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90-401: The Airport Connector Road , also known as the T. F. Green Airport Connector Road or simply the T. F. Green Airport Connector , is a short, unnumbered highway in the U.S. state of Rhode Island that connects Interstate 95 (I-95) with T. F. Green Airport . The route, which is 1.1 miles (1.8 km) long, is a limited-access freeway for its entire length. The road is situated entirely in
180-626: A Cumberland resident who served as Director of Marketing for the Rhode Island Airport Corporation until 1995. Brennan, who was instrumental in promoting the airport's renovation project, died in 1996. The bill passed unanimously in the Rhode Island State Senate and the House of Representatives , officially renaming the road in 1999. To conform with Federal highway standards, RIDOT is currently in
270-567: A Royal Charter from King Charles II . Charles was a Catholic sympathizer in staunchly Protestant England, and he approved of the colony's promise of religious freedom. He granted the request with the Royal Charter of 1663 , uniting the four settlements together into the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations . In the following years, many persecuted groups settled in the colony, notably Quakers and Jews. The Rhode Island colony
360-556: A humid continental climate , with warm summers and cold winters. The state's southern coastal portions are the broad transition zone into subtropical climates, with hot summers and cool winters with a mix of rain and snow. Block Island has an oceanic climate . The highest temperature recorded in Rhode Island was 104 °F (40 °C), recorded on August 2, 1975, in Providence. The lowest recorded temperature in Rhode Island
450-547: A group of 13 other men bought Aquidneck Island from the Narragansett Indians in 1639, and the population of Newport, Rhode Island grew from 96 in 1640 to 7,500 in 1760 (making Newport the fifth-largest city in the Thirteen Colonies at the time), and Newport grew further to 9,209 by 1774. The black population in the colony grew from 25 in 1650 to 3,668 in 1774 (ranging between 3 and 10 percent of
540-517: A long-standing dispute concerning the former Narragansett lands which were also claimed by Connecticut and Massachusetts, although the dispute continued until 1703, when the arbitration award was upheld. After repeated surveys, a mutually agreeable line was defined and surveyed in 1728. The eastern boundary was an area of dispute with Massachusetts Bay Colony . Overlapping charters had awarded an area extending three miles inland to both Plymouth Colony and Rhode Island east of Narragansett Bay; this area
630-603: A prominent role in the American Revolution . At approximately 2 a.m. on June 10, 1772, a band of Providence residents attacked the grounded revenue schooner HMS Gaspée , burning it to the waterline for enforcing unpopular trade regulations within Narragansett Bay. Rhode Island was the first of the thirteen colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown on May 4, 1776. It was also
720-734: A range of official documents and state websites. In July, amidst the George Floyd protests and nationwide calls to address systemic racism, the resolution referring the question to the voters was passed by both houses of the Rhode Island General Assembly : 69–1 in the House of Representatives , and 35–0 in the Senate . The change was then approved by voters 52.8% to 47.2% as part of the 2020 United States elections , taking effect in November 2020 upon certification of
810-504: A referendum in November 2010 on removing "and Providence Plantations" from the official name. Advocates for excising plantation argued that the word symbolized a legacy of disenfranchisement for many Rhode Islanders, as well as the proliferation of slavery in the colonies and in the post-colonial United States. Advocates for retaining the name argued that plantation was simply an archaic synonym for colony and bore no relation to slavery. The people voted overwhelmingly (78% to 22%) to retain
900-593: A refugee, Roger Williams , who fled religious persecution in the Massachusetts Bay Colony to establish a haven for religious liberty. He founded Providence in 1636 on land purchased from local tribes, creating the first settlement in North America with an explicitly secular government. The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations subsequently became a destination for religious and political dissenters and social outcasts, earning it
990-575: A sanctuary for religious and intellectual freedom. On May 4, 1776, Rhode Island became the first of the 13 colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown, and it was the fourth to ratify the Articles of Confederation among the newly sovereign states on February 9, 1778. It boycotted the 1787 convention that drew up the United States Constitution , and initially refused to ratify it. It relented after Congress sent
