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States Edition
2014
Rhode Island
The Ocean State
Established 1790
13th State
You can get from one end of Rhode Island to the other in less than an hour.
The official state name is actually the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
Rhode Island was the first of the original colonies to declare independence from England and the last to become a
U.S. state.
The oldest schoolhouse in the United States is found in Portsmouth. The school was built in 1716.
Rhode Island was one of only two states to never ratify (sign) the 18th Amendment (Prohibition, or the outlawing
of all alcohol manufacturing and sales), which was eventually repealed (done away with).
America’s oldest carousel, called the Flying Horse, can be found in the town of Watch Hill.
Rhode Island is home to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Ann Franklin was America’s first female newspaper editor. She worked for the Newport Mercury.
Touro Synagogue, the oldest synagogue in North America, can be found in Newport. The synagogue contains the
oldest Torah (Jewish scripture) in North America.
Newport was the first place (in 1904) where anyone was jailed for speeding.
Rhode Island is home to the world’s largest termite. Nibbles Woodaway, or the Big Blue Bug, stands 9 feet (2.7 m)
tall and 58 feet (17 m) long and weighs 4,000 pounds (1800 kg).
Portsmouth is first town in the United States to be founded by a woman (Anne Hutchinson in 1638).
Hasbro Toys, one of the largest toymakers in the world, originated in Providence in 1923.
Climate
Usually, gentle breezes from the ocean and the bay make temperatures milder in
Rhode Island than in neighboring states. They cool off the coast more than the center
of the state. Average summer temperatures stay around the low 70s (21–23°C). Winter
temperatures are in the high 20s (-4 to -2°C). But humidity makes summer seem hotter
and winter seem colder. Rhode Island snowstorms generally dump most of the snow in
the north, but warm ocean breezes change the snow to rain on the coast. Summer
rains are normal, but sometimes droughts hit the state. Tsunamis (huge tidal waves)
sometimes come with hurricanes, which hit Rhode Island every 10 to 15 years.
Average Seasonal High and Low Temperatures
Spring: 58/39°F
Summer: 80/62°F
Fall: 63/44°F
Winter: 39/23°F
Geography
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Little Rhody (a nickname for Rhode Island) is small. It’s the smallest U.S. state, with
only 1,545 square miles (4,001 sq km). There is a Texas ranch bigger than all of Rhode
Island. Alaska, the largest state, is 425 times as big as this small state. About 60
percent of the land is covered with forests. Many of the trees are canoe birches, which
Native Americans used to make canoes. The area east of Narragansett Bay has almost
no trees, however. Narragansett Bay is an estuary, or an arm of the ocean cut out by
glaciers thousands of years ago. There are more than 30 islands in the bay. You can
find rocky peaks, sandy beaches, and flat plains with some salt ponds. These salt
ponds are shallow, and the sunlight helps eelgrass and fish to flourish. The northwest
part of the state is rocky and forested.
Resources and Economy
Rhode Island’s small size and rocky terrain leave little room for farming. The state ranks
near the bottom for farm production. Instead, the biggest part of Rhode Island’s
economy is health services. Many Rhode Islanders work as doctors, dentists, nurses,
researchers, and technicians. Rhode Islanders also produce jewelry, boats, silverware,
clothing, machinery, toys, and some of the best lace in the United States. Fishing is
important along the bay, especially for lobster, quahogs (clams), and squid. The trees
aren’t good for lumber, but they are good at attracting tourists, especially during the fall
when the leaves turn brilliant colors. Tourists also come to see old mansions and to
boat and sail.
