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Coordinates: 41°42′N 71°30′W / 41.7°N 71.5°W / 41.7; -71.5 (State of Rhode Island)
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'''Rhode Island''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=en-us-Rhode Island.ogg|ˌ|r|oʊ|d|_|-}}, like ''road''){{refn|{{Citation |last=Jones |first=Daniel |author-link=Daniel Jones (phonetician) |title=English Pronouncing Dictionary |editor1=Peter Roach |editor2=James Hartmann |editor3=Jane Setter |place=Cambridge |publisher=Cambridge University Press |orig-year=1917 |year=2003 |isbn=978-3-12-539683-8 }}}}{{refn|{{MerriamWebsterDictionary|Rhode Island}}}}, officially the '''State of Rhode Island''', is a state in the [[New England]] region of the [[United States]]. It is the [[List of U.S. states by area|smallest U.S. state by area]] and the [[List of states and territories of the United States by population|seventh-least populous]] (1,098,163<ref>{{Cite web|date=April 26, 2021|title=2020 Census|url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/2020/data/apportionment/apportionment-2020-table01.pdf|url-status=live|website=Census.gov}}</ref> according to the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]), but it is also the [[List of U.S. states by population density|second-most densely populated]] behind [[New Jersey]]. The state takes its name from [[Aquidneck Island|Rhode Island]]; however, most of the state is located on the mainland. The state has land borders with [[Connecticut]] to the west, [[Massachusetts]] to the north and east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south via [[Rhode Island Sound]] and [[Block Island Sound]]. It also shares a small maritime border with [[New York (state)|New York]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.sos.ri.gov/repositories/2/classification_terms/55|title=RG 042.03|publisher=Office of the Secretary of State: Nellie M. Gorbea}}</ref> [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]] is the state capital and most populous city in Rhode Island.
'''Rhode Island''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=en-us-Rhode Island.ogg|ˌ|r|oʊ|d|_|-}}, like ''road''){{refn|{{Citation |last=Jones |first=Daniel |author-link=Daniel Jones (phonetician) |title=English Pronouncing Dictionary |editor1=Peter Roach |editor2=James Hartmann |editor3=Jane Setter |place=Cambridge |publisher=Cambridge University Press |orig-year=1917 |year=2003 |isbn=978-3-12-539683-8 }}}}{{refn|{{MerriamWebsterDictionary|Rhode Island}}}}, officially the '''State of Rhode Island''', is a state in the [[New England]] region of the [[United States]]. It is the [[List of U.S. states by area|smallest U.S. state by area]] and the [[List of states and territories of the United States by population|seventh-least populous]] (1,098,163<ref>{{Cite web|date=April 26, 2021|title=2020 Census|url=https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/2020/data/apportionment/apportionment-2020-table01.pdf|url-status=live|website=Census.gov}}</ref> according to the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]), but it is also the [[List of U.S. states by population density|second-most densely populated]] behind [[New Jersey]]. The state takes its name from [[Aquidneck Island|Rhode Island]]; however, most of the state is on the mainland. The state has land borders with [[Connecticut]] to the west, [[Massachusetts]] to the north and east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south via [[Rhode Island Sound]] and [[Block Island Sound]]. It also shares a small maritime border with [[New York (state)|New York]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://catalog.sos.ri.gov/repositories/2/classification_terms/55|title=RG 042.03|publisher=Office of the Secretary of State: Nellie M. Gorbea}}</ref> [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]] is the state capital and most populous city in Rhode Island.


