Maryland Archives, 1658-1783

In 1634, just a short while after colonists arrived in the area that today is known as Maryland, the first General Assembly was held. The General Assembly is the legislative body of the Maryland state government, and the purpose of the first Assembly was the same as that of the Assembly today—to create laws and ordinances that will promote the welfare of the State. In the late nineteenth century the Maryland Historical Society published several volumes of collections of the Maryland Archives. This database contains volumes 13, 17-19, 21-26, 28-44 of the series. Many of these volumes are comprised of the proceedings and acts of the General Assembly from 1684 to 1747, proceedings and acts from the Council of Maryland from 1681 to 1770, and proceedings of the Provincial Court of Maryland from 1658 to 1662. Other volumes contain other documents held by the Maryland Historical Society such as the records of Maryland troops in the Continental Service during the Revolutionary War and the journal and correspondence of the Council of Maryland.