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#17327824294341080-513: A series of constitutional amendments to the states for ratification, the Bill of Rights guaranteeing specific personal freedoms and rights, clear limitations on the government's power in judicial and other proceedings, and explicit declarations that all powers not specifically delegated to Congress by the Constitution are reserved for the states or the people. On May 29, 1790, Rhode Island became
1170-552: A state constitution, arguing the charter government violated the Guarantee Clause in Article Four, Section Four of the United States Constitution . In 1842, the charter government and Dorr's supporters held separate elections, and two rival governments claimed sovereignty over the state. Dorr's supporters led an armed rebellion against the charter government, and Dorr was arrested and imprisoned for treason against
1260-543: A time of growth in textile mills and manufacturing and brought an influx of immigrants to fill those jobs, bringing population growth and urbanization. In Newport , New York's wealthiest industrialists created a summer haven to socialize and build grand mansions . Thousands of French-Canadian, Italian, Irish, and Portuguese immigrants arrived to fill jobs in the textile and manufacturing mills in Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Woonsocket. During World War I, Rhode Island furnished 28,817 soldiers, of whom 612 died. After
1350-508: A tourist information center. The Newport Tower has been hypothesized to be of Viking origin, although most experts believe it was a Colonial-era windmill. On May 29, 2014, Governor Lincoln D. Chafee announced that Rhode Island was one of eight states to release a collaborative Action Plan to put 3.3 million zero-emission vehicles on its roads by 2025. The plan's purpose is to reduce greenhouse gas and smog-causing emissions. The plan promotes zero-emissions vehicles and investments in
1440-478: A weaker central government, it boycotted the 1787 convention that had drafted the United States Constitution , which it initially refused to ratify; it finally ratified it on May 29, 1790, the last of the original 13 states to do so. The state was officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations since the colonial era but came to be commonly known as "Rhode Island". On November 3, 2020,
1530-789: A year before the more famous Boston Tea Party . Leading figures in the colony were involved in the 1776 launch of the American Revolutionary War which brought American independence from the British Empire . This included Governors Stephen Hopkins and Samuel Ward , as well as John Brown , Nicholas Brown , William Ellery , the Reverend James Manning , and the Reverend Ezra Stiles , each of whom had played an influential role in founding Brown University in Providence in 1764 as
1620-542: Is nicknamed the Ocean State and has a number of oceanfront beaches . It is mostly flat with no real mountains, and the state's highest natural point is Jerimoth Hill , 812 feet (247 m) above sea level. The state has two distinct natural regions. Eastern Rhode Island contains the lowlands of the Narragansett Bay, while Western Rhode Island forms part of the New England upland. Rhode Island's forests are part of
1710-537: Is no record of any law legalizing slave-holding. The colony later prospered under the slave trade, distilling rum to sell in Africa as part of a profitable triangular trade in slaves and sugar with the Caribbean. Rhode Island's legislative body passed an act in 1652 abolishing the holding of slaves (the first British colony to do so), but this edict was never enforced and Rhode Island continued to be heavily involved in
1800-422: Is referred to in that manner in the United States Constitution . This name was derived from the merger of Colonial settlements around Narragansett Bay, and outside the jurisdiction of Plymouth colony. The settlements of Rhode Island ( Newport and Portsmouth ) were on Rhode Island, also known as Aquidneck Island . Providence Plantations referred to settlements on the mainland of Providence and Warwick . It
1890-511: Is the second-most densely populated state , after New Jersey . The state takes its name from the eponymous island , though nearly all its land area is on the mainland. Providence is its capital and most populous city. Native Americans lived around Narragansett Bay before English settlers began arriving in the early 17th century. Rhode Island was unique among the Thirteen British Colonies in having been founded by
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#17327824294341980-516: Is unclear how the island came to be named Rhode Island , but two historical events may have been influential: The earliest documented use of the name "Rhode Island" for Aquidneck was in 1637 by Roger Williams. The name was officially applied to the island in 1644 with these words: "Aquethneck shall be henceforth called the Isle of Rodes or Rhode-Island." The name "Isle of Rodes" is used in a legal document as late as 1646. Dutch maps as early as 1659 call