Time Line
AD 1500
AD 1500s
Native American tribes, including the Wampanoag and the
Narragansett, inhabit what is now called Rhode Island
1524
Giovanni da Verrazzano explores Narragansett Bay for France
1600
1636
Roger Williams establishes the first Rhode Island settlement, now
Providence
1663
King Charles II gives the colony a second charter, promising freedom
of religion and government
1675
King Philip’s War begins
1696
The slave trade begins in Newport
1699
The first American Quaker meetinghouse is built
1700
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1772
Rhode Islanders burn the Gaspee, a British ship, to protest taxes
1775
The U.S. Navy is started, and Rhode Island native Esek Hopkins is
made commander in chief
1776
Rhode Island is the first colony to declare independence; British troops
occupy Newport
1778
American and British forces clash in the Battle of Rhode Island
1784
Rhode Island begins to abolish (outlaw) slavery
1790
Rhode Island joins the United States as the 13th state
1793
Moses Brown and Samuel Slater start the first successful cotton mill in
the United States
1794
Nehemiah Dodge begins Rhode Island’s jewelry industry
1800
1842
Thomas Dorr leads a rebellion over voting rights, eventually resulting
in a new state constitution
1843
The new state constitution is adopted, expanding voting rights
1880s–1890s
Large numbers of Italian and Portuguese immigrants settle in Rhode
Island
1900
1905
The state census reveals that Rhode Island is the first state with a
Catholic majority
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1914
Working-class Italians riot over the rising price of pasta in the
“Macaroni Riot”
1935
Democrats take over the state senate in the “bloodless revolution,” led
by Governor Green
1938
The Rhode Island hurricane of 1938 kills hundreds of people and
causes millions of dollars in damages
1951
The state constitutional convention amendment begins home rule for
cities and towns
1971
The state adopts an income tax
1973
Thousands of Rhode Islanders lose their jobs when the U.S. Navy
closes two major bases in the state
1989
An oil spill occurs off the coast of Newport
1991
A banking crisis hits Rhode Island when many credit unions fail
2000
2003
More than one hundred people are killed and two hundred are injured
in a nightclub fire near Providence
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2004
University of Rhode Island scientists discover the lost Indonesian
kingdom of Tambora under debris from the largest volcanic eruption in
recorded history
2010
Record rainstorms cause flooding, forcing thousands out of their
homes and causing more than $200 million in damages
2013
Rhode Island legalizes same-sex marriage
PRESENT
Early Inhabitants
Hundreds of years ago, several Native American tribes lived in Rhode Island. Some
were friendly and peaceful, and others were warlike. Two Native American chiefs gave
land to Roger Williams, a Puritan minister, which he used to establish Providence in
1636. Williams respected the Native Americans and they respected him. He learned
their language and insisted that colonists buy their land instead of taking it. This
friendship grew, and the Native Americans were glad the colonists had come. But greed
and prejudice eventually caused the settlers to take the land without paying. Tension
grew, and a war called King Philip’s War broke out in 1675. Thousands of Native
Americans were killed during this conflict. Others left and went west. Today, less than 1
percent of the population is Native American.
Religious Freedom
The First Amendment to the Constitution promises freedom of religion, but this right
hasn’t always been guaranteed. Roger Williams started the idea in the United States.
While in Massachusetts, he disagreed with many of the Puritan ideas, so the Puritans
arrested him and then threw him out of the colony. He fled to Rhode Island, which
hadn’t yet been settled. Quakers, Jews, Baptists, and others gathered to Rhode Island
because Roger Williams promised them religious freedom. Later, the authors of the
Constitution used Williams’s ideas to protect freedom of religion. Rhode Islanders didn’t
want to join the United States until they were promised that right.
American Revolution
When England sent troops to crush the rebellion in America, they landed in Newport—where they didn’t get a nice
welcome. Earlier, Rhode Islanders had burned a British ship, the Gaspee. Once the Revolutionary War began, Rhode
Islanders joined in every major battle. General Nathanael Greene, a Rhode Islander, was second in command to
General George Washington. The First Rhode Island Regiment, the first-ever all–African American unit, was one of the bravest. Most of the soldiers
were ex-slaves. They fought bravely and won many awards. Ironically, the Rhode Island slave trade was strong before
the Revolution. While these brave men fought for freedom from the British, they would still have to fight later for the
freedom of all African Americans from slavery.
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America’s Industrial Revolution
Samuel Slater was 14 years old when he started working in British cotton mills. He later
came to America to gain a fortune and became the “father of the American industrial
revolution.” Slater invented the first successful water-powered cotton mill in 1793. He
also built entire villages around his mills, so he could plan where his workers slept, ate,
shopped, and went to church. One of his towns was called Slatersville. More than half
of his workers were children. The workers started their jobs before sunrise and stopped
only after sunset. Many of them were hurt in accidents at work because they were so
tired. The supervisors sometimes hit them. The workers were generally paid less than
one dollar a week. Eventually, Rhode Island passed laws to protect the rights of
workers and prevent the use of child labor.
Environment
In 1989, oil spilled off the coast of Newport. One million gallons leaked into the Sound.
The Department of Environmental Management made sure it was cleaned up, but the
spill made people think about the environment. Now, every Rhode Island city and town
has a recycling program. Almost all of these programs are mandatory, meaning that
people must recycle. The state improved the sewage treatment plant and continues to
work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to protect wetlands. Dangerous waste
sites and polluted water are still some problems that Rhode Islanders face, but they
have worked hard to fix them.
Population
Rhode Island has 691 people per square mile (266 per sq km), making it the second most densely populated state. Its
biggest cities—Providence, Pawtucket, Warwick, Cranston, and Woonsocket—are all part of one big urban (city) area.
Across the state, people live in anything from expensive vacation homes to homes in small farming villages. The first
settlers had different religions, but today, two out of every three Rhode Islanders are Roman Catholic. Many of them
descend from Irish Catholic immigrants of the 1800s.
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Government
Capital: Providence
State Abbreviation: RI
Governor: Lincoln Chafee (Independent)
U.S. Senators: 2
Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat)
Jack Reed (Democrat)
U.S. Representatives: 2
Democrats: 2
State Senators: 38
State Representatives: 75
Counties: 5
Rhode Island has five counties, but there is no county government in Rhode Island
as there is in most other states.
