The author (1757–1823) was a prominent lawyer and historian. This work has long been recognized as one of the best early histories of an American colony. It was based entirely on original sources, and Bozman was a very careful interpreter. There is extensive documentation and numerous footnotes which expand on the text. A long appendix contains transcriptions of many original documents.
Volume I provides an in-depth account of explorations and concise details of several attempts to form settlements in other parts of North America, as well as the religious controversies in England that prompted the colonial settlements in New England and Maryland. The work is divided into nine sections, the first opening with the effects of Columbus’s discoveries on the English nation, disputes between the courts of Portugal and Spain, and voyages and discoveries of the French and Spaniards. The author then details the possession of Newfoundland on his second attempt by Sir Humphrey Gilbert, the first to lead an English colony to America. Numerous voyages and attempts at settlement are documented throughout the book, as the author recounts the voyages of captains Amidas and Barlow, Gosnold’s voyage to New England, the progress of French settlement in American colonies, The Sieur de Mont establishing the first permanent colony in Canada, and Captain Smith exploring the Chesapeake Bay. The last few sections include a general sketch of the Indian tribes residing in Virginia and Maryland, charters of Virginia, the origin of the Puritans, a discussion of religion in England, and closes with Lord Baltimore’s plan of settling in Maryland and the promise of a grant of the province of Maryland given to his son, Cecilius, upon death.
Volume II provides a detailed account of the first three decades in the history of Maryland. Opening with Lord Baltimore’s preparation to send a charter to explore the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River, the author recounts the voyage to Maryland and the governor's settlement upon St. Mary’s County. This work highlights all significant events during this period, such as the organization of the court system and its laws, land grants, hostilities with the Indians, the Treaty with the Susquehannocks, Captain Hill being elected governor, embargos and martial law, and the first settlement of the Puritans at Providence, and provides the context surrounding all of them. This work also follows in depth all government ordinances, acts, and assembly meetings throughout the years, giving readers a solid understanding of the development of the county and its residents, as well as its relationships with other states. The final chapter gives insight into relationships with the Eastern Shore Indians, grants of lands from Lord Baltimore, the origin of the famous Navigation Act, the Roman Catholic religion in Maryland, the establishment of Calvert County, the divided state of the province, the negotiations between the proprietary and Puritan governors, and ultimately their final agreement and surrender of the province.
John Leeds Bozman
(1837, 1990), 2024, 5½x8½, paper, index, 2 vols., 1044 pp.
ISBN: 9781556132872
101-B0287
