State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Flag of Rhode Island Seal Nickname(s): The Ocean State, Little Rhody Motto(s): Hope
Official language(s)	English
Capital	Providence
Largest city	Providence
Area	Ranked 50th
- Total	1,214*[1] sq mi (3,144* km²)
- Width	37 miles (60 km)
- Length	48 miles (77 km)
- % water	32.4
- Latitude	41° 09′ N to 42° 01′ N
- Longitude	71° 07′ W to 71° 53′ W
Population	Ranked 43rd
- Total	1,048,319
- Density	1,003.2/sq mi  387.34/km² (2nd)
Elevation
- Highest point	Jerimoth Hill[2] 812 ft  (247 m)
- Mean	200 ft  (60 m)
- Lowest point	Atlantic Ocean[2] 0 ft  (0 m)
Admission to Union	May 29, 1790 (13th)
Governor	Donald Carcieri (R)
U.S. Senators	Jack Reed (D) Sheldon Whitehouse (D)
Congressional Delegation	List
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Abbreviations	RI US-RI
Web site	www.ri.gov
* Total area in acres is approximately 776,957 acres (3,144 km²)

Rhode Island (IPA: /roʊd ˈaɪlənd/), officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,^[3] is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is the smallest state by area, and the 8th smallest by population. Its official name is the longest official name of any U.S. state. Rhode Island was the first of the thirteen original American colonies to declare independence from British rule, signaling the start of the American Revolution; it was also the first state that engaged in armed hostilities with British property and authorities. Rhode Island did not participate in the Philadelphia Convention and was also the last of the original thirteen states to ratify the United States Constitution. Aquidneck Island highlighted in red Aquidneck Island, also called Rhode Island, is the largest island in Narragansett Bay. ... RI may refer to any of the following: The state of Rhode Island The Rock Island railroad (AAR reporting mark RI) Raffles Institution, a school in Singapore. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Rhode_Island. ... Image File history File links State_seal_of_Rhode_Island. ... The flag of Rhode Island consists of an anchor (a symbol for hope) surrounded by thirteen stars for the original 13 colonies (and Rhode Islands status as the 13th state to ratify the Constitution). ... The Rhode Island State Seal features a maritime anchor as its central image. ... This is a list of U.S. state nicknames -- both official and traditional (official state nicknames are in bold). ... Here is a list of state mottos for the states of the United States. ... Image File history File links Map_of_USA_RI.svg‎ File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Rhode Island ... // Although the United States currently has no official language, it is largely monolingual with English being the de facto national language. ... Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, site of first U.S. capital. ... Providence redirects here. ... Providence redirects here. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... This is a complete list of the states of the United States ordered by total area, land area, and water area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Square kilometre (US spelling: Square kilometer), symbol km², is an SI unit of surface area. ... A kilometer (Commonwealth spelling: kilometre), symbol: km is a unit of length in the metric system equal to 1,000 metres (from the Greek words χίλια (khilia) = thousand and μέτρο (metro) = count/measure). ... Map of states populations (2006) This is a list of states of the United States by population (with inhabited non-state jurisdictions included for comparison) as of July 1, 2006, according to the 2005 estimates of the United States Census Bureau. ... Map of states showing population density This is a list of the 50 U.S. states, ordered by population density. ... This is a list of United States states by elevation. ... Jerimoth Hill is the name of the highest natural point in the US state of Rhode Island, at 812 feet above sea level. ... The order which the original 13 states ratified the constitution, then the order that the others were admitted to the union This is a list of U.S. states by date of statehood, that is, the date when each U.S. state joined the Union. ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1790 (MDCCXC) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... For other uses, see Governor (disambiguation). ... Donald L. Don Carcieri (born December 16, 1942) is the governor of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. ... Type Upper House President of the Senate Richard B. Cheney, R since January 20, 2001 President pro tempore Robert C. Byrd, D since January 4, 2007 Members 100 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Senate Chamber United States Capitol Washington, DC United States... John Francis Jack Reed (b. ... Sheldon Whitehouse (born October 20, 1955) is the Junior Senator from the state of Rhode Island. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate President pro tempore Dick Cheney, (R) since January 20, 2001 Robert C. Byrd, (D) since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political... These are tables of congressional delegations from Rhode Island to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. ... Map of U.S. time zones with new CST and EST areas displayed This is a list of United States of America States by time zone. ... The Eastern Standard Time Zone is a geographic region that keeps time by subtracting five hours from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). ... ... Although DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... The following is a list of abbreviations used by the United States Postal Service. ... U.S. states This is a list of traditional abbreviations for U.S. states and territorries, which were in wide use prior to the U.S. postal abbreviations. ... This article is about the unit of measure known as the acre. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of... This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... Regional definitions vary The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... Map of states populations (2006) This is a list of states of the United States by population (with inhabited non-state jurisdictions included for comparison) as of July 1, 2006, according to the 2005 estimates of the United States Census Bureau. ... In 1775, the British claimed authority over the red and pink areas on this map and Spain ruled the orange. ... U.S. Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence is the document in which the Thirteen Colonies declared themselves independent of the Kingdom of Great Britain and explained their justifications for doing so. ... John Trumbulls Declaration of Independence, showing the five-man committee in charge of drafting the Declaration in 1776 as it presents its work to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia The American Revolution refers to the period during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen... Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States, by Howard Chandler Christy. ... 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. ...

