Providence Plantation was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Baptist minister fleeing from religious persecution in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was joined there by Anne Hutchinson after her banishment. Other settlements in Portsmouth, Newport, and Warwick quickly followed. A Parliamentary patent was secured in March 1644, uniting the four settlements. Under the Royal Charter, the colony was Self-Governing, with an elected Governor and Legislature. For a time, it was used as a government for deportation where high-ranking exiles and criminals were sent. Roger Williams (December 21, 1603–April 1, 1684) was an English theologian, a notable proponent of the separation of Church and State, an advocate for fair dealings with Native Americans, founder of the City of Providence, Rhode Island and co-founder of the colony of Rhode Island. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Coptic Orthodox Pope · Roman Catholic Pope Archbishop of Canterbury · Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      Baptist... A map of the Massachusetts Bay Colony Capital Charlestown, Boston History  - Established 1629  - New England Confederation 1643  - Dominion of New England 1686  - Province of Massachusetts Bay 1692  - Disestablished 1692 The Massachusetts Bay Colony (sometimes called the Massachusetts Bay Company, for the institution that founded it) was an English settlement on... Anne Hutchinson on Trial by Edwin Austin Abbey Anne Hutchinson (July, 1591 – July, 1643) was the unauthorized Puritan preacher of a dissident church discussion group and a pioneer settler in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Netherlands. ... Location of Portsmouth, Rhode Island Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. ... Newport is a city in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about 30 miles (48 km) south of Providence. ... Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. ...

In 1663, a Royal Charter was granted by Charles II of England for the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Unlike many of the other colonies' charters, the charter for Rhode Island specifically guaranteed religious freedom for all Christians and even Jews. Because of this, a small Jewish population existed in Rhode Island, the only one in the original 13 British colonies of North America in which they were able to practice their religion freely. However, some extremist Puritan groups were against this religious toleration. Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. ... Betsy Ross purportedly sewed the first American flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes representing each of the 13 colonies. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... For the record label, see Puritan Records. ...

Rhode Island was the first of the thirteen colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown, on May 4, 1776. It was also the last colony of the thirteen colonies to ratify the United States Constitution. Prior to this, some people, including George Washington, chose to detour around it when heading north or south from New England ^{[citation needed]}. “RI” redirects here. ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1776 (MDCCLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Thursday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: The United States Constitution The United States Constitution is the supreme law of the United States of America. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and in 1789 was elected the first President of the United States of America. ... This article is about the region in the United States of America. ...

Rhode Island covers about 1,214 square miles. The terrain is mostly flat with no mountains. The colony's economy was mostly based around farming; they had large dairy cattle farms. Shipbuilding was a profitable trade as there was much lumber. Rhode Island also fished and was a slave trading outpost.

Some historians think the name owes its origins to Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, upon discovering nearby (present-day) Block Island named it Rhode Island because of its similarity in shape to the Greek island of Rhodes.^{[citation needed]} As for Providence, the Plantation was likely named for Divine Providence, given the fact that the founder of Providence, Rhode Island, Roger Williams, was a theologian. Giovanni da Verrazzano (c. ... Block Island, shown in red, off the coast of the State of Rhode Island. ... Rhodes (Greek: Ρόδος Rhódhos; Italian Rodi; Ladino: Rodi or Rodes; Ottoman Turkish: Rodos) is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, situated in eastern Aegean Sea. ... In theology, Divine Providence, or simply Providence, is the sovereignty, superintendence, or agency of God over events in peoples lives and throughout history. ... “Providence” redirects here. ... Roger Williams (December 21, 1603–April 1, 1684) was an English theologian, a notable proponent of the separation of Church and State, an advocate for fair dealings with Native Americans, founder of the City of Providence, Rhode Island and co-founder of the colony of Rhode Island. ...

See also

• First Baptist Church in America
• Touro Synagogue