Freedom and Fairness in Colonial Maryland
Grade 4
Freedom and Fairness in Early Maryland
Maryland started as a place of opportunity, but freedom was not the same for everyone living there. In the early colonial period, laws and traditions decided who had rights, who could speak in court, who could own land, and who had power. These rules often limited the freedom of women, Black people, and Native Americans.
In this lesson, students will explore the lives of three important people—Mathias de Sousa, Margaret Brent, and Chief Wannas—who challenged these limits in different ways. By studying their stories, students will learn how freedom was granted or denied in early Maryland and why these individuals are important to remember today.
Teacher's Guide and Related Standards
Students will research a key figure from early colonial Maryland and create a memorial or exhibit that explains how laws and social rules shaped their freedom.
- How did laws and rules affect people’s freedom in early Maryland?
- What challenges did Mathias de Sousa, Margaret Brent, or Chief Wannas face because of who they were?
- How did this person try to gain, protect, or use their freedom?
- What message about freedom should people learn from the memorial or exhibit you create?
Clip 1: Chief Wannas
Chief Wannas
- European colonizers were not a surprise to the Piscataway and Chief Wannas. What previous experience did the Piscataway have with Europeans before the Marylanders arrived?
- What was Chief Wannas’ response to Leonard Calvert’s request to colonize Piscataway land? Why did he give that answer?
Clip 2: Mathias de Sousa
Mathias de Sousa
- Mathias de Sousa did not leave a written record. How do historians know about him?
- How did de Sousa go from indentured servant to voting citizen in Maryland?
Clip 3: Margaret Brent
Margaret Brent
- Peter Friesen says that Margaret Brent “did what no man could do.” What is he referring to?
- Why did Margaret Brent ask for two votes in the Maryland Assembly?
Vocabulary
Supplemental Enrichment Activities
Ask a Colonist
What was life like for indentured servants in the Maryland colony? It’s hard to find their own voices in history because many were not able to read or write. But historians who have read about their lives can help us understand their point of view.
The answers on the linked page were given by a historical interpreter in the voice of Ann, an indentured servant in St. Mary’s City in 1634. Ann answers questions about why she came to Maryland, what she learned from the Yaocomaco people, and whether she was afraid they would attack the colony.
What ideas do you think her answers will include? After reading, did anything surprise you?
Kittamaquund, Tayac of the Piscataway
Chief Wannas’ brother, Kittamaquund, disagreed with Wannas’ distant relationship with the European settlers. How did Kittamaquund handle his disagreement with Wannas? Read the article to find the answer. How might this event create conflict in the Piscataway tribe?
YouTube Video: Women in the Colonies
Life for women in the colonies could be very different depending on who they were, where they lived, what they believed, and how much money their families had.
Play the video. Compare and contrast the lives of women in different parts of the colonies (New England, Middle Colonies, Southern Colonies), as well as the lives of Indigenous, Black, and white women.
What advantages and skills did some women have? In what ways were they held back?