2070-446: The 1938 New England hurricane , Hurricane Carol (1954), Hurricane Donna (1960), and Hurricane Bob (1991). Rhode Island is divided into five counties but it has no county governments. The entire state is divided into 39 municipalities, which handle all local government affairs. There are 8 cities and 31 towns in Rhode Island. Major population centers today result from historical factors; development took place predominantly along
2160-580: The American Civil War , Rhode Island was the first Union state to send troops in response to President Lincoln 's request for help from the states. Rhode Island furnished 25,236 fighting men, of whom 1,685 died. On the home front, Rhode Island and the other northern states used their industrial capacity to supply the Union Army with the materials it needed to win the war. The United States Naval Academy moved to Rhode Island temporarily during
2250-436: The American Revolution , in 1790 the new state incorporated as the "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations". However, as matter of convenience, the state came to be commonly known as simply "Rhode Island". The word plantation in the state's name became a contested issue during the 20th century and the increased awareness of slavery and its role in early Rhode Island history. The General Assembly voted in 2009 to hold
2340-483: The Blackstone , Seekonk , and Providence Rivers with the advent of the water-powered mill. Providence is the base of a large metropolitan area. The state's 19 largest municipalities ranked by population are: Some of Rhode Island's cities and towns are further partitioned into villages, in common with many other New England states. Notable villages include Kingston in the town of South Kingstown, which houses
2430-604: The International Tennis Hall of Fame and features an active grass-court tennis club. Scenic Route 1A (known locally as Ocean Road) is in Narragansett . " The Towers " is also in Narragansett featuring a large stone arch. It was once the entrance to a famous Narragansett casino that burned down in 1900. The Towers now serve as an event venue and host the local Chamber of Commerce, which operates
2520-713: The New England region of the Northeastern United States . It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Island Sound ; and shares a small maritime border with New York , east of Long Island . Rhode Island is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous , with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020 ; but it has grown at every decennial count since 1790 and
2610-469: The Northeastern coastal forests ecoregion. Narragansett Bay is a major feature of the state's topography. There are more than 30 islands within the bay; the largest is Aquidneck Island , which holds the municipalities of Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth. The second-largest island is Conanicut , and the third is Prudence . Block Island lies about 12 miles (19 km) off the southern coast of
2700-499: The Rhode Island Democratic Party has dominated local politics. Rhode Island has comprehensive health insurance for low-income children and a large social safety net . However, many urban areas still have a high rate of child poverty. Due to an influx of residents from Boston , increasing housing costs have resulted in more homelessness in Rhode Island. The 350th Anniversary of the founding of Rhode Island
2790-576: The Touro Synagogue , dedicated on December 2, 1763, considered by locals to be the first synagogue within the United States (see below for information on New York City's claim), and still serving. The synagogue showcases the religious freedoms established by Roger Williams, as well as impressive architecture in a mix of the classic colonial and Sephardic style. The Newport Casino is a National Historic Landmark building complex that houses
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2880-789: The slave trade during the post-revolution era. In 1774, the slave population of Rhode Island was 6.3% of the total (nearly twice the ratio of other New England colonies). Brown University was founded in 1764 as the College in the British Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. It was one of nine Colonial colleges granted charters before the American Revolution and was the first college in America to accept students regardless of religious affiliation. Rhode Island's tradition of independence and dissent gave it
2970-407: The 13th state and the last of the former colonies to ratify the Constitution. The boundaries of Rhode Island underwent numerous changes from early Colonial times well after American independence, including repeated disputes with Massachusetts and Connecticut who contested for control of territory that ultimately belonged to Rhode Island. Rhode Island's early compacts did not stipulate the boundary on
3060-571: The 18th century. Mass migration from New England to the Province of New York and the Province of New Jersey began following the surrender of New Netherland by the Dutch Republic at Fort Amsterdam in 1664, and the population of New York continued to expand by families moving from New England in the 18th century rather than from natural increase. Most Puritan immigrants to New England moved as families, as approximately two-thirds of