Many Rhode Island towns govern through town meetings. Everyone is invited to
attend. They do regular business and vote on laws, budgets, and officials.
Famous People
Peter Farrelly
William Anders — Astronaut, pilot, and executive
Christiana Carteaux Bannister — Philanthropist and supporter of arts and social causes
Elizabeth Beisel — Olympic swimmer
George M. Cohan — “Father of musical comedy”
Leon N. Cooper — Physicist and educator
Peter Farrelly — Film director
Bobby Farrelly — Film director
John Milton Hay — Statesman
Julia Ward Howe — Abolitionist, suffragist, and poet
Edward Benjamin Koren — Cartoonist
Christopher Grant La Farge — Architect
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Horace Mann — “Father of American public education”
Debra Messing — Actress
Dee Dee Myers — White House press secretary
Matthew C. Perry — Naval officer
Nancy Elizabeth Prophet — Sculptor
Bobby Farrelly
Debra Messing
Dee Dee Myers
Native America
The Narragansett and Wampanoag tribes lived in what is now Rhode Island when the
first European explorers arrived in the area in the 16th century. The Narragansett was
the larger of the two tribes, and its people covered the majority of the land, from north to
south. The Wampanoag lived in the east around what is now Narragansett Bay. The
Narragansett moved with the seasons, living by the coast in the summer and further
inland in the winter. They hollowed out large trees to make canoes, which were their
main form of transportation. Some canoes were large enough to hold 40 or 50 people.
Each family lived in a wigwam (dome-shaped home made of poles with bark sides or
animal skin stretched over them) during the summer and shared a larger longhouse
with other families in the winter.
The Narragansett and the Wampanoag did not get along very well. So when Roger
Williams and other English colonists arrived, both tribes wanted to form an alliance with
them so that they would be stronger than the other. Eventually, though, it became clear
the English were going to take over, so both tribes banded together to fight against the
colonists. The majority of the Narragansett and Wampanoag were wiped out in King
Philip’s War.
The descendants of the few surviving Narragansett still live in Rhode Island today. The
Narragansett Indian Tribe is the only federally recognized tribe in the state. They are
led by a sachem, or chief, and an elected tribal council. The tribal council works with the
federal government to provide basic services to tribe members, such as health care,
education, housing, and employment. The tribe also strives to keep its traditions alive
by holding regular celebrations and gatherings.
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Silversmiths
Over the years, Rhode Island has become known for jewelry and silverware making.
Silversmiths have long melted silver and gold and shaped it into jewelry, watches,
silverware, and other items. Seril and Nehemiah Dodge were the first to discover how
to plate (cover) semi-precious metals with gold or silver so that jewelry could be made
less expensively. The process included joining a thin sheet of gold and a thick sheet of
copper and then hammering and rolling them together. The city of Providence even had
an entire section of the city known as the Jewelry District, where the many jewelry
shops and manufacturing centers were clustered together. Today, Rhode Island is still
a center for the production of jewelry and silverware.
Black Ships Festival
Every year, the city of Newport hosts the Black Ships Festival, celebrating the historic relationship between the United
States and Japan. Rhode Islander Commodore Matthew C. Perry negotiated the first treaty between the two countries
in 1854, and the event commemorates this achievement as well as the culture and food of Japan. Popular events
include sumo wrestling, sushi tasting, and origami (Japanese paper folding) and kite-making workshops. The Taiko drummers performance is always the most exciting attraction of the festival. Taiko drumming is an ancient
Japanese musical form that incorporates speed, power, and complex choreography. Centuries ago, the large drums
were beat on the battlefield to intimidate the opposing army. Today, trained professional Taiko drum groups tour the
globe, bringing their ancient art to people across the world.
State Symbols
State Bird
Rhode Island red—This breed of chicken was first bred in Little Compton, where
residents celebrate with a Red Hen Barbeque every July.
State Tree
Red maple—Native Americans taught the early residents how to make syrup from
maple trees.
State Flower
Violet—You’ll find violets in early spring and summer in beautiful purples and blues.
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State Animal
Quahog—Native Americans would use these clamshells as wampum (money).
Other Symbols
Drink: Coffee milk
Fruit: Rhode Island greening (apple)
Mineral: Bowenite
Rock: Cumberlandite
Shell: Quahog
Song: “Rhode Island, It’s For Me”
State Motto
Hope—The state motto is written on the state flag, below the anchor.
Pro Sports Teams
There are currently no professional sports teams in Rhode Island.
For More Information
See www.ri.gov or contact the Rhode Island Tourism Division, 315 Iron Horse Way, Suite 101, Providence, RI 02908;
phone (800) 556-2484; web site www.visitrhodeisland.com.
© 2014 ProQuest LLC and Brigham Young University. It is against the law to
copy, reprint, store, or transmit any part of this publication in any form by any
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