On May 4, 1776, the [[Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]] was the first of the [[Thirteen Colonies]] to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://sos.ri.gov/library/history/renunciation/ | title=The May 4, 1776, Act of Renunciation | publisher=State of Rhode Island | access-date=May 3, 2014}}</ref> and it was the fourth state to ratify the [[Articles of Confederation]], doing so on February 9, 1778.<ref>{{cite book| last = Jensen| first = Merrill| title = The Articles of Confederation: An Interpretation of the Social-Constitutional History of the American Revolution, 1774–1781| year = 1959| publisher = University of Wisconsin Press| isbn = 978-0-299-00204-6| pages = xi, 184 }}</ref> The state boycotted the [[Constitutional Convention (United States)|1787 convention]], which drew up the [[United States Constitution]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Letter from Certain Citizens of Rhode Island to the Federal Convention|url=http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/letter-from-certain-citizens-of-rhode-island-to-the-federal-convention/|publisher=TeachingAmericanHistory.org|access-date=October 21, 2015|location=Ashland, Ohio}}</ref> and initially refused to ratify it;<ref>{{cite book |last =Flexner |first =James Thomas |title =Washington, ''The Indispensable Man'' |publisher =Signet |year =1984 |location =New York |page =[https://archive.org/details/washingtonindisp00flex/page/208 208] |url =https://archive.org/details/washingtonindisp00flex/page/208 |isbn =978-0-451-12890-4 |url-access =registration }}</ref> it was the last of the original 13 states to do so, on May 29, 1790.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Vile|first1=John R.|title=The Constitutional Convention of 1787: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of America's Founding (Volume 1: A-M)|date=2005|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-85109-669-5|page=658|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oyFpDS8p33sC&q=Rhode+Island|access-date=October 21, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usconstitution.net/rat_ri.html |title=US constitution Ratification: RI|publisher=Usconstitution.net|date=January 8, 2010|access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref>
On May 4, 1776, the [[Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations]] was the first of the [[Thirteen Colonies]] to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://sos.ri.gov/library/history/renunciation/ | title=The May 4, 1776, Act of Renunciation | publisher=State of Rhode Island | access-date=May 3, 2014}}</ref> and it was the fourth state to ratify the [[Articles of Confederation]], doing so on February 9, 1778.<ref>{{cite book| last = Jensen| first = Merrill| title = The Articles of Confederation: An Interpretation of the Social-Constitutional History of the American Revolution, 1774–1781| year = 1959| publisher = University of Wisconsin Press| isbn = 978-0-299-00204-6| pages = xi, 184 }}</ref> The state boycotted the [[Constitutional Convention (United States)|1787 convention]], which drew up the [[United States Constitution]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Letter from Certain Citizens of Rhode Island to the Federal Convention|url=http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/letter-from-certain-citizens-of-rhode-island-to-the-federal-convention/|publisher=TeachingAmericanHistory.org|access-date=October 21, 2015|location=Ashland, Ohio}}</ref> and initially refused to ratify it;<ref>{{cite book |last =Flexner |first =James Thomas |title =Washington, ''The Indispensable Man'' |publisher =Signet |year =1984 |location =New York |page =[https://archive.org/details/washingtonindisp00flex/page/208 208] |url =https://archive.org/details/washingtonindisp00flex/page/208 |isbn =978-0-451-12890-4 |url-access =registration }}</ref> it was the last of the original 13 states to do so, on May 29, 1790.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Vile|first1=John R.|title=The Constitutional Convention of 1787: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of America's Founding (Volume 1: A-M)|date=2005|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=978-1-85109-669-5|page=658|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oyFpDS8p33sC&q=Rhode+Island|access-date=October 21, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usconstitution.net/rat_ri.html |title=US constitution Ratification: RI|publisher=Usconstitution.net|date=January 8, 2010|access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref>
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==Name==
==Name==
===Origins of the name===
===Origins of the name===
Despite its name, most of Rhode Island is located on the mainland of the United States. Prior to 2020, the state's official name was ''State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations'', which is derived from the merger of four Colonial settlements. The settlements of [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]] and [[Portsmouth, Rhode Island|Portsmouth]] were situated on what is commonly called [[Aquidneck Island]] today but was called ''Rhode Island'' in Colonial times.<ref>This island is the largest of several islands in [[Narragansett Bay]].</ref><ref name=portsmouth>{{cite web|url=http://www.celebrateboston.com/history/rhode-island.htm |title=Colony Of Rhode Island A Brief History |publisher=celebrateboston.com |access-date=July 16, 2015}}</ref> ''[[Providence Plantations|Providence Plantation]]'' was the name of the colony founded by [[Roger Williams]] in the state's capital of [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]].<ref name=water>{{cite web |url=http://www.dlt.ri.gov/lmi/map.htm |title=Rhode Island Geography Maps |publisher=Dlt.ri.gov |access-date=January 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117053440/http://www.dlt.ri.gov/lmi/map.htm |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This was adjoined by the settlement of [[Warwick, Rhode Island|Warwick]]; hence the plural Providence Plantations.
