Who was the leader of Maryland known for promoting the Act of Toleration?

Cecil Calvert, also known as Lord Baltimore, was the leader of Maryland who played a crucial role in promoting the Act of Toleration in 1649. This significant piece of legislation aimed to ensure religious freedom for all Christians in the colony, particularly benefiting Catholics who faced persecution in Protestant England. The Act represented an early attempt to create a haven for religious dissenters and was foundational in establishing the principle of religious tolerance in America.

The other individuals mentioned had important roles in American religious history but did not promote the Act of Toleration in Maryland. Roger Williams was known for advocating for the separation of church and state and founded Rhode Island with principles of religious freedom. William Penn established Pennsylvania as a refuge for Quakers and emphasized religious tolerance, but his efforts were distinct from those in Maryland. Anne Hutchinson was involved in the Antinomian Controversy in Massachusetts and was not a leader in Maryland nor associated with the Act of Toleration.