Despite its name, most of the state of Rhode Island lies on the North American mainland. Providence Plantations refers to the mainland, while Rhode Island was the 17th and 18th century name for Aquidneck Island (now composed of the city of Newport, and the towns of Middletown and Portsmouth).^[4] North America North America is a continent [1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... This article is about the geomorphological/geopolitical term; MAINLAND is also a cheese brand owned by Fonterra, a New Zealand dairy company. ... Aquidneck Island highlighted in red Aquidneck Island, also called Rhode Island, is the largest island in Narragansett Bay. ... Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a city in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about 30 miles (48 km) south of Providence. ... Middletown is a town located in Newport County, Rhode Island. ... Location of Portsmouth, Rhode Island Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. ...

Rhode Island has long held the nickname of "Little Rhody", though the state has officially adopted the nickname of "the Ocean State," as nearly one tenth of Rhode Island's inland area is covered by salt water, and no part of the state is more than a 30-minute drive from the water's edge.^[5]

Name origin

In 1524, Italian navigator, Giovanni da Verrazzano was the first European to visit any part of what is now Rhode Island. He came to what is now Block Island and named it "Luisa" after Louise of Savoy, Queen Mother of France. Verrazzano described Luisa as "about the size of the Island of Rhodes". When the founders of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations surveyed the land, they thought that Aquidneck Island was the place. A mistake occurred in 1614, when Luisa was charted by the Dutch explorer Adriaen Block, after whom Luisa was renamed by the Dutch West India Company; however, their motives in doing so are unknown.^[6] The official explanation by the State of Rhode Island is that Adriaen Block named the area "Roodt Eylandt" meaning "red island" in reference to the red clay that lined the shore, and that the name was later anglicized when the region came under British rule.^[7] Giovanni da Verrazzano (c. ... Southeast Light, a famous Block Island landmark Block Island, shown in red, off the coast of the State of Rhode Island. ... Louise of Savoy Louise of Savoy (September 11, 1476 – September 22, 1531) was the mother of Francis I of France. ... Queen Mother is a title reserved for a widowed queen consort whose son or daughter from that union is the reigning monarch. ... This article is about the Greek island of Rhodes. ... Providence Plantation was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Baptist minister fleeing from religious persecution in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. ... Aquidneck Island highlighted in red Aquidneck Island, also called Rhode Island, is the largest island in Narragansett Bay. ... Blocks map of his 1614 voyage, with the first appearance of the term New Netherland Adriaen Block (1567–1627) was a Dutch private fur trader and navigator who explored the coastal and river valley areas between present-day New Jersey and Massachusetts during four voyages from 1611 to 1614... Dutch West India Company (Dutch: West-Indische Compagnie or WIC) was a company of Dutch merchants. ...

