Library introduction case studies biographies timeline in the news faqs		Frequently Asked Questions: The Voyage to Marie's Land Whose idea was it to create a place called Maryland? Did it cost a lot to travel to Maryland? How big were the Ark and the Dove? What did they eat during the trip to Maryland? How did they cook? What happened to the Ark and the Dove after they arrived in Maryland? Whose idea was it to create a place called Maryland? George Calvert, also known as the first Lord Baltimore, came up with the idea. He wanted to create a colony where Catholics would be free to worship. Because he was a Roman Catholic, he was not allowed to serve in the English government. He and his family tried to set up a colony in Newfoundland called Avalon. The winter they spent there was so cold that they decided to leave. Soon after, he convinced the King of England to give him some land near the colony of Virginia on the Chesapeake Bay. The land was called Maryland in honor of Queen Henrietta Maria. George Calvert died just before the Maryland charter was given to him. His son, Cecil Calvert, became the second Lord Baltimore and owner of the colony. Cecil never set foot in Maryland. He had to stay in England to take care of business. His brother Leonard went instead and became the first governor of Maryland. Did it cost a lot to travel to Maryland? It cost about half a year's salary for an unskilled worker. And that was just to get to Maryland from England. Even a skilled worker would have had trouble saving up the money for the voyage. Only wealthy people could afford the trip and the supplies needed to cross the ocean and live for the first year. Many of the people who paid for themselves and their servants were younger sons from wealthy families. Their oldest brothers were to inherit most of the family money. So they set out to make their own fortunes in the New World. The trip and costs of setting up a new home in the colony probably used up whatever money they had. For more on the costs of traveling to a new land, see Adding It Up. How big were the Ark and the Dove? We don't know the exact measurements of the two boats. Historians believe that the Ark was about 120 feet long and 30 feet wide. It was about two-and-a-half times longer than the Dove, which measured about 50 feet long and 15 feet wide. The Ark could carry about seven times as much "stuff" as the Dove. A basketball court is about 90 feet long and 50 feet wide. How many Dove size ships could you fit on a basketball court? Click here for the answer. What did they eat during the trip to Maryland? How did they cook? Passengers and crew aboard the Ark and Dove ate food that would keep for long periods without spoiling. This might have included salted meats, dried grains, peas, and beans. They drank small (low alcohol) beer and wine. Fresh food spoiled quickly at sea. Even water went bad and was only used for soaking dried or pickled meats. Everyone on board received a standard daily food ration. But wealthy passengers probably brought extra food with them for variety. These foods might have included dried fruits, cheese, breads, spices, wines, ales, sweets, citrus fruits, and a few small animals. Sometimes they caught fresh fish with baited hooks or harpoons. And if they were lucky, flying fish would land on deck! The Ark probably had a room for cooking hot meals. There, a fire burned in a furnace or hearth made of brick or iron. Because the Dove was a much smaller ship, it may not have had a special place for cooking meals. The crew on this smaller ship probably built fires on deck in small wooden boxes lined with bricks or gravel. They could only use these temporary hearths in fair weather. If the ship rocked too much, the coals could spread and catch the boat on fire. They must have eaten a lot of cold biscuits. What happened to the Ark and the Dove after they arrived in Maryland? At the end of May 1634 the Ark returned to England. The Dove stayed in Maryland and was used to explore the rivers in the area. It was also used to trade goods up and down the Atlantic coast. The following year the Dove headed back to England. The ship never arrived in England and was probably lost at sea.
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