing colony to the north. Rather than going to

4600-680: The Korean and Vietnam wars. It was at Annapolis in July 1940 that Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg arrived in exile during World War II. In the summer of 1984, the Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis hosted soccer games as part of the XXIII Olympiad . During September 18–19, 2003, Hurricane Isabel created the largest storm surge known in Annapolis's history, cresting at 7.58 feet (2.31 m). Much of downtown Annapolis

4715-669: The Maryland Assembly issued the following proclamation about her: ...the Colony was safer in her hands than any man's in the Province, and she rather deserves favor and thanks for her so much concerning [herself] for the public safety. However this did not sway Cecil Calvert. This dispute also set off racial tensions between the Brent family and Cecil Calvert in England, because Brent's brother, who had also been in St. Mary's City, had married

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4830-409: The Maryland Colony, sought to settle once and for all the religious divisions that had triggered the recent fighting. The assembly at the time was majority Protestant, and the aristocratic leadership, including the governorship of the colony was Catholic. The act remained in effect for 40 years, and contributed to relative peace in the colony during that time. In the 1660s tobacco, which had long been

4945-475: The Maryland colony. Consequently, Brent left the colony with her sister. They lived for a year on an island in the Potomac River and then moved to the Virginia colony. Other relatives moved directly to Virginia. Brent established a new estate there which she called "Peace". She eventually became very successful and stayed in Virginia for the rest of her life. The Maryland Toleration Act , crafted and passed by

5060-719: The Maryland word for striped bass, is considered the most prized fish dish in Southern Maryland. Perhaps the most notable food dish originating from Southern Maryland is stuffed ham , which includes cabbage, kale, onions, spices and seasonings that are chopped and mixed, then stuffed into deep slits slashed in a whole, corned ham. Many residents also identify with national sports teams in Washington DC or Baltimore . Colleges in Southern Maryland include: 38°28′N 76°48′W  /  38.467°N 76.800°W  / 38.467; -76.800 St. Mary%27s City St. Mary's City (also known as Historic St. Mary's City )

5175-674: The Piscataway, their tributary tribes, and the English Marylanders coexisted peacefully. St. Mary's City was officially named and founded on the site of the new settlement on March 27, 1634. "The name derived from the king's suggestion that the colony be named "Marianus" in honor of the queen, Henrietta Maria...They settled on "Terra Mariae". The original group of settlers numbered 300, mostly English and also some Irish. There may also have been at least one mixed race (African and European heritage) indentured servant who had been picked up on

5290-570: The Revolutionary War, enslaved Marylanders fled to British controlled areas to receive freedom. During the American Civil War , wartime sympathies were divided in Maryland and Southern Maryland was sympathetic to the Confederates next to Maryland's Eastern Shore . From the war's beginning, however, large numbers of Union occupying troops and patrolling river gunboats prevented the state's secession, although frequent nighttime smuggling across

5405-505: The Severn's southern shore. The settlement on the south shore, known from 1683 as "Town at Proctor's", then "Town at the Severn", became in 1694 "Anne Arundel's Towne" (after Lady Ann Arundell (1616–1649), the late wife of the late Cecilius Calvert, second Lord Baltimore , 1605–1675). In 1654, after the Third English Civil War , Parliamentary forces assumed control of the Maryland colony and Stone went into exile south across

5520-599: The Southern Maryland counties of Charles, St. Mary's, and Prince George's, were sold during the 1838 Jesuit slave sale to two planters in Louisiana . A notable abolitionist from southern Maryland was Josiah Henson , a slave who was born in Charles County before escaping to Canada . Henson wrote an autobiography that inspired Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin . Slavery ended in Maryland in November 1864 during

5635-603: The Union were invited to meet in Annapolis to consider measures for the better regulation of commerce. Delegates from only five states—New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New Jersey, and Delaware—actually attended the September 1786 gathering, known afterward as the Annapolis Convention . Without proceeding to the business for which they had met, the delegates passed a resolution calling for another convention to meet at Philadelphia in

