BEYOND THE FIREWORKS: HOW ST. MARY’S COUNTY HELPED BUILD AMERICA
About this event
When we think about the bold assertion in the Declaration of Independence that "all men are created equal" and that they are "endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights" or when we consider the Constitution's First Amendment guarantee of religious liberty, where do we usually begin?
Often we start in New England, with dissenters like Roger Williams of Rhode Island who spoke powerfully about liberty of conscience. We think of William Penn in Pennsylvania who voiced tolerance for all faiths. Or we turn to Virginia and Enlightenment figures like Jefferson and Madison, whose words forged the principles on which this nation was built.
What we almost never do is begin with Maryland.
The omission of Maryland from a full account of independence and the founding of this nation is a major lapse in history. it may be due partly because Maryland was Catholic and Catholics were a small minority; partly because Maryland’s story is messy; and partly because Maryland later reversed course and persecuted the very Catholics who founded it.
In this informal talk, Executive Director Peter LaPorte will suggest something provocative: If Maryland were removed from the story—if its Catholic founders and leaders were forgotten or didn’t do what they did—something essential would have been lost. He will seek to answer how American religious liberty emerged when it did, and why it took a strong constitutional form.
The talk will take place at Pier 450--POV Restaurant in Ridge.
Location
Pier450 - POV Restaurant
48342 Wynne Rd
Ridge, MD 20680
USA
Registration Info
Registration is not Required
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