Geography

Block Island bluffs, Rhode Island

Map of Rhode Island

Further information: List of Rhode Island counties

Rhode Island covers an area of approximately 1,214 square miles (3,144 km²) and is bordered on the north and east by Massachusetts, on the west by Connecticut, and on the south by Rhode Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. It shares a water border with New York between Block Island and Long Island. The mean elevation of the state is 200 feet (60 m). Located within the New England province of the Appalachian Region, Rhode Island 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. Narragansett Bay is a major feature of the state's topography. Block Island lies approximately 12 miles (19 km) off the southern coast of the mainland. Within the Bay, there are over 30 islands. The largest is Aquidneck Island, shared by the municipalities of Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth. The second-largest island is Conanicut; the third-largest is Prudence. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (480x640, 104 KB) Photographer: Whitney from Scottsdale, USA Title: Bluffs- Block Island, RI Taken on: 2004-11-16 02:23:14 Original source: Flickr. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (480x640, 104 KB) Photographer: Whitney from Scottsdale, USA Title: Bluffs- Block Island, RI Taken on: 2004-11-16 02:23:14 Original source: Flickr. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 776 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2122 × 1640 pixel, file size: 1,007 KB, MIME type: image/png) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Rhode Island... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 776 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2122 × 1640 pixel, file size: 1,007 KB, MIME type: image/png) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Rhode Island... List of Rhode Island counties: Rhode Island Bristol County: formed in 1747 from land gained from Bristol County, Massachusetts after resolution of a boundary dispute between the two colonies. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Official language(s) English Capital Hartford Largest city Bridgeport[3] Largest metro area Hartford Metro Area[2] Area  Ranked 48th  - Total 5,543[4] sq mi (14,356 km²)  - Width 70 miles (113 km)  - Length 110 miles (177 km)  - % water 12. ... Categories: US geography stubs | Rhode Island geography | Straits ... This article is about the state. ... Southeast Light, a famous Block Island landmark Block Island, shown in red, off the coast of the State of Rhode Island. ... This article is about the island in New York State. ... Elevation histogram of the surface of the Earth – approximately 71% of the Earths surface is covered with water. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... This article is about the unit of length. ... This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... The Appalachian Mountains are a system of North American mountains running from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada to Alabama in the United States, although the northernmost mainland portion ends at the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec. ... In physical geography, a lowland is any broad expanse of land with a general low level. ... Narragansett Bay, shown in pink. ... Southeast Light, a famous Block Island landmark Block Island, shown in red, off the coast of the State of Rhode Island. ... “Miles” redirects here. ... Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a city in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about 30 miles (48 km) south of Providence. ... Middletown is a town located in Newport County, Rhode Island. ... Location of Portsmouth, Rhode Island Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. ... Conanicut Island Conanicut Island is the second largest island in Narragansett Bay, in the state of Rhode Island. ... Categories: Stub | Rhode Island geography ...

Nicknamed the Ocean State, Rhode Island is home to a number of oceanfront beaches. This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...

Rhode Island is mostly flat with no real mountains. Rhode Island's highest natural point is Jerimoth Hill, only 812 feet (247 m) above sea level.^[2] Jerimoth Hill is the name of the highest natural point in the US state of Rhode Island, at 812 feet above sea level. ...

Climate

Rhode Island is an example of a warm, summer humid continental climate with hot, rainy summers and cold, snowy winters. The highest temperature recorded in Rhode Island was 105 °F (40 °C), recorded on August 2, 1975 in Providence, RI. The lowest temperature in Rhode Island, -13 °F (-25 °C), was recorded on February 6, 1996 in Coventry, RI. Monthly average temperatures range from a high of 82 °F (28 °C) to a low of 20 °F (-7 °C).^[8] The humid continental climate is a climate found over large areas of land masses in the temperate regions of the mid-latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between polar and tropical air masses. ... For other uses, see Fahrenheit (disambiguation). ... Celsius is, or relates to, the Celsius temperature scale (previously known as the centigrade scale). ... Providence redirects here. ... Country United States State Rhode Island County Kent Government  - Town Manager Richard Kerbel Area  - City  62. ...

History

Main article: History of Rhode Island

The history of Rhode Island includes the history of Rhode Island from pre-colonial times (1636) to modern day. ...

Colonial Era

In 1524, Italian navigator Giovanni de Verrazzano traversed the mid-Atlantic coast of North America, searching for an all-water route through North America to China. In March of that year, he left what is now New York harbor and headed east until he discovered what was later called Block Island. Natives guided him into what is now Newport, Rhode Island harbor. He remained for two weeks while his crew surveyed the bay and the surrounding mainland. In early May, 1524, Verrazzano departed to renew his search for a Northwest Passage. Verrazano voyage of 1524 Giovanni da Verrazano (c. ... Southeast Light, a famous Block Island landmark Block Island, shown in red, off the coast of the State of Rhode Island. ... Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a city in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about 30 miles (48 km) south of Providence. ... For other uses, see Northwest Passage (disambiguation). ...