5750-492: The academy's English curriculum. The King William Players, a student theater group at St. John's College , holds two performances each semester in the college's Francis Scott Key Auditorium. Admission is usually free and open to the public. The Banneker-Douglass Museum , located in the historic Mount Moriah Church at 87 Franklin Street, documents the history of African Americans in Maryland. Since its opening on February 24, 1984,

5865-501: The actual founder of colonial Maryland. Led by Leonard Calvert, in November 1633, two ships, The Ark and The Dove , set sail from the Isle of Wight , loaded with settlers, Jesuit missionaries and indentured servants. After a long, rough sea voyage with a stopover to resupply in Barbados , they arrived in what is now Maryland in March 1634. They made their first permanent settlement in what

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5980-632: The area remains rural, a mixture of forest and farmland, despite suburban growth. This suburban growth has occurred and continued despite concerns from locals and environmental advocates. Many southern Marylanders work for the United States Armed Forces or the United States Federal Government and its related industries. Other smaller industries include a nuclear power plant and a liquified natural gas terminal (both in Lusby ),

6095-482: The capital of the royal colony, the Province of Maryland , to Anne Arundel's Towne and renamed the town "Annapolis" after Princess Anne of Denmark and Norway , soon to become Queen Anne of Great Britain (1665–1714, reigned 1702–1714). Annapolis was incorporated as a city in 1708. Colonel John Seymour, the Governor of Maryland from 1704 to 1709, wrote Queen Anne on March 16, 1709, with qualifications for municipal officials and provisions for fairs and market days for

6210-522: The census of 2010, there were 38,394 people, 16,136 households, and 8,776 families residing in the city. The population density was 5,347.4 inhabitants per square mile (2,064.6/km ). There were 17,845 housing units at an average density of 2,485.4 units per square mile (959.6 units/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 60.1% White , 26.0% African American , 0.3% Native American , 2.1% Asian , 9.0% from other races , and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 16.8% of

6325-553: The city celebrated the 300th anniversary of its 1708 Royal Charter, which established democratic self-governance. The many cultural events of this celebration were organized by Annapolis Charter 300. Annapolis was home of the Anne Arundel County Battle of the Bands, which was held at Maryland Hall from 1999 to 2015. The event was a competition between musical groups from each high school in the county; it raised over $ 100,000 for

6440-552: The city is still referred to as Parole . The soldiers who did not survive were buried in the Annapolis National Cemetery . In 1900, Annapolis had a population of 8,585. On December 21, 1906, Henry Davis was lynched in the city. He was suspected of assaulting a local woman. Nobody was ever tried for the crime. During World War II , shipyards in Annapolis built a number of PT Boats, and military vessels such as minesweepers and patrol boats were built in Annapolis during

6555-430: The city was $ 49,243, and the median income for a family was $ 56,984 (these figures had risen to $ 70,140 and $ 84,573 respectively, according to a 2007 estimate ). Males had a median income of $ 39,548 versus $ 30,741 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 27,180. About 9.5% of families and 12.7% of the population were living in poverty, of which 20.8% were under age 18 and 10.4% were age 65 or over. According to

6670-416: The city's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city, excluding state and local government, are: Annapolis has a thriving community theater scene which includes two venues in the historic district. On East Street, Colonial Players produces approximately six shows a year in its 180-seat theater. A Christmas Carol has been a seasonal tradition in Annapolis since it opened at

6785-417: The city. The population density was 5,326.0 inhabitants per square mile (2,056.4/km ). There were 16,165 housing units at an average density of 2,402.3 units per square mile (927.5 units/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 62.66% White , 31.44% Black or African American , 0.17% Native American , 1.81% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 2.22% from other races, and 1.67% from two or more races. 8.42% of

