Organizacion politica y cuestion religiosa en las colonias inglesas de Norteamerica: los casos de Virginia y Maryland

In: Revista de estudios políticos, Heft 149, S. 185-220

Abstract

At the beginning of the 17th century, England initiates the decisive colonization of North America, being the conversion of natives to Christianity one of its leading objectives. It does it through authorizations that king grants to trading companies, as the London's which founds Virginia, or land concessions which he benefits with nobles, as Lord Baltimore who creates Maryland. The new establishments build its political system on the institutions of the governor and his Council and the Assembly, and its laws take special interest in guaranteeing and strengthening a specific official declared religion, as it happens in Virginia with the Anglican Church, although in other exceptional cases, they undertake more ambitious tasks, as it occurs in Maryland, determined to establish religious tolerance to protect the Catholic community. Adapted from the source document.