Economy
Throughout the colonial period, Maryland's economy was based on one crop, tobacco. Not only slaves but also indentured servants worked the fields, and when they earned their freedom, they too secured plots of land and grew tobacco for the European market. Tobacco was sometimes used as money, and the colonial legislature was obliged to pass a law requiring tobacco planters to raise a certain amount of corn as well, in order to ensure that the colonists would not go hungry. By the 18th Century there was great changes in Maryland's economy. Maryland's Tobacco industry suffered early in the Century as compared to Virginia's Tobacco industry. Virginia Tobacco generally was of a higher quality than was Maryland's. Maryland Tobacco was often referred to as bad quality tobacco so colonial Maryland's economy suffered. As a result, in 1747 Maryland passed the Tobacco Inspection Act of 1747. Inspection notes were used in the purchase of tobacco, including the fact that tobacco was used often as currency. Maryland faced some economic challenges after the passage of the Tobacco Inspection Act of 1747. The Act led to less production of tobacco and caused higher prices and more profits for the larger producers. Corn and wheat became profitable and valuable to the Maryland economy in the second half of the 18th Century. Later on colonial Maryland started to export material for ship building such as wood, tar,lumber&nails. They also started to make clothes and shoes and exported that to other parts in Colonial America, Europe and New England.