6900-420: The colony himself, Baltimore stayed behind in England to deal with the political threat and sent his next younger brother Leonard in his stead. He never travelled to Maryland. Leonard spent the rest of his life there, leading the settlers through many trials and tribulations, as well as to great successes in the farming and selling of tobacco back to Britain. Leonard, more than anyone else in his family, became

7015-446: The colony. This also drove the expansion of African chattel slavery . Older practices of allowing chattel slaves to gain freedom by converting to Catholicism or by eventually grandfathering indentured rights to them after many years of servitude were abolished. The character of the colony began to change more and more to a slave-based economy and slavery began to embed itself into the culture. An increasing town population contributed to

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7130-558: The commerce was considerable, but it declined rapidly after Baltimore, with its deeper harbor, was made a port of entry in 1780. Water trades such as oyster-packing, boatbuilding and sailmaking became the city's chief industries. Annapolis is home to a large number of recreational boats that have largely replaced the seafood industry in the city. Dr. Alexander Hamilton (1712–1756), a Scottish-born doctor and writer, lived and worked in Annapolis. Leo Lemay says his 1744 travel diary Gentleman's Progress: The Itinerarium of Dr. Alexander Hamilton

7245-430: The common practices and beliefs of the day did not always guarantee enforcement, especially in the male-dominated frontier environment of the colonies, far away from the courts of England. As a woman, she had to defend her legal rights in order to be sure they were respected. Brent defended her right to run her own estate in common law court before the assembly in St. Mary's City, making a spirited case, and won, making her

7360-460: The county's high school music programs during its 17-year run. On June 28, 2018, at the Capital Gazette , a gunman opened fire, killing five journalists and injuring two more. An EF-2 tornado struck the western edge of the city on September 1, 2021, during the remnants of Hurricane Ida . Homes, businesses, and restaurants had significant damage near Maryland Route 450 , where EF-2 damage

7475-457: The crown. His first attempt at establishing a colony was in 1621 in the Province of Avalon on land he purchased in Newfoundland, but after a few years, Calvert decided a warmer climate would be a better location. After his wife's death in 1622, and a shift in his political fortunes, in 1625 Calvert resigned his position as a secretary of state and returned to the religion of his childhood, at

7590-462: The desire for constructing public buildings, some of which were a state house, a Jesuit chapel, a jail, and an inn. During and after the English Civil War , fights between Protestants and Catholics developed in the colony. Often this tension went in long cycles, with extended periods where the tension was more repressed followed by acute periods where religious divisions would flare up, sometimes driving change in St. Mary's City and Maryland in

7705-442: The dispute with the surviving Calvert family in England, during this time she also petitioned for the right to vote in the assembly. However the assembly denied her that right because she was a woman. This was the first known attempt by a woman in English North America to gain the right to vote. Despite appeals on her behalf by the Maryland assembly, Cecil Calvert had demanded by letter that she and her brother and sisters leave

7820-458: The first person of African heritage to participate in a legislative body in North America. Instructions from George Calvert, the First Lord Baltimore, and the holder of the grant to the new Maryland Colony specified in 1633 that the new governor and all settlers were to practice religious tolerance. Upon the death of George Calvert, additional instructions written by his son Cecil Calvert, the new Lord Baltimore, also required religious tolerance in

7935-449: The first session of a non-native legislative body in Maryland, convened in 1634 and met periodically through 1635. The assembly quickly began to challenge a number of Cecil Calvert's edicts (sent in a letter along with the settlers), although they did not challenge his proprietorship over the new colony or his requirement for religious tolerance. Nevertheless, they pushed successfully for more personal freedoms and to adapt Calvert's edicts to

8050-456: The first woman in English North America to stand for herself in a court of law and before an assembly. She also demanded the right to vote in the assembly. Brent also served as an attorney before the colonial court, mostly representing women of the colony. She is considered to have been very legally astute. Surviving records indicate that she pleaded at least 134 cases. Although she did not explicitly campaign for women's rights in general, she

