Q. Which American colony enacted the Toleration Act in 1649 to guarantee religious freedom?
Answer: Maryland
Notes: English colonies in America (1607-1651) were divided during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms; older colonies like Virginia, Bermuda, Maryland, Barbados, and Antigua were Royalist, while newer Puritan settlements like Massachusetts supported Parliament. Bermuda had a unique government structure with a House of Assembly since 1620. Maryland passed the Toleration Act (1649) ensuring religious freedom. Virginia became a crown colony in 1624. The Navigation Act (1651) introduced mercantilism. Jamaica was captured by England in 1655, becoming a base against Spain. The New England Confederation formed in 1643 as a defensive alliance.