Despite its name, most of Rhode Island is on the mainland of the United States. Prior to 2020, the state's official name was ''State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations'', which is derived from the merger of four Colonial settlements. The settlements of [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]] and [[Portsmouth, Rhode Island|Portsmouth]] were situated on what is commonly called [[Aquidneck Island]] today but was called ''Rhode Island'' in Colonial times.<ref>This island is the largest of several islands in [[Narragansett Bay]].</ref><ref name=portsmouth>{{cite web|url=http://www.celebrateboston.com/history/rhode-island.htm |title=Colony Of Rhode Island A Brief History |publisher=celebrateboston.com |access-date=July 16, 2015}}</ref> ''[[Providence Plantations|Providence Plantation]]'' was the name of the colony founded by [[Roger Williams]] in the state's capital of [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]].<ref name=water>{{cite web |url=http://www.dlt.ri.gov/lmi/map.htm |title=Rhode Island Geography Maps |publisher=Dlt.ri.gov |access-date=January 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117053440/http://www.dlt.ri.gov/lmi/map.htm |archive-date=January 17, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> This was adjoined by the settlement of [[Warwick, Rhode Island|Warwick]]; hence the plural Providence Plantations.


It is unclear how the island came to be named ''Rhode Island'', but two historical events may have been of influence:
It is unclear how the island came to be named ''Rhode Island'', but two historical events may have been of influence:


* Explorer [[Giovanni da Verrazzano]] noted the presence of an island near the mouth of [[Narragansett Bay]] in 1524 which he likened to the island of [[Rhodes]] off the coast of Greece.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Verrazano|first1=Giovanni|title=Verrazano's voyage along the Atlantic coast of North America, 1524|publisher=State University of New York at Albany|page=10|url=https://archive.org/stream/verrazanosvoyage00verr#page/10/mode/2up/search/Rhodes|access-date=August 14, 2015}}</ref> Subsequent European explorers were unable to precisely identify the island that Verrazzano described, but the colonists who settled the area assumed that it was this island.<ref>Giovanni da Verrazzano named a place on Rhode Island ''Puntum Iovianum'' in honor of his friend Paolo Giovio (Jovium in Latin) (1483–1542), humanist and historian. Giovio owned the [[Cèllere Codex]] of Verrazzano containing the text of his first trip.</ref>
* Explorer [[Giovanni da Verrazzano]] noted the presence of an island near the mouth of [[Narragansett Bay]] in 1524 which he likened to the island of [[Rhodes]] off the coast of Greece.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Verrazano|first1=Giovanni|title=Verrazano's voyage along the Atlantic coast of North America, 1524|publisher=State University of New York at Albany|page=10|url=https://archive.org/stream/verrazanosvoyage00verr#page/10/mode/2up/search/Rhodes|access-date=August 14, 2015}}</ref> Subsequent European explorers were unable to precisely identify the island Verrazzano described, but the colonists who settled the area assumed it was this island.<ref>Giovanni da Verrazzano named a place on Rhode Island ''Puntum Iovianum'' in honor of his friend Paolo Giovio (Jovium in Latin) (1483–1542), humanist and historian. Giovio owned the [[Cèllere Codex]] of Verrazzano containing the text of his first trip.</ref>
* [[Adriaen Block]] passed by the island during his expeditions in the 1610s, and he described it in a 1625 account of his travels as "an island of reddish appearance," which was "''een rodlich Eylande''" in 17th-century Dutch, meaning a red or reddish island, supposedly evolving into the designation Rhode Island.<ref name="books.google.com">{{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iUJg2uqb7LgC&pg=PA70 |title=1636-1700 |author=Samuel Greene Arnold |date=1859 |page=70 |publisher=Appleton |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.s4ulanguages.com/delaet.html |title=Joannes de Laet |website=S4U Languages |language=pt |access-date=December 11, 2015}}</ref> Historians have theorized that this "reddish appearance" resulted from either red autumn foliage or red clay on portions of the shore.<ref>{{cite book |author=Elisha Potter |year=1835 |title=The Early History of Narragansett. Collections of the Rhode-Island Historical Society, Volume 3 |page=22 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RDIqdXhz9A4C&pg=PA22 |via=Google Books}}</ref>