In 1614, the Dutch explorer Adriaen Block visited the island that is now called Block Island. Native American inhabitants included the Narragansett tribe, occupying most of the area, and the closely related Niantic tribe. Most of the Native Americans were decimated by introduced diseases such as smallpox, intertribal warfare, and the disastrous King Philip's War, but remnants of the Niantic merged into the Narragansett tribe, where they remain on a federally recognized reservation. Southeast Light, a famous Block Island landmark Block Island, shown in red, off the coast of the State of Rhode Island. ... Tribal flag The Narragansett tribe, or more accurately Nahahiganseck Sovereign Nation, are a Native American tribe who controlled the area surrounding Narragansett Bay in present-day Rhode Island, and also portions of Connecticut, and eastern Massachusetts. ... The Niantic were a tribe of New England indians, who were living in Connecticut and Rhode Island during the early colonial period. ... Native Americans redirects here. ... In medicine, infectious disease or communicable disease is disease caused by a biological agent (e. ... Smallpox (also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera) is a contagious disease unique to humans. ... Look up warfare in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Attack King Philips War, sometimes called Metacoms War or Metacoms Rebellion,[1] was an armed conflict between Indian inhabitants of present-day southern New England and English colonists and their Indian allies from 1675 – 1676. ...

In 1636, Roger Williams, after being banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his religious views, settled at the tip of Narragansett Bay. He called the site Providence and declared it a place of religious freedom. For other persons named Roger Williams, see Roger Williams (disambiguation). ... 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...

The following year, Anne Hutchinson was banished from Massachusetts for criticizing the clergy there. She and some others, including William Coddington and John Clark, founded the town of Portsmouth on Aquidneck Island. In 1639, Coddington left Portsmouth and founded Newport on Aquidneck Island. Anne Hutchinson on Trial by Edwin Austin Abbey Anne Hutchinson (July 1591 – August 1643) was the unauthorized Puritan minister of a dissident church discussion group and a pioneer settler in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Netherlands. ... William Coddington (1601 – November 1, 1678) was the first governor of Rhode Island. ... For the physicist (winner of 2004 Hughes Medal) see John Clarke (physicist) John Clarke (1609–1676) was a medical doctor, Baptist minister, co-founder of the colony of Rhode Island, and a leading advocate of religious freedom in the Americas. ... Location of Portsmouth, Rhode Island Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. ... Aquidneck Island highlighted in red Aquidneck Island, also called Rhode Island, is the largest island in Narragansett Bay. ...

In that same year a formal government was established for the island. William Coddington was the first governor and Philip Sherman was the first Secretary. In 1643, Samuel Gorton founded Shawomet, which is now called Warwick. In 1644, the name of Aquidneck Island was changed to Rhode Island. Philip Sherman (1610-1687) was a prominent leader in early Rhode Island and one of its founders. ... Samuel Gorton (c. ... Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. ...

John Clarke was granted a Charter in 1663 for Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, which effectively united the two colonies into one. Under the terms of the charter, only landowners could vote. Before the Industrial Revolution, when most people were employed as farmers, this was considered democratic. The original charter was used as the state constitution until 1842. A Watt steam engine, the steam engine that propelled the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the world. ...

The relationship between the New Englanders and the Native Americans was strained, and caused some bloodshed. On December 19, 1675 colonist militia from Connecticut, Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, and Rhode Island massacred about 350 Narragansetts in the Battle of the Great Swamp.^[9] The largest tribes that lived near Rhode Island were the Wampanoag, Pequots, Narragansett, and Nipmuck. One native named Squanto, from the Wampanoag tribe, stayed with the Pilgrims and taught them many valuable skills needed to survive in the area. He also helped greatly with the eventual peace between the colonists and the natives. This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... The Wampanoag (Wôpanâak in the Wampanoag language) are a Native American people. ... The Mashantucket Pequots are a small Native American tribe in Connecticut which operates the successful Foxwoods Resort Casino. ... Tribal flag The Narragansett tribe, or more accurately Nahahiganseck Sovereign Nation, are a Native American tribe who controlled the area surrounding Narragansett Bay in present-day Rhode Island, and also portions of Connecticut, and eastern Massachusetts. ... Nipmuck emblem The Nipmuck are an aboriginal North American people, belonging to the family of Algonquian peoples, currently living in and around the Chaubunagungamaug Reservation of Webster, Massachusetts. ... This article is about the actual historical figure. ...

Roger Williams had kept the powerful Narragansetts on friendly terms with local white settlers. Having kept the Native Americans on friendly terms with settlers, the Narragansetts were even persuaded to form an alliance with the English in 1637, carrying out an attack that nearly extinguished the warlike Pequots. This peace did not last long, however, and by 1670 even the friendly tribes who had greeted Williams and the Pilgrims became estranged from the colonists and conflicts erupted. For the ethnic group, see White people. ... This article is about the English as an ethnic group and nation. ...

