4 ms·
"Protestants also tried to impose their own bigotry but lacked sufficient coordination and authority. Had they been more effective, modern science and sustained
by Hilift 2y ago
"Protestants also tried to impose their own bigotry but lacked sufficient coordination and authority. Had they been more effective, modern science and sustained economic growth might have never taken off."
That's an interesting take. It seems to have a continental Europe perspective. In the first 150 years of the American colonies, Catholicism was illegal, except for Pennsylvania. However, even there, Catholics remained disenfranchised. The first Catholic university in the US, Georgetown, opened in 1789. (Harvard: 1636, Yale: 1701). The first amendment was ratified in 1791 (meaning Catholicism could no longer be made illegal). Catholics were mostly unwelcome to attend other schools, that was the reason for divergence and almost certainly assured a high nepotism rate. Also note that in the 1700's/1800's nepotism in government was considered normal.
- mhuffman 2y ago>Also note that in the 1700's/1800's nepotism in government was considered normal. I think this is still common. People like to think a son or daughter will govern just like a parent. But it sometimes doesn't work that way.
- kbolino 2y agoCatholicism was legal for some of those 150 years in Maryland; the colony was founded by Catholics and intended as a haven for them. Protestants moved in from elsewhere and eventually outlawed Catholicism though.
- Hilift 2y agoTrue, but it became illegal in 1689 until ~1776. That's a lot of years. The proprietor converted to Protestantism, and I believe in 1725 the administration of the estate was returned by the Crown to the Calvert family. The net effect was unremarkable, even though it was one of the successful armed insurrections in the early Americas.