* [[Adriaen Block]] passed by the island during his expeditions in the 1610s, and he described it in a 1625 account of his travels as "an island of reddish appearance," which was "''een rodlich Eylande''" in 17th-century Dutch, meaning a red or reddish island, supposedly evolving into the designation Rhode Island.<ref name="books.google.com">{{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iUJg2uqb7LgC&pg=PA70 |title=1636-1700 |author=Samuel Greene Arnold |date=1859 |page=70 |publisher=Appleton |via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.s4ulanguages.com/delaet.html |title=Joannes de Laet |website=S4U Languages |language=pt |access-date=December 11, 2015}}</ref> Historians have theorized this "reddish appearance" resulted from either red autumn foliage or red clay on portions of the shore.<ref>{{cite book |author=Elisha Potter |year=1835 |title=The Early History of Narragansett. Collections of the Rhode-Island Historical Society, Volume 3 |page=22 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RDIqdXhz9A4C&pg=PA22 |via=Google Books}}</ref>


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.<ref>[http://sos.ri.gov/library/history/name/ Office of the Secretary of State: A. Ralph Mollis: State Library]. Sos.ri.gov. Retrieved on April 12, 2014.</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Hamilton B. Staples |chapter=Origins of the Names of the State of the Union |title=Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society, Volume 1 |page=367 |year=1882 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=msILAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA367 |via=Google Books}}</ref> Dutch maps as early as 1659 call the island "Red Island" (''Roodt Eylant'').{{Citation needed|date=May 2021}}
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.<ref>[http://sos.ri.gov/library/history/name/ Office of the Secretary of State: A. Ralph Mollis: State Library]. Sos.ri.gov. Retrieved on April 12, 2014.</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Hamilton B. Staples |chapter=Origins of the Names of the State of the Union |title=Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society, Volume 1 |page=367 |year=1882 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=msILAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA367 |via=Google Books}}</ref> Dutch maps as early as 1659 call the island "Red Island" (''Roodt Eylant'').{{Citation needed|date=May 2021}}


===Attempts to change the name===
===Attempts to change the name===
The first English settlement in Rhode Island was the town of Providence, which the [[Narragansett people|Narragansett]] granted to Roger Williams in 1636. At that time, Williams obtained no permission from the English crown, as he believed that the English had no legitimate claim on Narragansett and [[Wampanoag]] territory. However, in 1643, he petitioned [[Charles I of England]] to grant Providence and neighboring towns a colonial patent, due to threats of invasion from the colonies of Boston and Plymouth.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Warren |first1=James |title=God, War, and Providence : the Epic Struggle of Roger Williams and the Narragansett Indians against the Puritans of New England |publisher=Scribner |isbn=150118041X|page=138}}</ref> He used the name "Providence Plantations" in his petition, ''plantation'' being the English [[plantation (settlement or colony)|term for a colony]]. "Providence Plantations" was therefore the official name of the colony from 1643 to 1663, when a [[Rhode Island Royal Charter|new charter]] was issued.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Downey |first1=Charlotte |title=Historic Names of Providence's Waterfront and College Hill |journal=Names |date=19 July 2013 |volume=37 |issue=4 |page=318 |doi=10.1179/nam.1989.37.4.317}}</ref> In 1790, following the [[American Revolution]], the new state incorporated both "Rhode Island" and "Providence Plantations" becoming known as the "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations". The word ''plantation'' in the state's name became a contested issue during the course of the 20th century and the increased awareness of slavery and its role in early Rhode Island history. The General Assembly voted on June 25, 2009, to hold a general referendum scheduled for November 2010 determining whether "and Providence Plantations" would be dropped from the official name.
