The third volume in the 13-part series, "Adventures in Colonial America" focuses on the Maryland colony, its unique founding as a haven for English Catholics and its control by the Calvert family - the Lords Proprietor that ruled the colony only to be taken over by the British Crown. This installment also focuses on Maryland's role as the colonies were advancing toward independence and the important contributions made by colonists during the debates that took place prior to the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Charles Carroll of Carrollton, the only Roman Catholic to sign the...

The fifth installment in the Adventures in Colonial America series focuses on New Hampshire, another colony with a unique founding and history. New Hampshire was founded through land grants issued to John Mason and Fernando Gorges in 1622. Unable to create a formal government for several years, the colony was split in two, each with its own governor. However, the divided usually fall and realizing their weakness, they sought protection from Massachusetts. Although New Hampshire was governed by Massachusetts, the Massachusetts legislature allowed New Hampshire some self-government. Turbulent...

Adventures in Colonial America Volume VI surveys the colonial and revolutionary history of the Pennsylvania colony from the day William Penn founded the colony, through decades of political disagreement among members of the Penn family, and between the Pennsylvania government and its citizens. Those disputes resulted in groundbreaking political principles, many of which became the foundation of the new federal government when the U.S. became independent. The survey briefly discusses the contributions of the Penn family, establishment of institutions of higher learning, and the first...

In 1607, three small ships - the Discovery, Godspeed and Susan Constant - arrived on the shores of the eastern North American Coast and established the first successful British settlement at Jamestown, Virginia. For two centuries, colonists faced the challenges of life in a new world - weather, Native Indian attacks, starvation and disease - to establish the strongest economy in the American colonies. Virginia's native sons, including Jefferson, Washington, Madison and Monroe, were among many of our founding fathers who not only fought during the American Revolution but fought a political...