3150-524: The Brown University charter, and other state treasures. The First Baptist Church of Providence is the oldest Baptist church in the Americas, founded by Roger Williams in 1638. The first fully automated post office in the country is in Providence. There are many historic mansions in the seaside city of Newport, including The Breakers , Marble House , and Belcourt Castle . Also there is
3240-580: The Coddington Commission, which made him life governor of the islands of Rhode Island and Conanicut in a federation with Connecticut Colony and Massachusetts Bay Colony . Protest, open rebellion, and a further petition to Oliver Cromwell in London led to the reinstatement of the original 1643 Patent. Following the 1660 restoration of royal rule in England, it was necessary to gain
3330-579: The Massachusetts Bay General Court, Gorton traveled to London to enlist the help of Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick , head of the Commission for Foreign Plantations. Damon returned in 1648 with a letter from Rich ordering Massachusetts to cease molesting him and his people. In gratitude, he changed the name of Shawomet Plantation to Warwick . In 1651, William Coddington obtained a separate charter from England setting up
3420-525: The Narragansett Bay after Christian virtues: Patience , Prudence , and Hope Islands . In 1637, another group of Massachusetts dissenters settled on Aquidneck Island , which was called Rhode Island at the time. They established a settlement called Pocasset at the northern end of the island. The group included William Coddington , John Clarke , and Anne and William Hutchinson , among others. That settlement, however, quickly split into two separate settlements. Samuel Gorton and others remained to establish
3510-551: The Narragansett Sachems Canonicus and Miantonomi . They were given a few items in reciprocity for their generosity. However, as Roger Williams made clear in a letter to John Winthrop in June 1638: "Sir, concerning the islands Prudence and…Aquedenick…neither of them were sold properly, for a thousand fathom would not have bought either, by strangers. The truth is, not a penny was demanded for either, and what
3600-628: The Narragansetts, precipitating a dispute with the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In 1644, Providence, Portsmouth, and Newport united for their common independence as the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations , governed by an elected council and "president". Gorton received a separate charter for his settlement in 1648 which he named Warwick after his patron. Metacomet was the Wampanoag tribe's war leader, whom
3690-790: The New England Colonies (including those without resident clergy), while there was a small Jewish enclave in Newport by 1658. Following the First Great Awakening (1730–1755), the number of regular places of worship in Rhode Island grew to 50 in 1750 (30 Baptist, 12 Congregational, 7 Anglican , and 1 Jewish), with the colony gaining an additional 5 regular places of worship by 1776 (26 Baptist, 11 Friends , 9 Congregational , 5 Episcopal , 1 Jewish, 1 New Light Congregational , 1 Presbyterian , and 1 Sandemanian ). Puritan mass migration to New England began following
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3780-731: The Pequot War, became a part of the colony in 1664, and was incorporated in 1672 as New Shoreham . The western boundary with Connecticut Colony was defined ambiguously as the "Narragansett River" in the Connecticut charter, which was decided by arbitrators in 1663 to be the Pawcatuck River from its mouth to the Ashaway River mouth, from which a northward line was drawn to the Massachusetts line. This resolved
3870-614: The School Siting Bill. Sponsored by Senator Juan Pichardo and Representative Scott Slater , and signed into law by the governor, it made Rhode Island the first US State to prohibit school construction on Brownfield sites where toxic vapors can potentially affect indoor air quality. It also creates a public participation process whenever a city or town considers building a school on any other kind of contaminated site. Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
3960-639: The University of Rhode Island; Wickford in the town of North Kingstown, the site of an annual international art festival; and Wakefield where the Town Hall is for the Town of South Kingstown. The state capitol building is made of white Georgian marble. On top is the world's fourth largest self-supported marble dome. It houses the Rhode Island Charter granted by King Charles II in 1663,
4050-572: The city of Warwick , and is accessible from Interstate 95 via exit 13. The Airport Connector Road has two eastbound interchanges with Jefferson Boulevard and Post Road ( U.S. Route 1 or US 1) before terminating at the Bruce Sundlun Terminal of T. F. Green Airport. A bill introduced to the Rhode Island General Assembly on March 12, 1998 aimed to rename the freeway the Mary Brennan Parkway , after Mary Brennan,