The first English settlement in Rhode Island was the town of Providence, which the [[Narragansett people|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. However, in 1643, he petitioned [[Charles I of England]] to grant Providence and neighboring towns a colonial patent, due to threats of invasion from the colonies of Boston and Plymouth.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Warren |first1=James |title=God, War, and Providence : the Epic Struggle of Roger Williams and the Narragansett Indians against the Puritans of New England |publisher=Scribner |isbn=150118041X|page=138}}</ref> He used the name "Providence Plantations" in his petition, ''plantation'' being the English [[plantation (settlement or colony)|term for a colony]]. "Providence Plantations" was therefore the official name of the colony from 1643 to 1663, when a [[Rhode Island Royal Charter|new charter]] was issued.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Downey |first1=Charlotte |title=Historic Names of Providence's Waterfront and College Hill |journal=Names |date=19 July 2013 |volume=37 |issue=4 |page=318 |doi=10.1179/nam.1989.37.4.317}}</ref> In 1790, following the [[American Revolution]], the new state incorporated both "Rhode Island" and "Providence Plantations" becoming known as the "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations". 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 on June 25, 2009, to hold a general referendum scheduled for November 2010 determining whether "and Providence Plantations" would be dropped from the official name.


Advocates for excising ''plantation'' claimed that the word symbolized an alleged 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 referendum election was held on November 2, 2010, and the people voted overwhelmingly (78% to 22%) to retain the entire original name.<ref>{{cite news|first=Gina |last=Macris |title=Strong 'no' to changing R.I. name |url=http://www.projo.com/news/content/REFERENDUM_QUESTIONS__11-03-10_L6KN60T_v37.28337dc.html |work=[[The Providence Journal]] |date=November 3, 2010 |access-date=November 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101106014500/http://www.projo.com/news/content/REFERENDUM_QUESTIONS__11-03-10_L6KN60T_v37.28337dc.html |archive-date=November 6, 2010 }}</ref>
Advocates for excising ''plantation'' claimed the word symbolized an alleged 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 referendum election was held on November 2, 2010, and the people voted overwhelmingly (78% to 22%) to retain the entire original name.<ref>{{cite news|first=Gina |last=Macris |title=Strong 'no' to changing R.I. name |url=http://www.projo.com/news/content/REFERENDUM_QUESTIONS__11-03-10_L6KN60T_v37.28337dc.html |work=[[The Providence Journal]] |date=November 3, 2010 |access-date=November 3, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101106014500/http://www.projo.com/news/content/REFERENDUM_QUESTIONS__11-03-10_L6KN60T_v37.28337dc.html |archive-date=November 6, 2010 }}</ref>


===2020 referendum to change the name===
===2020 referendum to change the name===
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In 1636, [[Roger Williams]] 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",<ref name="Conley">An Album of Rhode Island History by Patrick T. Conley</ref> and it became a place of religious freedom where all were welcome.
In 1636, [[Roger Williams]] 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",<ref name="Conley">An Album of Rhode Island History by Patrick T. Conley</ref> and it became a place of religious freedom where all were welcome.
[[File:First_Baptist_Church,_Providence_RI.jpg|alt=|thumb|286x286px|[[First Baptist Church in America|The congregation founded]] by Roger Williams in 1638 built this church in 1776.]]
[[File:First_Baptist_Church,_Providence_RI.jpg|alt=|thumb|286x286px|[[First Baptist Church in America|The congregation founded]] by Roger Williams in 1638 built this church in 1776.]]
