A Change in Government

After the Glorious Revolution in England, a bloodless rebellion in 1689 overthrew Lord Baltimore's rule in Maryland and temporarily ended control by the Calvert family. The Protestant monarchs King William and Queen Mary took over the colony and appointed Sir Lionel Copley as the first royal governor. On May 10, 1692, Copley officially assumed control of Maryland in this room, read his royal appointment to the Assembly, spoke briefly about his plans for the colony, and later met here with a new council made up of prominent Protestants who had supported the uprising. This became one of the earliest successful revolutions of government in America. Charles Calvert, governor of Maryland and, after 1676, the third Lord Baltimore, had returned to England in 1684 and left others in charge. A series of missteps and growing Protestant hostility led to revolution and the loss of his colony. At the height of the uprising, more than 700 troops marched on St. Mary's City and surrounded his supporters in the State House. Outnumbered by more than seven to one and unable to expect reinforcements, Calvert's forces surrendered without further violence, ending the reign of the Catholic Lords Baltimore. Copley, a Yorkshire-born military officer who had supported William and Mary in the Glorious Revolution, received the governorship as a reward. His short administration was marked by disputes and partisanship, and he died 18 months after arriving in Maryland. His most notable act was establishing the Church of England as Maryland's official religion. One consequence of the 1689 revolution was the gradual reduction of the rights of Catholics and Quakers under the new government. Garrett Van Sweringen, a Catholic, was deeply affected by this political change, but continued to serve Protestant governors as he had served the Catholic Lord Baltimore.

Maryland · United States