4140-550: The colonists called King Philip. They invaded and burned down several of the towns in the area during King Philip's War (1675–1676), including Providence which was attacked twice. A force of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Plymouth militia under General Josiah Winslow invaded and destroyed the fortified Narragansett Indian village in the Great Swamp in South Kingstown, Rhode Island on December 19, 1675. In one of
4230-545: The colony's population. The Rhode Island merchants also profited by distilling rum as part of the triangular trade in slaves and sugar between Africa, America, and the Caribbean . Rhode Island was the first of the Thirteen Colonies to take up arms against Great Britain in the Gaspee Affair , when an armed group of men attacked and burned a British Navy ship. This impromptu attack occurred in June, 1772, more than
4320-820: The defeat of the British at the Siege of Yorktown and the Battle of the Chesapeake . Rhode Island was also heavily involved in the Industrial Revolution , which began in America in 1787 when Thomas Somers reproduced textile machine plans which he imported from England. He helped to produce the Beverly Cotton Manufactory , in which Moses Brown of Providence took an interest. Moses Brown teamed up with Samuel Slater and helped to create
4410-458: The dominion collapsed and Rhode Island resumed its previous government. The bedrock of the economy continued to be fishing and agriculture, especially dairy farming; lumber and shipbuilding also became major industries. The Rhode Island General Assembly legalized African and Native American slavery throughout the colony in 1703, and the slave trade fueled the growth of Providence and Newport into major ports. By 1755, enslaved people made up 10% of
4500-469: The eastern shore of Narrangansett Bay, and did not include any of Washington County , land that belonged to the Narragansett people . The original settlements were at Providence , Warwick, Newport, and Portsmouth, and the territory was expanded by purchasing land from the Narragansetts westward toward Connecticut and the smaller islands in Narrangasett Bay. Block Island was settled in 1637 after
4590-414: The entire original name. In June 2020, State Senator Harold Metts introduced a resolution for another ballot referendum on the subject, saying, "Whatever the meaning of the term 'plantations' in the context of Rhode Island's history, it carries a horrific connotation when considering the tragic and racist history of our nation." Governor Gina Raimondo issued an executive order to remove the phrase from
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#17327824294344680-848: The final actions of the war, an Indian associated with Benjamin Church killed King Philip in Bristol, Rhode Island . The colony was amalgamated into the Dominion of New England in 1686, as King James II attempted to enforce royal authority over the autonomous colonies in British North America , but the colony regained its independence under the Royal Charter after the Glorious Revolution of 1688. Slaves were introduced in Rhode Island at this time, although there
4770-423: The final decision, a portion of Tiverton was awarded to Massachusetts to become part of Fall River, and two-thirds of Seekonk (now eastern Pawtucket and East Providence) was awarded to Rhode Island in 1862. Rhode Island's northern border with Massachusetts also underwent a number of changes. Massachusetts surveyed this line in 1642, but subsequent surveys by Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut agreed that it
4860-484: The fortified Narragansett village in the Great Swamp . The Narragansetts also invaded and burned several towns in Rhode Island, including Providence. Roger Williams had known both Metacom (Philip) and Canonchet since they were children. He was aware of the tribe's activities and promptly sent letters informing the Governor of Massachusetts of enemy movements. Providence Plantations made some efforts at fortifying
4950-507: The infrastructure to support them. In 2014, Rhode Island received grants of $ 2,711,685 from the Environmental Protection Agency to clean up Brownfield sites in eight locations. The grants provided communities with funding to assess, clean up, and redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies, and leverage jobs while protecting public health and the environment. In 2013, the "Lots of Hope" program
5040-446: The island "Red Island" ( Roodt Eylandt ). The first English settlement in Rhode Island was the town of Providence, which the Narragansett granted to Roger Williams in 1636. At that time, Williams obtained no permission from the English crown, as he believed the English had no legitimate claim on Narragansett and Wampanoag territory. Williams traveled to London in 1643, during the English Civil War, to obtain legal recognition of