In 1638 (after conferring with Williams), [[Anne Hutchinson]], [[William Coddington]], [[John Clarke (Baptist minister)|John Clarke]], [[Philip Sherman]], and other religious dissenters settled on [[Aquidneck Island]] (also known as Rhode Island), which was purchased from the local tribes who called it Pocasset. This settlement was called [[Portsmouth, Rhode Island|Portsmouth]] and was governed by the [[Portsmouth Compact]]. The southern part of the island became the separate settlement of [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]] after disagreements among the founders.
In 1638 (after conferring with Williams), [[Anne Hutchinson]], [[William Coddington]], [[John Clarke (Baptist minister)|John Clarke]], [[Philip Sherman]], and other religious dissenters settled on [[Aquidneck Island]] (also known as Rhode Island), which was purchased from the local tribes who called it Pocasset. This settlement was called [[Portsmouth, Rhode Island|Portsmouth]] and was governed by the [[Portsmouth Compact]]. The island's southern part became the separate settlement of [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]] after disagreements among the founders.


[[Samuel Gorton]] purchased lands at Shawomet in 1642 from 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, Rhode Island|Warwick]] after his patron.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lonang.com/exlibris/organic/1663-cri.htm |title=Charter of Rhode Island (1663) |publisher=Lonang.com |access-date=July 31, 2010}}</ref>
[[Samuel Gorton]] purchased lands at Shawomet in 1642 from 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, Rhode Island|Warwick]] after his patron.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lonang.com/exlibris/organic/1663-cri.htm |title=Charter of Rhode Island (1663) |publisher=Lonang.com |access-date=July 31, 2010}}</ref>
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===Revolutionary to Civil War period: 1770–1860===
===Revolutionary to Civil War period: 1770–1860===
[[File:W-RSimpleMap.gif|thumb|upright=1.25|National Park Service map of the [[Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route]], which commenced in Rhode Island]]
[[File:W-RSimpleMap.gif|thumb|upright=1.25|National Park Service map of the [[Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route]], which commenced in Rhode Island]]
Rhode Island's tradition of independence and dissent gave it a prominent role in the [[American Revolution]]. At approximately 2&nbsp;a.m. on June 10, 1772, a band of Providence residents [[Gaspee Affair|attacked]] the grounded revenue schooner ''[[HMS Gaspée (1763)|Gaspee]]'', burning it to the waterline for enforcing [[Navigation Acts|unpopular trade regulations]] within Narragansett Bay.<ref>{{cite web|last=gaspee.org|title=Gaspee Affair Archive|url=http://www.gaspee.org/|publisher=Gaspee Virtual Archives|access-date=August 20, 2012}}</ref> Rhode Island was the first of the thirteen colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown on May 4, 1776.<ref name="KnowRhode">{{cite web|url=http://sos.ri.gov/library/history/independence/ |title=Know Rhode Island, RI Secretary of State |publisher=Sos.ri.gov |access-date=February 26, 2014}}</ref> It was also 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 [[United States Bill of Rights|Bill of Rights]] would become part of the Constitution.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usconstitution.net/rat_ri.html |title=Rhode Island Ratification of the U.S. Constitution |publisher=Usconstitution.net |date=January 8, 2010 |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref> During the Revolution, the British occupied Newport in December 1776. A combined Franco-American force fought to drive them off Aquidneck Island. Portsmouth 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.<ref>{{cite book|last=Dearden|first=Paul F|title=The Rhode Island Campaign of 1778|publisher=Rhode Island Bicentennial Federation |year=1980 |location=Providence, RI|isbn=978-0-917012-17-4|oclc=60041024}}</ref> 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 [[Expédition Particulière|expedition of 5,500 French troops]] under [[Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau|Count Rochambeau]] arrived in Newport by sea on July 10, 1780.<ref>{{cite book |last=Duchesneau, John T. |first=Troost-Cramer, Kathleen |date=2014 |title=Fort Adams: A History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cY-ACQAAQBAJ&q=Fort+Adams+A+History&pg=PT153 |publisher=The History Press |pages= 16–19 |access-date= March 15, 2017|isbn=9781625850584 }}</ref> The [[Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route|celebrated march]] to [[Yorktown, Virginia]], in 1781 ended with the defeat of the British at the [[Siege of Yorktown]] and the [[Battle of the Chesapeake]].
