<P> The founders designed the city plan of the colonial capital, St. Mary's City, to reflect their world view . At the center of the city was the home of the mayor of St. Mary's City . From that point, streets were laid out that created two triangles . Located at two points of the triangle extending to the west were the first Maryland state house and a jail . Extending to the north of the mayor's home, the remaining two points of the second triangle were defined by a Catholic church and a school . The design of the city was a literal separation of church and state that reinforced the importance of religious freedom . </P> <P> The largest site of the original Maryland colony, St. Mary's City, was the seat of colonial government until 1695 . Because Anglicanism had become the official religion in Virginia, a band of Puritans in 1642 left for Maryland; they founded Providence (now called Annapolis). </P> <P> In 1650, the Puritans revolted against the proprietary government . They set up a new government prohibiting both Catholicism and Anglicanism . In March 1655, the 2nd Lord Baltimore sent an army under Governor William Stone to put down this revolt . Near Annapolis, his Roman Catholic army was decisively defeated by a Puritan army in the Battle of the Severn . The Puritan revolt lasted until 1658, when the Calvert family regained control and re-enacted the Toleration Act . </P> <P> The Puritan revolutionary government persecuted Maryland Catholics during its reign . Mobs burned down all the original Catholic churches of southern Maryland . In 1708, the seat of government was moved to Providence, renamed Annapolis in honor of Queen Anne . St. Mary's City is now an archaeological site, with a small tourist center . </P>

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