Why did George Calvert's sons draft the Maryland Toleration Act?

George Calvert's sons, particularly Cecil Calvert, drafted the Maryland Toleration Act, which was passed by the Maryland colonial assembly in 1649, primarily to ensure freedom of religion for Christian settlers of various denominations in the colony of Maryland. George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, had envisioned Maryland as a refuge for English Catholics in the New World, as they faced persecution in Protestant England. After his death, his son Cecil Calvert (the second Lord Baltimore) continued to promote this vision.

Cecil Calvert and his family were Catholics in a largely Protestant England, and they sought to establish Maryland as a place where Catholics, as well as other Christians, could worship freely. They were also motivated by the practical desire to attract settlers of different Christian denominations to ensure the colony's growth and economic success.

The Maryland Toleration Act was revolutionary for its time, as it granted religious freedom to all Christians, regardless of their denomination. This was significant because it provided a degree of religious tolerance that was virtually unheard of in the 17th century. While the act did not extend religious freedom to non-Christians, it was an important step towards the broader religious freedoms that would later be recognized in the United States.