8165-438: The following year to amend the Articles of Confederation . The resulting Philadelphia Convention drafted and approved the Constitution of the United States , which remains in force. On April 24, 1861, the midshipmen of the Naval Academy relocated their base in Annapolis and were temporarily housed in Newport, Rhode Island , until October 1865. In 1861, the first of three camps that were built for holding paroled soldiers

8280-675: The former location of the Shaw Blacksmith Shop, in 1967, and became owner of the property in 1990. The Naval Academy Masqueraders, a theater group at the United States Naval Academy, produces one "main-stage show" each fall and student-directed one-act plays in the spring. Founded in 1847, the Masqueraders is the oldest extracurricular activity at the Naval Academy. Its shows, performed in Mahan Hall, are selected to support

8395-471: The founding of the Colony of Maryland —then called the Province of Maryland —where it served as the colonial capital from 1634 until 1695. The original settlement is the fourth oldest permanent English settlement in the United States. Notably, St. Mary's City is the earliest site of religious freedom being established in the United States, as it is the first North American colonial settlement established with

8510-775: The hands of voters. He continued nevertheless lobbying on behalf of the Southern Maryland region and sitting on development boards and continued to have a major influence on economic development in the region for the rest of his life. Since the 1980s, the region experienced suburban development as the Washington suburbs expanded southward. This expansion took place primarily in Prince George's County , and around Waldorf (a regional shopping hub) and St. Charles (a planned community in Charles County ), Lexington Park ( St. Mary's County ) and Prince Frederick ( Calvert County ). Much of

8625-411: The height of roadways and athletic fields are predicted to last only a few decades. As of the census of 2020, there were 40,812 people. The racial makeup of the city was 49.4% Non-Hispanic White , 21.7% African American , 0.7% Native American , 2.5% Asian , 14.5% from other races , and 8.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race made up 22.9% of the population. As of

8740-724: The homes of all the Catholic residents of the city who refused to renounce their faith and anyone who professed friendship to a Catholic. This would later be called the Plundering Time by the colonists. Leonard Calvert had spent a few years in exile from St. Mary's City but remained in the colonies. During this time he married Margaret Brent's sister which also brought Margaret Brent into the Calvert family as an in-law, advancing her in some ways to her advantage and in other ways to her detriment. Nearly two years later, Leonard Calvert managed to raise

8855-422: The intention of offering such an education in the public sector. The school is secular (nonreligious); the name commemorates the original colonial settlement by that name, half of which was located where the college now stands. In 2014, U.S. News & World Report , in its annual "Best Colleges and Universities" report, ranked St. Mary's College as "5th" in the nation under the category "Top Public Schools" in

8970-549: The late 1600s to early 1700s, about half of Maryland's enslaved population lived in Calvert , St Mary's , Prince George's , and Charles counties. By 1755, one third of Maryland's population were enslaved Africans. Slavery proved vital to Maryland's economy, with the institution providing the foundation for Maryland's economy and society. The profits from slavery also provided the means for Maryland's gentry to gain power and dominate politics. 272 slaves from across Maryland, including

9085-462: The late 1600s. Originally, laborers were Indentured Servants , with African slaves arriving in 1639. Tobacco and (later) also wheat plantations expanded there and in Southern Maryland as a whole during the slavery era . The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade brought African slaves by the boatloads, with 100,000 slaves disembarking in Maryland during the century before the American Revolution . From

9200-581: The latter half of the English Commonwealth period. In 1660, he was replaced by Phillip Calvert (1626–1682) as fifth/sixth Governor of Maryland , after the restoration of Charles II (1630–1685) as King in England . In 1694, soon after the overthrow of the Catholic government of second Royal Governor Thomas Lawrence (1645–1714, in office for a few months in 1693), the third Royal Governor Francis Nicholson (1655-1727/28, in office: 1694–1698), moved