The most important and traumatic event in 17th century Rhode Island was King Philip's War, which occurred during 1675–1676. King Philip (his British nickname. His real name was Metacomet) was the chief of the Wampanoag Indians. The settlers of Portsmouth had purchased their land from his father, Massasoit. King Philip rebelled against the English. The first attacks were around Narrangansett Bay, but spread throughout New England. (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Attack King Philips War, sometimes called Metacoms War or Metacoms Rebellion,[1] was an armed conflict between Indian inhabitants of present-day southern New England and English colonists and their Indian allies from 1675 – 1676. ... Metacomet (died August 12, 1676), also known as King Philip or Metacom, was a war chief or sachem of the Wampanoag Indians and their leader in King Philips War. ... This 1902 photo shows Profile Rock in Assonet, Massachusetts. ...

Revolution and industrialization: 1770–1860

Rhode Island's tradition of independence and dissent gave it a prominent role in the American Revolution. In 1772, the first bloodshed of the American Revolution took place in Rhode Island when a band of Providence residents attacked a grounded British ship for enforcing unpopular British trade regulations in the incident which would be come to known as the Gaspee Affair. Keeping with its culture of defiance, Rhode Island was the first of the original thirteen colonies to declare its independence from England (May 4, 1776,^[1]) and the last to ratify the Constitution (which replaced the Articles of Confederation) (May 29, 1790)—doing the latter only after being threatened with having its exports taxed as a foreign nation. John Trumbulls Declaration of Independence, showing the five-man committee in charge of drafting the Declaration in 1776 as it presents its work to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia The American Revolution refers to the period during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen... The Gaspée Affair was an important incident in the course of the American Revolution. ... is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1776 (disambiguation). ... is the 149th day of the year (150th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1790 (MDCCXC) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ...

As the Industrial Revolution moved large numbers of workers into the cities, a permanently landless, and therefore voteless, class developed. By 1829, 60% of the state's free white males were ineligible to vote.

Several attempts had been made to address this problem, but none passed. In 1842, Thomas Dorr drafted a liberal constitution which was passed by popular referendum. However, the conservative sitting governor, Samuel Ward King, opposed the people's wishes, leading to the Dorr Rebellion. Although this collapsed, a modified version of the constitution was passed in November, which allowed any white male to vote that he owned land or could pay a US $1 poll tax. Thomas Wilson Dorr was born in 1805 and died in 1854. ... Samuel Ward King (May 22, 1786 - January 20, 1851) of Johnston, Providence County, Rhode Island, was the Governor of Rhode Island, 1839-43, who took a strong stand against the expanded voting franchise that led to the Dorr Rebellion in 1841 - 1842. ... The Dorr Rebellion was a short-lived armed insurrection in Rhode Island in 1841 and 1842, led by Thomas Wilson Dorr who was agitating for changes to the states electoral system. ... A poll tax, head tax, or capitation is a tax of a uniform, fixed amount per individual (as opposed to a percentage of income). ...

In addition to industrialization, Rhode Island was heavily involved in the slave trade during the post-revolution era. Slavery was extant in the state as early as 1652, and by 1774, the slave population of Rhode Island was 6.3%, nearly twice as high as any other New England Colony. In the late 18th century, several Rhode Island merchant families began actively engaging in the triangle slave trade. Notable among these was the Brown family, for whom Brown University is named, although some important Browns became prominent abolitionists. In the years after the Revolution, Rhode Island merchants controlled between 60% and 90% of the American trade in African slaves.^[10][11] This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Slave redirects here. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ...

Civil War to Progressive Era: 1860–1929

During the 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 which 1,685 died. On the home front, Rhode Island, along with the other northern states, used its industrial capacity to supply the Union Army with the materials it needed to win the war. In addition, Newport was the temporary home of the United States Naval Academy during the war. Rhode Island's continued growth and modernization led to the creation of an urban mass transit system, and improved health and sanitation programs. After the war, in 1866, Rhode Island abolished racial segregation throughout the state.^[12] Post-war immigration increased the population. From the 1860s to the 1880s, most of the immigrants were from England, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, and Quebec, Canada. Towards the end of the century, however, most immigrants were from South and Eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean.^[13] At the turn of the century, Rhode Island had a booming economy, which fed the demand for immigration. In the years leading up to World War I, Rhode Island's constitution remained reactionary, in contrast to the more progressive reforms that were occurring in the rest of the country. The state never ratified the 18th Amendment establishing national Prohibition of alcohol.^[14] During World War I, Rhode Island furnished 28,817 troops, of whom 612 died. After the war, the state was hit hard by the Spanish Influenza.^[15] In the 1920s and 30s, rural Rhode Island saw a surge in Ku Klux Klan membership largely among the Swamp Yankee population in reaction to the large waves of immigrants moving to the state. The Klan is believed to be responsible for burning the Watchman Institute in Scituate, Rhode Island, which was a school for African American children.^[16] Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... For other uses, see War (disambiguation). ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... The Spanish Flu Pandemic, also known as the Great Influenza Pandemic, the 1918 Flu Epidemic, and La Grippe, was an unusually severe and deadly strain of influenza, a viral infectious disease, that killed some 25 million to 40 million people (possibly significantly more) world-wide in 1918 and 1919. ... Members of the second Ku Klux Klan at a rally during the 1920s. ... Swamp Yankee is a colloquialism that has a variety of meanings. ... The Lapham Institute was a well-known Freewill Baptist academy in North Scituate, Rhode Island in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. ... Lapham Institute in Scituate at the turn of the 20th Century Scituate is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ...

