Maryland
The colony of Maryland was founded in 1632 by Sir George Calvert. He founded it because Catholics needed a safe place to go. As it is obvious, the main religion in Maryland was Catholicism, but Protestants were welcomed as well. Residency requirements were only that you could not make fun of anyone's religion; ridiculing was not allowed. People of all religions settled there. Maryland's settlers mainly made money by exporting tobacco and fishing, but also did commerce, shipbuilding, and metalworking. Fishing was a great way to make money because it was on the coast, providing access to a lot of fish. They could also export tobacco easily because it was on the coast. These were part of its geographical features that made Maryland successful. They could also grow tobacco easily because there was a lot of open land. Some important people were the Brent sisters, who saved the colony from having a rebellion and were also land owners, which was unusual for females. Maryland's government had an assembly thus making it a representative government. This meant that the settlers were allowed to have a voice and could participate in government. An example of an important document is the Act of Toleration in 1649. This document was very important to many people in maryland. As Maryland was a made to be a safe haven, Lord Baltimore wanted to ensure that Maryland is welcoming and kind and no ridiculing is tolerated. Catholics were extremely strict about this. Here is a small excerpt from the document(cited in citations):
"But if such person or persons who shall at any time utter or speak any such reproachful words or language shall not have goods or chattels sufficient and overt within this Province to be taken to satisfy the penalty aforesaid or that the same bee not otherwise speedily satisfied, that then the person or persons so offending shall be publicly whipped, and shall suffer imprisonment without bail or maineprise [bail] until he, she or they respectively shall satisfy the party so offended or grieved by such reproachful language by asking him or her respectively forgiveness publicly for such his offense before the Magistrate of chief officer or officers of the town or place where such offense shall be given."
"But if such person or persons who shall at any time utter or speak any such reproachful words or language shall not have goods or chattels sufficient and overt within this Province to be taken to satisfy the penalty aforesaid or that the same bee not otherwise speedily satisfied, that then the person or persons so offending shall be publicly whipped, and shall suffer imprisonment without bail or maineprise [bail] until he, she or they respectively shall satisfy the party so offended or grieved by such reproachful language by asking him or her respectively forgiveness publicly for such his offense before the Magistrate of chief officer or officers of the town or place where such offense shall be given."