The Calvert family is known for their significant role in the early history of the Maryland colony in the United States. Founded by George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, the family was granted a charter in 1632 to establish a colony that would serve as a refuge for English Catholics facing persecution. The Calverts played a crucial part in promoting religious tolerance and governance in the colony. Their efforts led to the passage of the Maryland Toleration Act in 1649, which granted freedom of worship to all Christians, making it one of the first laws of its kind in the American colonies.