One of the most revolutionary acts in 17th Century Virginia history was the ousting of Governor Harvey by the Mathews-Claiborne faction of the Council.  Harvey had some successes as governor, and some difficult situations to navigate, but made some decisions which doomed him to ultimate failure.  

John Harvey assumes office as governor of Virginia, but finds himself ill-equipped to negotiate the colony's political situation.  In England, members of the Virginia Company ask for it to be reconstituted.    

Virginia became a crown colony in 1625, just months before Charles I took the throne.  This episode discusses the transition, the new issues which would define Virginia history under royal control, and outlines the history of the colony up until John Harvey arrived as governor.  

Concluding the story of Maryland's founding, an overview of the known events of 1639-42.  Claiborne's agitation, Susquehannoc hostility, Baltimore feuds with the Jesuits and Protestants start to seize political control within the colony.  

Maryland finalizes its legal system, ending up with a document which looked remarkably similar to a Bill of Rights.  A huge amount of debate preceeded that, though.  This episode examines existing primary sources to try to investigate that debate, a huge amount of which revolved around the issue of church rights.  

Claiborne and Marylanders battle over Kent Island, Governor Harvey is deposed, and the fight for Kent Island goes to the courts of England.  George Evelin helps Calvert take over Kent Island, and the Second General Assembly raises questions of governance.  

Maryland settlers establish St. Mary's, meet the local Indians, grow enough corn to trade with New England, and hold their first legislative assembly.  They also conflict with William Claiborne, part of a Puritan faction in Virginia dedicated to pushing the conservative, Catholic Marylanders out.  

Lord Baltimore gets a charter, but Virginia opposes this, seeing it as an encroachment on their territory.  Baltimore stays in London to deal with legal disputes, but the rest of the colonists sail for Maryland.  After a long, eventful voyage the colonists arrived at the Chesapeake.  

Maryland was founded as a colonial refuge for English Catholics, named after the Catholic Queen of England, Henrietta Maria.  So, our discussion of Maryland begins with a discussion of what life was like for 17th Century English Catholics, and how King Charles's wife affected it.  

Samuel Gorton was an anarchist who even Roger Williams couldn't tolerate.  He threatened to destabilize New England, and the battle over his fate would ultimately lead to Miantonomo's execution.