The Anti-Christ and the Millennium: Revolutionary Apocalypticism in Colonial Maryland, 1640–1700

Abstract

Scholars have often brushed over the topic of apocalyptic and Millennialist ideology after 1660. This research finds that apocalyptic convictions played a primary role in fomenting revolutionary political action in colonial Maryland during the mid-late 17th century. A politico-historical and theological analysis of colonial documents and contemporary English apocalyptic publications reveals clear emulation of Isaian restoration language—suggesting that Maryland revolutionaries understood their actions within the larger Millennial narrative. The findings in this study open the door for further consideration of the effect of imperial power structures on regionalized apocalyptic narratives in the 17th century and beyond.