9315-477: The majority of early settlers of the time, who upon forming their first legislative assembly, called "The Assembly of the Province of Maryland ", passed the Maryland Toleration Act in 1649, further codifying the protection of religious freedom. The original St. Mary's settlement was laid out according to a Baroque town plan, with the settlers living closely in a town with church, stores and homes close by and outlying farms, fields, woods and orchards laid out in

9430-462: The militiamen. Although her actions were later defended by the Maryland assembly as necessary in an emergency, a strain emerged between the Calvert family in England and Brent. Even though the assembly stated that Brent's actions may have in fact, helped to save the colony, the Calverts did not approve of Brent making a decision to spend money raised from Cecil Calvert's assets. In defense of Brent,

9545-467: The museum has provided educational programs, rotating exhibits, and a research facility. Admission is free. Preble Hall , named for Edward Preble , houses the U.S. Naval Academy Museum, founded in 1845. Its Beverley R. Robinson Collection contains 6,000 prints depicting European and American naval history from 1514 through World War II. It is also home to one of the world's best ship model collections, donated by Henry Huttleston Rogers . Rogers's donation

9660-554: The national capital. In land area Annapolis (proper) is also the smallest of the United States capital cities . The city is a part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, and is relatively flat, with the highest point being only 50 feet (15 m) above sea level. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 8.10 square miles (20.98 km ), of which 7.18 square miles (18.60 km )

9775-437: The new colony. They were sent along with his younger brother Leonard Calvert who accompanied the first settlers to Maryland in 1634 and who was appointed the first governor of the Maryland Colony, although they also encouraged Catholics to be reserved about expressions of their faith in order not to antagonize Protestants. These instructions became the first laws of Maryland. This intent was carried forward and expanded upon by

9890-538: The organization moved to its venue in a former automotive repair shop on East Street. During the warmer months, Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre presents three shows on its outdoor stage, which is visible from the City Dock. A nonprofit organization, Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre has been providing "theatre under the stars" since 1966, when it performed You Can't Take It with You and Brigadoon at Carvel Hall Hotel. It began leasing its site at 143 Compromise Street,

10005-479: The original inhabitants of St. Mary's City and also befriended and helped the early colonists. The area also hosts summer stock theater productions (with historical themes) and other special events. Historic St. Mary's City is owned by the State of Maryland and runs under a registered nonprofit charter. In addition to general tourism, the organization hosts special tours for school children, handling more than 20,000 students on field trips per year. Historic St. Mary's

10120-435: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 15,303 households, out of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.6% were married couples living together, 16.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.3% were non-families. Of all households, 32.9% were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

10235-442: The population. There were 16,136 households, of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.3% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.6% were non-families. Of all households, 35.0% were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size

10350-445: The process. Margaret Brent was a business-savvy and successful Catholic settler in St. Mary's City, who, contrary to the mores of the time that discouraged women from managing their own estates, although this was legal, insisted on managing her own business affairs. She had also traveled to the colony as a single, unmarried woman which was contrary to expectations of the time. The law, in writing, had always been on Brent's side, but

10465-446: The realities on the ground in the colony, which were not always the same as his expectations. For example, he wanted them to live in regimented fashion within the newly constructed fort in St. Mary's City but the greatest need perceived by the assembly was to allow for more spread-out farming. Leonard Calvert diplomatically lent support to the assembly's wishes in letters to his brother, and Cecil Calvert largely acceded. Mathias de Sousa

10580-543: The region. The conference was held at the United States Naval Academy on November 26, 2007. The Maryland State House is the oldest in continuous legislative use in the United States. Construction started in 1772, and the Maryland legislature first met there in 1779. It is topped by the largest wooden dome built without nails in the country. The Maryland State House housed the workings of the United States government from November 26, 1783, to August 13, 1784, and

10695-416: The reinstated Maryland assembly in St. Mary's City, was the first law codified to mandate religious tolerance among Christians of various sects (especially Catholics and Protestants). It was approved not only to carry out the wishes of George Calvert and his son and Cecil Calvert that the colony be a place of religious toleration between Catholics and Protestants. More urgently, the act, which applied to all of

