The act of Toleration granted religious liberty to all Christians but not to anyone else. This law was proposed to defend the religious freedom of several Christian sects. Maryland was established by Catholics needing to leave religious hostility in England. To make sure that the benefits of Catholics were preserved, Maryland's state declared the Toleration Act of 1649. The act made it unlawful to stop any Christian from following his or her religion and forced penalties for those who violated the law.