Great Depression to present: 1929-

In the 20th century, the state continued to grow, though the decline in industry devastated many urban areas. These areas were impacted further, as with the rest of the country's urban areas, by construction of Interstate highways through city cores and the suburbanization caused by it and by the GI Bill. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... A typical rural stretch of Interstate highway, with two lanes in each direction separated by a large grassy median, and with cross-traffic limited to overpasses and underpasses. ... The G. I. Bill of Rights or Servicemens Readjustment Act of 1944 provided for college or vocational education for returning World War II veterans as well as one-year of unemployment compensation. ...

Providence in the mid-20th century

Since the Great Depression, the Rhode Island Democratic Party has dominated local politics. For years, the Speaker of the House, always a Democrat, has been one of the most powerful figures in government^{[citation needed]}. The Democratic Party's core of support is in the urban areas of the state and immediate suburbs. While known for old school politics and corruption, Rhode Island also has comprehensive health insurance for low-income children, the RITE CARE program, as well as a large social safety net. Despite this, many urban areas still have a high rate of children in poverty. Due to an influx of residents from Boston, increasing housing costs have resulted in more homeless in Rhode Island (from about 3,000 individuals in 1999 to over 6,000 today), as well as a doubling of the cost of an average home.^[17] Image File history File links Providence_old. ... Image File history File links Providence_old. ...

The Republican Party, virtually non-existent in the state legislature, has successfully put forward occasional state-wide "good government" reform candidates who criticize the state's high taxes and the excesses of the Democratic Party. Current Governor Donald Carcieri of East Greenwich, and former Mayor Vincent A. "Buddy" Cianci of Providence (who later became an independent, political boss, and was convicted on RICO charges) ran as Republican reform candidates. Look up reform in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Donald L. Don Carcieri (born December 16, 1942) is the governor of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. ... Vincent Buddy Cianci, Jr. ...

Prominent State Democrats include House Speaker William Murphy, Senate President Joseph Montalbano, Providence Mayor David Cicilline, Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis, General Treasurer Frank Caprio, Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Paiva-Weed, and Lt. Gov. Elizabeth Roberts. In recent years, the former Speaker of the House John Harwood, State Senator John Celona, and State Senate President William Irons were forced to resign in scandals.

In recent history, in 2003 a nightclub fire in West Warwick, Rhode Island that claimed one hundred lives caught national attention and resulted in criminal sentences.^[18] The Station Nightclub Fire on the evening of Thursday, February 20, 2003, was the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in U.S. history, killing 100 people and injuring more than 200. ... Location of West Warwick, Rhode Island. ...

Law and government

The capital of Rhode Island is Providence. The state's current governor is Donald L. Carcieri (R) and its United States Senators are Jack Reed (D) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D). Rhode Island's two United States Congressmen are Patrick J. Kennedy (D-1) and Jim Langevin (D-2). Not to be confused with capitol. ... Providence redirects here. ... Donald L. Don Carcieri (born December 16, 1942) is the governor of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. ... John Francis Jack Reed (b. ... Sheldon Whitehouse (born October 20, 1955) is the Junior Senator from the state of Rhode Island. ... For other persons named Patrick Kennedy, see Patrick Kennedy (disambiguation). ... James R. Jim Langevin (born April 22, 1964) in Providence, Rhode Island is a politician from Rhode Island. ...

Further information: List of Rhode Island Governors

Rhode Island is one of a few states that does not have an official Governor's residence. List of Rhode Island Governors Nicholas Cooke None 1775-1778 William Greene None 1778-1786 John Collins None 1786-1790 Arthur Fenner Anti-Federalist 1790-1805 Henry Smith Unknown 1805-1806 Isaac Wilbur Unknown 1806-1807 James Fenner Dem. ...