5130-406: The issuance of the royal charter for the Massachusetts Bay Company by Charles I of England in 1629 and continued until the beginning of the English Civil War in 1642. The immigration leveled off following the war's conclusion in 1651, and the population growth owed almost entirely to natural increase rather than immigration or slave importations for the remainder of the 17th century and through
5220-423: The last of the thirteen colonies to ratify the United States Constitution on May 29, 1790, and only under threat of heavy trade tariffs from the other former colonies and after assurances were made that a Bill of Rights would become part of the Constitution. During the Revolution, the British occupied Newport in December 1776. A combined Franco-American force fought to drive them off Aquidneck Island. Portsmouth
5310-404: The mainland and separates Block Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean proper. A rare type of rock called Cumberlandite is found only in Rhode Island (specifically, in the town of Cumberland ) and is the state rock. There were initially two known deposits of the mineral, but it is an ore of iron, and one of the deposits was extensively mined for its ferrous content. Most of Rhode Island has
5400-428: The male Puritan immigrants to New England were married rather than unmarried indentured servants. By the American Revolutionary War, only two percent of the New England colonial labor force were bonded or convict laborers and another two percent were black slaves, while nine percent of the colonial black population in New England were free, as compared with only three percent in the Southern Colonies. In February 1784,
5490-411: The moniker "Rogue's Island". Rhode Island was the first colony to call for a Continental Congress , in 1774, and the first to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown , on May 4, 1776. After the American Revolution , during which it was heavily occupied and contested, Rhode Island became the fourth state to ratify the Articles of Confederation , on February 9, 1778. Because its citizens favored
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#17327824294345580-421: The name of the town of Narragansett, Rhode Island . European settlement began around 1622 with a trading post at Sowams, now the town of Warren, Rhode Island . The first four European Settlements were at Providence, Portsmouth, Newport and Warwick. Roger Williams was a Puritan theologian and linguist who founded Providence Plantations in 1636 on land given to him by Narragansett sachem Canonicus . He named
5670-421: The new settlements. A Patent was granted to "the incorporation of Providence Plantations in Narragansett Bay in New England" by the Parliamentary committee on Foreign Plantations . After the English Civil war, a Royal Charter was granted in 1663, giving the colony an official name of the "Governor and Company of the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England, in America." Following
5760-413: The population), and like the state as a whole, declined to 2,671 (or 5 percent of the population) by 1780. In 1774, Narragansetts accounted for 1,479 of the inhabitants of the colony (or three percent). Rhode Island was the only New England colony without an established church. Rhode Island had only four churches with regular services in 1650, out of the 109 places of worship with regular services in
5850-400: The process of phasing in and renumbering the exit numbers of various State, US Routes and Interstates including the airport connector. The entire route is in Warwick , Kent County . This Rhode Island road-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Rhode Island Rhode Island ( / ˌ r oʊ d -/ , pronounced "road") is a state in
5940-457: The property requirement, effectively disenfranchising many Irish-Americans and maintaining urban under-representation. In 1849, in Luther v. Borden , the US Supreme Court declined to rule on the constitutional question raised in Dorr's rebellion, holding that it was a political question outside its jurisdiction. In the early 19th century, Rhode Island was subject to a tuberculosis outbreak which led to public hysteria about vampirism . During
6030-507: The relationship was more strained between other New England colonies and certain tribes. This situation frequently led to bloodshed, despite attempts by the Rhode Island leadership to broker peace. During King Philip's War (1675–1676), Colonist and Indian fighting regularly violated Rhode Island's neutrality. The war's largest battle occurred in Rhode Island on December 19, 1675 when a force of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Plymouth militia under General Josiah Winslow invaded and destroyed
6120-405: The results. At the onset of European colonization what is now Rhode Island was inhabited mainly by five Native American tribes - by far most of the state's territory was inhabited by the Narragansett , eastern borderlands were occupied by the Wampanoag , south-western coast by the Niantic , western borderlands by the Pequot and northern borderlands by the Nipmuc . In 1636, Roger Williams