10810-540: The same time, Calvert's still-unpaid militia had become a security issue for St. Mary's City. Even if the militia simply disbanded due to the soldiers remaining unpaid, the city would then be vulnerable again to attack. And so Brent successfully petitioned the Maryland Assembly to grant her power of attorney over the holdings of Cecil Calvert, the Lord Baltimore, who was Leonard's brother living in England. She then used proceeds from liquidating some of these holdings to pay

10925-645: The seat of the Confederation Congress , formerly the Second Continental Congress , and temporary national capital of the United States in 1783–1784. At that time, General George Washington came before the body convened in the new Maryland State House and resigned his commission as commander of the Continental Army . A month later, the Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris of 1783 , ending

11040-646: The southern portions of Prince George's County and Anne Arundel County . The region's northern boundary passes through Prince George's County and Anne Arundel County, east of Washington . Its eastern boundary is the Chesapeake Bay and its southern and western boundary is the Potomac River , Maryland's boundary with Virginia (and through it, the Northern Neck ). The Patuxent River runs through Southern Maryland, separating Calvert County and Anne Arundel County from Charles County, Prince George's County and St. Mary's County. Land features in Southern Maryland include

11155-480: The town. 17th-century Annapolis was little more than a village, but it grew rapidly for most of the 18th century until the American Revolutionary War as a political and administrative capital, a port of entry , and a major center of the Atlantic slave trade . The Maryland Gazette , which became an important weekly journal, was founded there by Jonas Green in 1745; in 1769 a theatre opened; during this period also

11270-411: The war, American slaves throughout the Chesapeake region flocked to British lines following Dunmore's Proclamation , which promised freedom for slaves who fought for the British military. Due to Southern Maryland's proximity to the national capitol , the region was deeply affected by the War of 1812 , with the war severely disrupting the lives of the region's citizens. During August and September 1814,

11385-516: The war, in November 1863, Maryland ratified a new state Constitution which abolished slavery in the state. Southern Maryland was traditionally a rural , agricultural , oyster fishing and crabbing region; linked by passenger and freight steamboat routes. These steamboat routes operated on the Chesapeake Bay and major rivers until the 1930s before the building of highways and the Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge on U.S. Highway 301 . (The latter highway

11500-606: The way over in Barbados. There were also other indentured servants from England and Ireland. The group was a mix of Catholics and Protestants during a time of religious persecution of Catholics in the British Isles . Leonard Calvert (1606–1647), himself a Roman Catholic , became the governor of the new colony and continued to lead the settlers. St. Mary's City became the capital of the new Maryland colony , and remained so for sixty one years until 1694. The first Maryland assembly,

11615-517: The yearly tobacco crops. All of this began, in stages, to have a destabilizing effect on the Maryland Colony, which then further aggravated latent religious tensions between the majority Protestant planters and the Catholic aristocratic leadership. All of this further intensified reliance on slavery in St. Mary's City, as plantation owners sought to eliminate the cost of paid labor in producing tobacco. Annapolis Annapolis ( / ə ˈ n æ p əl ɪ s / ə- NAP -əl-iss )

11730-403: Was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.93. In the city, 21.7% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 33.4% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over there were 86.8 males age 18 and over. The median income for a household in

11845-434: Was 2.34 and the average family size was 3.02. The median age in the city was 36 years. 20.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 31.1% were from 25 to 44; 25.3% were from 45 to 64; and 13% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.8% male and 52.2% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 35,838 people, 15,303 households, and 8,676 families residing in

11960-471: Was a settler in the colony who was described in historical records by one witness as being " mulatto " (mixed African and European heritage, although sometimes this meant anyone who was dark skinned). He originally arrived in the new colony as an indentured servant working for the Jesuit missionaries who had come with the settlers. He later gained his freedom and went on to become an assemblyman, making him (possibly)