The state legislature is the Rhode Island General Assembly, consisting of the 75-member state House of Representatives and the 38-member Senate. Both houses of the bicameral body are currently dominated by the Democratic Party. Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      In the United States of America, a state legislature is a generic term referring to the... The Rhode Island General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. ... The Rhode Island House of Representatives is the lower body of the Rhode Island General Assembly, and consists of 75 members. ... The Rhode Island Senate chamber in the State Capitol The Rhode Island Senate is the upper house of the Rhode Island General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Rhode Island. ... In government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. ... The Democratic Party is one of two major political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. ...

Federally, Rhode Island is one of the most reliably Democratic states during presidential elections, regularly giving the Democratic nominees one of their best showings. In 1980, Rhode Island was one of only 6 states to vote against Ronald Reagan. In the 1984 Reagan landslide, Rhode Island provided Walter Mondale with his 3rd best performance. Rhode Island was the Democrats' best state in 1988 and 2000 and 2nd best in 1996 and 2004. The state was devoted to Republicans until 1908, but has only strayed from the Democrats 7 times in the 24 elections that followed. In 2004, Rhode Island gave John Kerry a greater than 20 percentage point margin of victory (the third highest of any state) with 59.4% of its vote. All but three of Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns voted for the Democratic candidate. The only exceptions were East and West Greenwich, and Scituate.^[19] Rhode Island has abolished capital punishment, making it one of the 12 states that have done so. Rhode Island abolished the death penalty very early, just after Michigan (first state to abolish it), and carried out its last execution in the 1840s. The Democratic Party is one of two major political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. ... Reagan redirects here. ... Walter Frederick Fritz Mondale (born January 5, 1928) is an American politician and member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (largely established by former Vice President Hubert Humphrey). ... The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts, in his fourth term of office. ... East Greenwich is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. ... West Greenwich was also an alternative name for part of Deptford in England and still refers to the western side of the adjacent town of Greenwich West Greenwich is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. ... Lapham Institute in Scituate at the turn of the 20th Century Scituate is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. ... Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is the execution of a convicted criminal by the state as punishment for crimes known as capital crimes or capital offences. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ...

Rhode Island has some of the highest taxes in the country, particularly in its property taxes, ranking seventh in local and state taxes and sixth in real estate taxes in the country, the end result of a decade's trend of increasing taxes relative to other states.^[20]

Economy

Textron's headquarters, in the company of One Financial Plaza and the Rhode Island Hospital Trust building

The Blackstone River Valley is known as the "Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution".^[21] It was in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, that Samuel Slater set up Slater Mill in 1793,^[22] using the waterpower of the Blackstone River to power his cotton mill. For a while, Rhode Island was one of the leaders in textiles. However, with the Great Depression, most textile factories relocated to the American South. The textile industry still constitutes a part of the Rhode Island economy, but does not have the same power that it once had. An interesting by-product of the textile industry is the amount of abandoned factories - many of them now being used for low-income or elderly housing or converted into offices or trendy condos. In Pawtucket and Providence, these abandoned mills are used as housing for artists. Today, much of the economy of state is based in services, particularly healthcare and education, and still to some extent, manufacturing.^[23][24] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 716 KB) Summary Textrons world headquarters at the Textron Tower, next to One Financial Plaza primarily used by Sovereign Bank and the Rhode Island Hospital Trust building in use by Rhode Island School of Design for dorms. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2048x1536, 716 KB) Summary Textrons world headquarters at the Textron Tower, next to One Financial Plaza primarily used by Sovereign Bank and the Rhode Island Hospital Trust building in use by Rhode Island School of Design for dorms. ... The Textron World Headquarters building (formerly known as the Old Stone Tower) is an International-style skyscraper in downtown Providence, RI. At 311 feet (95m), it stands as the 4th tallest building in the city and the state. ... One Financial Plaza, also known as the Sovereign Bank Tower and formerly known as the Hospital Trust Tower, is an International Style skyscraper in the heart of downtown Providence, Rhode Island. ... A Watt steam engine, the steam engine that propelled the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the world. ... Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. ... Samuel Slater (1768 – 1835) popularly called The Father of the American Industrial Revolution Samuel Slater (June 9, 1768 – April 21, 1835) was an early American industrialist popularly known as the Founder of the American Industrial Revolution. // Mr. ... Slater Mill, located on the Blackstone River in Pawtucket, RI, is generally cited as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in America. ... The Blackstone River begins in central Massachusetts and travels through Rhode Island until emptying into Narragansett Bay which connects to the Atlantic Ocean. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the type of fabric. ... For other uses, see The Great Depression (disambiguation). ...

