![]() ![]() ![]() In theory, and to some extent in practice, Maryland was a family affair. The southern bank of the Potomac was the boundary between Baltimore’s domain and Virginia as far as Chesapeake Bay the line crossed the bay to bisect the Eastern Shore between Watkins Point and the Atlantic. The northern boundary ran westward from Delaware Bay along the fortieth parallel to the "first fountain" of the Potomac River. This tract of some 12 million acres included a considerable part of the grant made to the Virginia Company of London in 1609. On JKing Charles I granted land on the upper reaches of Chesapeake Bay to his son Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Lord Baltimore, as sole proprietor. Sir George Calvert, 1st Lord Baltimore in the Irish Peerage, died before completing negotiations. Maryland was intended as a refuge for English Catholics, but Leonard Calvert, the first governor, had explicit instructions to "suffer no scandal nor offence to be given to any of the Protestants." To maintain this balance, Maryland authorities embraced a broad religious tolerance from the beginning. They then sailed up Chesapeake Bay to the mouth of the Potomac River and began a search for an appropriate spot for their settlement. In 1634 two ships, the Ark and the Dove, arrived in Virginia from England with settlers for a new colony to be called Maryland. The Maryland Colony and Religious Freedom In the seventeenth century Ulster Scots chose the Chesapeake colonies, the goal for most emigrants from the British Isles, and most of them migrated to Maryland. history, specializing in Colonial America. in American history from Georgetown University he taught U.S. He is affiliated with the Center for Scotch-Irish Studies and the Department of History at the University of Florida. “We really need these people, and some people don’t recognize that.Richard MacMaster is co-editor of The Journal of Scotch-Irish Studies. “There’s a great deal of support, and it’s nonpartisan,” MacMaster said. MacMaster, whose wife, Eve, is the pastor at the Emmanuel Mennonite Church in Gainesville, hopes it turns into a national phenomenon, as the message has been popping up throughout the country. Pastor Matthew Bucher painted the sign after seeing the anti-immigrant sentiments in last year’s primary debates. The message was first posted in front of Immanuel Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, Va. The idea for the signs, however, did not originate in Gainesville. “The idea in part is that it’s something that people will see around, and we want those who are new here to receive this greeting,” MacMaster said. Welcoming Gainesville’s operations include working directly with immigrants to help them acclimate to life in America, encouraging interfaith engagement to combat prejudice and donating useful goods to refugees who arrive with few possessions. Gainesville was designated as the state’s first “Welcoming City” last year. New signs are now being produced, and will be available for a $10 donation beginning this week by sending an email to Lauren Poe will be the first to receive one and display it in his office. The only sign currently in a front yard can be found at Emmanuel Mennonite Church, where Welcoming Gainesville and Gainesville’s Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice are based. “It’s simply saying that we value the contributions that immigrants make to this country.” “It’s a very positive response,” said Richard MacMaster, chairman of Welcoming Gainesville’s board of directors. Trump, in recent days, signed executive orders barring immigration to the United States from seven predominantly-Muslim nations, suspending the Syrian refugee program and ordering the construction of a wall along the United States’ southern border. This simple, congenial sentence is being printed onto yard signs in Spanish, English and Arabic for distribution throughout Alachua County by Welcoming Gainesville, a nonprofit dedicated to building a climate of inclusivity and support for people new to the country. “No matter where you are from, we’re glad you’re our neighbor.” GAINESVILLE - In response to the President Donald Trump's executive actions toward immigrants and refugees, one Gainesville organization is countering with a message of its own. ![]()
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