6210-434: The rules. However, many colonial governments refused to enforce the acts, Massachusetts principally among them, and Massachusetts took matters one step further by obstructing the activities of the Crown agents. Charles' successor James II introduced the Dominion of New England in 1686 as a means to accomplish these goals. Under its provisional president Joseph Dudley , the disputed "King's Country" (now Washington County )
6300-433: The second cotton mill in America, a water-powered textile mill. The Industrial Revolution moved large numbers of workers into the cities. With the 1663 colonial charter still in effect, voting was restricted to landowners holding at least $ 134 in property. At the time of the revolution, 80% of White men in Rhode Island could vote; by 1840, only 40% were still eligible. The charter apportioned legislative seats equally among
6390-455: The settlement Providence Plantations because he believed that God had brought them there. (The term "plantation" was used in the 17th century to mean an agricultural colony.) Williams had been exiled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony under religious persecution; he and his fellow settlers agreed on an egalitarian constitution providing for majority rule "in civil things" with liberty of conscience on spiritual matters. He named three islands in
6480-508: The settlement of Portsmouth in 1638, while Coddington and Clarke established nearby Newport in 1639. Both settlements were situated on Rhode Island. The second settlement on the mainland was Damon Salvator 's Shawomet Purchase from the Narragansetts in 1642. As soon as he settled there, however, the Massachusetts Bay authorities laid claim to his territory and acted to enforce their claim. After considerable difficulties with
6570-464: The south by Rhode Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. It shares a narrow maritime border with New York State between Block Island and Long Island . The state's mean elevation is 200 feet (61 m). It is only 37 miles (60 km) wide and 48 miles (77 km) long, yet the state has a tidal shoreline on Narragansett Bay and the Atlantic Ocean of 384 miles (618 km). Rhode Island
6660-419: The state's towns, over-representing rural areas and under-representing the growing industrial centers. Additionally, the charter disallowed landless citizens from filing civil suits without endorsement from a landowner. Bills were periodically introduced in the legislature to expand suffrage, but they were invariably defeated. In 1841, activists led by Thomas W. Dorr organized an extralegal convention to draft
6750-492: The state's voters approved an amendment to the state constitution formally dropping "and Providence Plantations" from its full name. Its official nickname is the "Ocean State", a reference to its 400 mi (640 km) of coastline and the large bays and inlets that make up about 14% of its area. Despite its name, most of Rhode Island is on the U.S. mainland. Its official name was State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations from its beginning in 1636 until 2020, and it
6840-524: The state. In response, the legislature drafted a state constitution which replaced property requirements for American-born citizens with a $ 1 poll tax , equivalent to $ 32 in 2023. In a heavily boycotted election in November 1842, voters approved the constitution. Voters also declined to limit the change to "white" men, thus re-enfranchising Black men—Black men meeting the property requirements had been able to vote in Rhode Island until 1822. The constitution also ended slavery. Immigrants remained subject to
6930-549: The town, and Williams even started training recruits for protection. In one of the final actions of the war, troops from Connecticut killed Philip in Mount Hope , Rhode Island. In the 1680s, Charles II sought to streamline administration of the English colonies and to more closely control their trade. The Navigation Acts passed in the 1660s were widely disliked, since merchants often found themselves trapped and at odds with
7020-728: The war, the state was hit hard by the Spanish Influenza . In the 1920s and 1930s, rural Rhode Island saw a surge in Ku Klux Klan membership, largely in reaction to large waves of immigrants moving to the state. The Klan is believed to be responsible for burning the Watchman Industrial School in Scituate , which was a school for African-American children. Since the Great Depression ,
7110-516: The war. In 1866, Rhode Island abolished racial segregation in the public schools throughout the state. The 50 years following the Civil War were a time of prosperity and affluence that author William G. McLoughlin calls "Rhode Island's halcyon era". Rhode Island was a center of the Gilded Age and provided a home or summer home to many of the country's most prominent industrialists. This was