The Fortune 500 companies CVS and Textron are based in Woonsocket and Providence, respectively. FM Global, Hasbro, American Power Conversion, Nortek, and Amica Mutual Insurance are all Fortune 1000 companies based in Rhode Island. The GTECH Corporation is headquartered in Providence. CVS/pharmacy is a pharmacy and convenience store chain in the United States. ... Founded in 1923 as the Special Yarns Company by Royal Little, Textron NYSE: TXT, today is a multi-industry company with a portfolio of familiar brands such as Bell Helicopter, E-Z-GO, Cessna Aircraft, and Greenlee, among others. ... Woonsocket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. ... Providence redirects here. ... The FM Global logotype FM Global is a U.S. based company that specializes in property protection and provides insurance and risk management services to some of the worlds largest corporations. ... Hasbro (NYSE: HAS) is an American toy and game company. ... American Power Conversion Corp. ... Amica Mutual Insurance is a mutual insurance company founded in 1907 and located in Lincoln, Rhode Island offering automobile, home, and life insurance. ... GTech is a company based in West Greenwich, Rhode Island, in the United States. ...

Rhode Island's 2000 total gross state product was $33 billion, placing it 45^th in the nation. Its 2000 per capita Personal Income was $29,685, 16^th in the nation. Rhode Island has the lowest level of energy consumption per capita of any state.^[25]

Health services are Rhode Islands largest industry.^{[citation needed]} Second is tourism, supporting 39,000 jobs, with tourism related sales at $3.26 billion in the year 2000. The third largest industry is manufacturing. Its industrial outputs are fashion jewelry, fabricated metal products, electric equipment, machinery, shipbuilding and boatbuilding. Rhode Island's agricultural outputs are nursery stock, vegetables, dairy products, and eggs.

The state's taxes are appreciably higher than neighboring states.^[20] Governor Carcieri has claimed that this higher tax rate has had an inhibitory effect on business growth in the state and is calling for reductions to increase the competitiveness of the state's business environment. Rhode Island's income tax is based on 25% of the payer's federal income tax payment.^[26]

Demographics

The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Providence County, in the city of Cranston.^[27] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2005, Rhode Island had an estimated population of 1,076,189, which is a decrease of 3,727, or 0.3%, from the prior year and an increase of 27,870, or 2.7%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 15,220 people (that is 66,973 births minus 51,753 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 14,001 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 18,965 people, and migration within the country produced a net decrease of 4,964 people. The United States Census of 1790 was the first Census conducted in the United States. ... The United States Census of 1800 was the second Census conducted in the United States. ... The United States Census of 1810 was the third Census conducted in the United States. ... The United States Census of 1820 was the fourth Census conducted in the United States. ... The United States Census of 1830 was the fifth Census conducted in the United States. ... The Sixth Census of the United States, conducted by the Bureau of the Census, determined the resident population of the United States to be 17,069,453 — an increase of 32. ... The Seventh Census of the United States, conducted by the Bureau of the Census, determined the resident population of the United States to be 23,191,876 — an increase of 35. ... The United States Census of 1860 was the eighth Census conducted in the United States. ... The Ninth United States Census was taken in 1870. ... 1880 US Census The United States Census of 1880 was the tenth United States Census. ... The Eleventh United States Census was taken June 1, 1890. ... 1900 US Census The Twelfth United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 76,212,168, an increase of 21. ... The Thirteenth United States Census was taken in 1910. ... The Fourteenth United States Census was taken in 1920. ... The Fifteenth United States Census was taken in 1930. ... The Sixteenth United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 132,164,569, an increase of 7. ... The Seventeenth United States Census was taken in 1950. ... The Eighteenth United States Census was taken in 1960. ... The Nineteenth United States Census was taken in 1970. ... The Twentieth United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 226,545,805, an increase of 11. ... The Twenty-first United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 248,709,873, an increase of 9. ... 2000 US Census logo The Twenty-Second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13. ... It has been suggested that Ethnicity (United States Census) be merged into this article or section. ... Center of population is a subject of study in the field of demographics. ... Providence County is a county located in the state of Rhode Island. ... Country State County Providence Government  - Mayor Michael Napolitano Area  - City 29. ...

Rhode Island Population Density Map

The six largest ancestry groups in Rhode Island are: Italian (19%), Irish (19%), French-Canadian (17.3%),^[28] English (12%), Hispanic 11%, [4] Portuguese (8.7%). Image File history File links Rhode_