Dear Olya, Leslie, Jeremy, Ashley, Amanda, Megan, Ashley W., Michael and David,
We know that George Calvert died before he ever saw the land that was to become the colony of Maryland. After his death his oldest son, Cecil became the owner of the land in America. Cecil began to organize the beginning of a colony in the new land and sent his two younger brothers, Leonard and George, on the same two ships that had sailed for Newfoundland years before. These ships were the Ark and the Dove. The trip was full of hardships and a terrible storm. The passengers on the Ark thought the Dove went down in the storm. The captain of the Dove decided to return to England and wait out the storm. Imagine their happiness when they finally saw land again at Barbados in early January of 1634. They had been traveling for 42 days.
The two ships set sail once more for Maryland but stopped in Virginia first where they were kindly received by the Virginia governor. Actually, a wealthy Virginia fur trader was not pleased to see the Calverts come to Maryland because he feared he would lose his rich fur trade with Maryland Indians. He tried to alarm the Indians and told them that the settlers were coming to drive them from their lands! The Indians soon realized that the settlers meant them no harm. On March 25, 1634 the Ark and the Dove landed on St. Clement's Island. The Jesuit priest in the group, Father White, celebrated a Mass in thanksgiving. Since that time we celebrate March 25th as "Maryland Day." Today that island is called Blakistone Island. St. Clement's did not have a good harbor so Leonard Calvert searched up the Potomac River the next day where he found the perfect place.
A Virginia fur trader helped them speak to the Indians and purchase the village and 30 miles of land at Yeocomico. They were willing to sell their land because they planned to move away to a safer place out of warpath of their enemies, the Susquehannocks, who lived to the north. In payment the Indians received hoes, axes, hatchets and cloth. This village was to become the town of St. Mary's.
The Indians and the colonists celebrated with a feast of wild turkey, partridge, oysters, squirrels and corn bread. The Indians gave the colonists half the houses in the village until their new houses could be built. The peaceful Indians were farmers, not warriors and gave the colonists the gardens already planted with corn. Within two days of landing in Maryland Governor Calvert and his 200 settlers had a town of their own.
For your assignment this week I would like each of you to choose one of the items in the list below: