Maryland. General Assembly

The General Assembly traces its origins to the beginnings of the colony when its first settlers met in assembly in 1635 and adopted a body of laws by which they wished to be governed by the Lord Proprietary. In January 1637/8, the lord proprietry himself called an assembly of all freemena of the province, or their representative proxy, to approve an alternative set of laws he had devised. The second assembly defeated the proprietary's laws and passed their own before adjourning, establishing the assembly's right to initiate legislation for the colony.

In 1650, the assembly was divided into two houses, creating a bicameral legislature. The Upper House was composed initially of the Governor and Council, and the Council only after 1675. The council consisted of twelve members appointed by the lord proprietor, strongly supporting his causes. The Lower House was composed of burgesses or delegates elected by freemen of the province to represent the rights of the colonists in the assembly. One to four delegates were elected from each county with suffrage restricted to free landowners. A clerk of the Lower House was established in 1658, and the assembly secretary served as clerk of the Upper House until 1661.

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