Rhode Island's tradition of independence and dissent gave it a prominent role in the [[American Revolution]]. At approximately 2 a.m. on June 10, 1772, a band of Providence residents [[Gaspee Affair|attacked]] the grounded revenue schooner ''[[HMS Gaspée (1763)|Gaspee]]'', burning it to the waterline for enforcing [[Navigation Acts|unpopular trade regulations]] within Narragansett Bay.<ref>{{cite web|last=gaspee.org|title=Gaspee Affair Archive|url=http://www.gaspee.org/|publisher=Gaspee Virtual Archives|access-date=August 20, 2012}}</ref> Rhode Island was the first of the thirteen colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown on May 4, 1776.<ref name="KnowRhode">{{cite web|url=http://sos.ri.gov/library/history/independence/ |title=Know Rhode Island, RI Secretary of State |publisher=Sos.ri.gov |access-date=February 26, 2014}}</ref> It was also 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 [[United States Bill of Rights|Bill of Rights]] would become part of the Constitution.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usconstitution.net/rat_ri.html |title=Rhode Island Ratification of the U.S. Constitution |publisher=Usconstitution.net |date=January 8, 2010 |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref>
During the Revolution, the British occupied Newport in December 1776. A combined Franco-American force fought to drive them off Aquidneck Island. Portsmouth 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.<ref>{{cite book|last=Dearden|first=Paul F|title=The Rhode Island Campaign of 1778|publisher=Rhode Island Bicentennial Federation |year=1980 |location=Providence, RI|isbn=978-0-917012-17-4|oclc=60041024}}</ref> 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 [[Expédition Particulière|expedition of 5,500 French troops]] under [[Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau|Count Rochambeau]] arrived in Newport by sea on July 10, 1780.<ref>{{cite book |last=Duchesneau, John T. |first=Troost-Cramer, Kathleen |date=2014 |title=Fort Adams: A History |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cY-ACQAAQBAJ&q=Fort+Adams+A+History&pg=PT153 |publisher=The History Press |pages= 16–19 |access-date= March 15, 2017|isbn=9781625850584 }}</ref> The [[Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route|celebrated march]] to [[Yorktown, Virginia]], in 1781 ended with the defeat of the British at the [[Siege of Yorktown]] and the [[Battle of the Chesapeake]].


[[File:Providence, Rhode Island, 1858.jpg|thumb|Providence's rapidly industrializing skyline in the mid-19th century]]
[[File:Providence, Rhode Island, 1858.jpg|thumb|Providence's rapidly industrializing skyline in the mid-19th century]]
Rhode Island was also heavily involved in the [[Industrial Revolution]], which began in America in 1787 when [[Thomas Somers (investor)|Thomas Somers]] reproduced textile machine plans which he imported from England. He helped to produce the [[Beverly Cotton Manufactory]], in which [[Moses Brown (Providence)|Moses Brown]] of Providence took an interest. Moses Brown teamed up with [[Samuel Slater]] and helped to create the second cotton mill in America, a water-powered textile mill. The [[Industrial Revolution#Industrial Revolution elsewhere|Industrial Revolution]] moved large numbers of workers into the cities, creating a permanently landless class who were, therefore, by the law of the time, also voteless. By 1829, 60% of the state's free white males were ineligible to vote. Several attempts were unsuccessfully made to address this problem, and a new state constitution was passed in 1843 allowing landless men to vote if they could pay a $1 [[Poll tax (United States)|poll tax]].
