Rhode Island History

Colonial Period

The Arrival of Roger Williams in Rhode Island

The Rhode Island Colony was founded in 1636. That year Roger Williams was expelled from the Massachusetts Colony. In Massachusetts the strict Christian Puritans were in power. Williams did not agree with their form of religion and was therefore banned. Williams founded the colony of Rhode Island, where there was freedom of religion. So many people from Massachusetts who didn’t like the Puritans left for Rhode Island. They were called dissenters. Examples are Anne Hutchinson and John Clarke. Rhode Island consisted of three different colonies; Newport, Portsmouth and Providence. In 1644, these colonies were united in Rhode Island. Between 1675 and 1676 a war was waged with the Native Americans. In 1688, Rhode Island gained more self-government. Rhode Island was the first British colony to outlaw slavery. In 1764, Brown University was founded, one of the first universities in the state. Rhode Island became the first British colony to renounce its allegiance to the British Empire. During the American Revolutionary War, the British captured the port city of Newport in 1776. In 1778, the United States Army attempted to drive out the British at the Battle of Rhode Island, but it failed. After this, the French tried to blockade the harbor. The British finally left Newport in 1779. During this time, the first machines and factories were also made in Rhode Island. The Industrial Revolution also began in Rhode Island. After the war, Rhode Island was the last state to sign the U.S. Constitution, thus becoming the last of the 13 original colonies to accede.

  • MCAT-TEST-CENTERS: Provides a list of all two year colleges in Rhode Island, covering both community and technical colleges located in Rhode Island.

19th century

One of the state mansions

Tuberculosis broke out in Rhode Island in the early 1800s. This led to much panic, as residents believed there were vampires. During the American Civil War, Rhode Island was the first state to send troops after President Abraham Lincoln ‘s appeal. Of the 25,000 men, 1,600 died. The naval academy was temporarily relocated to Rhode Island due to the war. Rhode Island abolished racial segregation in 1866off at schools. After the Civil War, Rhode Island went through a very favorable period. The industry provided a lot of money and many wealthy Americans had large mansions built in the state. Rhode Island became one of the wealthiest regions in the country. In addition, many immigrants from Italy, France and Portugal moved to the state.

Providence

20th century

After World War I, the state was hit hard by the Spanish flu. Due to the large waves of migrants, the number of members of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in the state increased sharply. They also set fire to an African-American school. During the Great Depression, much industry disappeared from the state. The state experienced high levels of poverty and housing costs rose as many people moved from Boston to Rhode Island. During this period, the Democratic Party became the largest, while the state was previously Republican. In 2010, the state experienced flooding due to large amounts of rain. In 2020, the population of the state voted to change the name of the state. This was formerly Rhode Island and Providence Plantations and was changed to Rhode Island. Basically, the state was already called Rhode Island by everyone; only official documents bore the full name. The name has been changed because of the link with slavery.

  • toppharmacyschools.org: Lists graduate schools of psychology in Rhode Island, including a full list of counties, boroughs or parishes of Rhode Island.

Art and culture

Symbols

The flag of Rhode Island

Rhode Island has its own flag and seal. The flag of Rhode Island consists of a white background with an anchor with thirteen stars. The anchor represents fishing, which was originally very important to the state. The thirteen stars represent the first 13 states; Rhode Island was also included as the 13th state. Below the anchor is the word “Hope” (hope), which refers to a proverb from the Bible. The anchor and spell are also reflected in the state seal. In addition, the state has a number of other official symbols. The Rhode Island chicken is the national bird, the forest pansy the national flower, the striped bass the national fish, and the red maple is the national tree. Bavenite is the national mineral of Rhode Island. In addition, the ship USS Rhode Island, which fought during the American Revolution, has important cultural status.

Sights

Marble House

Rhode Island boasts some of the oldest buildings in the United States. Built in 1901, the Rhode Island State Capitol has one of the largest domes in the world. The Parliament of Rhode Island is located in the building. Founded in 1638 by Roger Williams, the First Baptist Church in America is the oldest Baptist church building in the United States. In addition, the state boasts several large mansions, such as The Breakers, Marble House, and Belcourt Castle. The Newport Tower is a ruin, believed to have been built by the Vikings. However, most exports say it is a colonial era windmill. The International Tennis Hall of Fame in the Newport Casino is another popular tourist attraction. The Roger Williams Park Zoo is the state zoo. In addition, the beaches are popular destinations, as is Block Island. John F. Kennedy married his wife in Rhode Island. Since then, many tourists come to the state.

Kitchen

The clam casino

Like other New England states, Rhode Island is known for its soups called clam chowder. These are thick soups made from fish or shellfish. There are specialty clam chowder restaurants in Rhode Island. There are also different variations. The clam cake is another dish. These are a kind of oliebollen with mussel in the middle. Mussels themselves are much loved in the state, as are squid rings (calimari). The coffee milk is a popular drink in the state. This consists of coffee extract with milk and looks a bit like chocolate milk. The johnny cake is a kind of flat bread, which is baked in a pan. In addition, there are many Portuguese and Italian restaurants and shops in the state, due to the many immigration from those countries.

Media

Rhode Island itself has several radio and television stations and newspapers. The largest newspaper is The Providence Journal, which is known for its cartoons of Don Bousquet, an icon for the residents of the state. Several movies have been shot in Rhode Island, including Underdog, Armistad, and High Society. Seth MacFarlane ‘s Family Guy television series also takes place in Rhode Island and contains several references to Rhode Island culture. The Farrelly Brothers films also joke about Rhode Island culture.

Rhode Island History