12075-434: Was common in St. Mary's County in the 1960s, and gambling in the region came to be seen as a blight and was outlawed by Governor J. Millard Tawes and the state legislature. A local political figure, St. Mary's County politician J. Frank Raley Jr. organized a slate of local candidates with the platform of challenging the political status-quo and lifting the region out of its generations long poverty. The region's isolation

12190-472: Was created on the campus of St. John's College . The second location of Camp Parole would house over 20,000 and would be located where Forest Drive is currently. The third and final location was finished in late 1863 and would be placed near the Elkridge Railroad, as to make transportation of soldiers and resources easier before and allowing the camp to grow to its highest numbers. This area just west of

12305-405: Was ended by having a series of bridges built and roads expanded into highways. These developments are credited for enabling the development of modern St. Mary's County. Raley was falsely accused of working to end gambling outright in the region, which ended in his defeat and his official political career. In fact he had supported a referendum on gambling which would have put the decision directly in

12420-426: Was established by Leonard Calvert , first Governor of Maryland and brother of Cecilius. The colony's capital, and first settlement, was the newly established St. Mary's City . The colony originally focused on tobacco farming and was very successful although disease was a problem and many settlers died until immunities built up in the population. Religious tensions and also periods of open conflict also continued to be

12535-644: Was established in the National Heritage Area Act in 2022. The National Heritage Area helps preserve and promote destinations in four counties. The National Heritage Area was officially designated in 2023. It is also one of thirteen state heritage areas and is administered by the Maryland Historical Trust through the Maryland Heritage Areas Program. Tourist Attractions in Southern Maryland include historical sites, such as

12650-437: Was flooded and many businesses and homes in outlying areas were damaged. The previous record was 6.35 feet (1.94 m) during a hurricane in 1933, and 5.5 feet (1.7 m) during Hurricane Hazel in 1954. Downtown Annapolis has high-tide "sunny day" flooding. A Stanford University study found that this resulted in 3,000 less visits and $ 172,000 in lost revenue for local business in 2017. From mid-2007 through December 2008,

12765-472: Was founded by an act of the Maryland legislature in 1696 and was opened in 1701. Its principal building, McDowell Hall, was originally to be the governor's mansion; although £4,000 was appropriated to build it in 1742, it was not completed until after the War of Independence. Located 25 miles (40 km) south of Baltimore and 30 miles (48 km) east of Washington, D.C. , Annapolis is the closest state capital to

12880-405: Was named after Robert Crain , an attorney who owned the state's largest farm, Mount Victoria , and who campaigned for the road's construction). Weekend excursion boats also carried Washingtonians to small amusement parks and amusement pavilions at numerous Potomac shore locations. From 1949 (1943 in some places) to 1968, the region was known for its poverty and its slot machine gambling. Poverty

12995-511: Was observed with estimated winds of 125 mph. The tornado dissipated immediately past U.S. Route 50 and U.S. Route 301. As announced by United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice , Annapolis was the venue for a Middle East summit dealing with the Israeli–Palestinian peace process , with the participation of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert , Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (" Abu Mazen ") and various other leaders from

13110-512: Was originally inhabited by the indigenous Piscataway people . English explorer Captain John Smith explored the area in 1608 and 1609. Cecilius Calvert was granted a charter to establish a colony meant to be a safe-haven for Catholics in 1632. Expeditions were launched into modern day Maryland, with an expedition reaching St. Clement's Island in 1634. Later that year, the Maryland Colony

13225-406: Was the impetus for the construction of Preble Hall. The museum has approximately 100,000 visitors each year. The Hammond-Harwood House , located at 19 Maryland Avenue, was built in 1774 for Matthias Hammond, a wealthy Maryland farmer. Its design was adapted by William Buckland from Andrea Palladio 's Villa Pisani to accommodate American Colonial regional preferences. Since 1940, when the house

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