7200-579: Was awarded to Rhode Island in 1741, establishing Rhode Island's jurisdiction over Barrington, Warren, Bristol, Tiverton, and Little Compton which Massachusetts had claimed. Also adjudicated in the 1741 decision was the award of most of Cumberland to Rhode Island from Massachusetts. The final establishment of the boundaries north of Barrington and east of the Blackstone River occurred almost a century after American independence, requiring protracted litigation and multiple U.S. Supreme Court decisions. In
7290-579: Was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his religious views, and he settled at the top of Narragansett Bay on land sold or given to him by Narragansett sachem Canonicus . He named the site Providence, "having a sense of God's merciful providence unto me in my distress", and it became a place of religious freedom where all were welcome. In 1638 (after conferring with Williams), Anne Hutchinson , William Coddington , John Clarke , Philip Sherman , and other religious dissenters were allowed to settle on Aquidneck Island (also known as Rhode Island), by
7380-476: Was brought into the dominion, and the rest of the colony was brought under dominion control by Governor Edmund Andros . The rule of Andros was extremely unpopular, especially in Massachusetts. The 1688 Glorious Revolution deposed James II and brought William III and Mary II to the English throne; Massachusetts authorities conspired in April 1689 to have Andros arrested and sent back to England. With this event,
7470-557: Was celebrated with a free concert held on the tarmac of the Quonset State Airport on August 31, 1986. Performers included Chuck Berry , Tommy James , and headliner Bob Hope . Rhode Island covers an area of 1,034 square miles (2,678 km ) within the New England region of the Northeastern United States and is bordered on the north and east by Massachusetts, on the west by Connecticut, and on
7560-797: Was established in the City of Providence to focus on increasing the city's green space and local food production, improve urban neighborhoods, promote healthy lifestyles and improve environmental sustainability. Supported by a $ 100,000 grant, the program will partner with the City of Providence, the Southside Community Land Trust, and the Rhode Island Foundation to convert city-owned vacant lots into productive urban farms. In 2012, Rhode Island passed bill S2277/H7412, "An act relating to Health and Safety – Environmental Cleanup Objectives for Schools", informally known as
7650-418: Was one of the original Thirteen Colonies established on the east coast of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean. It was founded by Roger Williams . It was an English colony from 1636 until 1707, and then a colony of Great Britain until the American Revolution in 1776, when it became the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations . The land was first owned by the Narragansett Indians , which led to
7740-468: Was paid was only gratuity, though I chose, for better assurance and form, to call it sale." This settlement was first called Pocasset and then changed in 1639 to Portsmouth . The town was governed by the Portsmouth Compact . The island's southern part became the separate settlement of Newport after disagreements among the founders. Samuel Gorton purchased lands at Shawomet in 1642 from
7830-433: Was placed too far south. In 1718-19, commissioners for Rhode Island and Massachusetts agreed on roughly that line anyway (except the section east of the Blackstone River, which remained disputed until 1741), and this is where the line remains today. From 1640 to 1774, the population of Rhode Island grew from 300 to 59,607, but then declined during the American Revolutionary War to 52,946 in 1780. William Coddington and
7920-715: Was the site of the first African-American military unit, the 1st Rhode Island Regiment , to fight for the U.S. in the unsuccessful Battle of Rhode Island of August 29, 1778. A month earlier, the appearance of a French fleet off Newport caused the British to scuttle some of their own ships in an attempt to block the harbor. The British abandoned Newport in October 1779, concentrating their forces in New York City. An expedition of 5,500 French troops under Count Rochambeau arrived in Newport by sea on July 10, 1780. The celebrated march to Yorktown, Virginia , in 1781 ended with
8010-475: Was very progressive for the time, passing laws abolishing witchcraft trials, imprisonment for debt, and most capital punishment. The colony also passed the first anti-slavery law in America on May 18, 1652, though the practice remained widespread in Rhode Island and there exists no evidence that the legislation was ever enforced. Rhode Island remained at peace with the Narragansett Indians, but
8100-462: Was −23 °F (−31 °C) on February 5, 1996, in Greene . Monthly average temperatures range from a high of 83 °F (28 °C) to a low of 20 °F (−7 °C). Rhode Island is vulnerable to tropical storms and hurricanes due to its location in New England, catching the brunt of many storms that blow up the eastern seaboard. Hurricanes that have done significant damage in the state include
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