Rhode Island was also heavily involved in the [[Industrial Revolution]], which began in America in 1787 when [[Thomas Somers (investor)|Thomas Somers]] reproduced textile machine plans which he imported from England. He helped to produce the [[Beverly Cotton Manufactory]], in which [[Moses Brown (Providence)|Moses Brown]] of Providence took an interest. Moses Brown teamed up with [[Samuel Slater]] and helped to create the second cotton mill in America, a water-powered textile mill. The [[Industrial Revolution#Industrial Revolution elsewhere|Industrial Revolution]] moved large numbers of workers into the cities, creating a permanently landless class who were, therefore, by the law of the time, also voteless. By 1829, 60% of the state's free white males were ineligible to vote. Several attempts were unsuccessfully made to address this problem, and a new state constitution was passed in 1843 allowing landless men to vote if they could pay a $1 [[Poll tax (United States)|poll tax]].


For the first several decades of statehood, Rhode Island was governed in accordance with the 1663 [[Rhode Island Royal Charter|colonial charter]]. Voting rights were restricted to landowners holding at least $134 in property, disenfranchising well over half of the state's male citizens. The charter apportioned legislative seats equally among 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.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Bolles|first1=John Augustus|title=The Affairs of Rhode Island, Being a Review of President Wayland's Discourse, a Vindication of the Sovereignty of the People, and a Refutation of the Doctrines and Doctors of Despotism|date=1842|publisher=B.T. Albro|location=Boston|url=http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/MOML?dd=0&locID=cornell&d1=19005833400&srchtp=a&c=1&an=19005833400&df=f&d2=1&docNum=F3704667622&h2=1&af=RN&d6=1&d3=1&ste=10&stp=Author&d4=0.33&d5=d6&ae=F104667622|access-date=June 9, 2015}}</ref> 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 a state constitution,<ref>{{cite book|last1=Webster|first1=Daniel|title=The Rhode Island Question: Mr. Webster's Argument in the Supreme Court of the United States in the Case of Martin Luther vs. Luther M. Borden and Others, January 27th, 1848|date=1848|publisher=J. and G.S. Gideon|location=Washington, D.C.|url=http://www.heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.trials/rhodislq0001&id=1&collection=trials&index=alpha/R_trials#1|access-date=June 9, 2015}}</ref> arguing that 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 [[Dorr rebellion|rebellion]] against the charter government, and Dorr was arrested and imprisoned for treason against the state.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Pitman|first1=Joseph S.|title=Report on the Trial of Thomas Wilson Dorr, for Treason Against the State of Rhode Island, Containing the Arguments of Counsel, and the Charge of Chief Justice Durfee|date=1844|publisher=Tappan & Dennet|location=Boston|url=http://www.heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.trials/aaga0001&id=1&size=2&collection=trials&index=alpha/R_trials#1|access-date=June 9, 2015}}</ref> Later that year, the legislature drafted a state constitution, removing property requirements for American-born citizens but keeping them in place for immigrants, and retaining urban under-representation in the legislature.<ref>{{cite book|last1=King|first1=Dan|title=The Life and Times of Thomas Wilson Dorr, with Outlines of the Political History of Rhode Island|date=1859|publisher=Dan King|location=Boston|url=http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/MOML?dd=0&locID=cornell&d1=19003605000&srchtp=a&c=1&an=19003605000&df=f&d2=2&docNum=F3702905342&h2=1&vrsn=1.0&af=RN&db=Title+Page&d6=2&d3=0&ste=10&d4=0.33&stp=Author&d5=d6&ae=F102905341|access-date=June 9, 2015}}</ref>
For the first several decades of statehood, Rhode Island was governed in accordance with the 1663 [[Rhode Island Royal Charter|colonial charter]]. Voting rights were restricted to landowners holding at least $134 in property, disenfranchising well over half of the state's male citizens. The charter apportioned legislative seats equally among 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.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Bolles|first1=John Augustus|title=The Affairs of Rhode Island, Being a Review of President Wayland's Discourse, a Vindication of the Sovereignty of the People, and a Refutation of the Doctrines and Doctors of Despotism|date=1842|publisher=B.T. Albro|location=Boston|url=http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/MOML?dd=0&locID=cornell&d1=19005833400&srchtp=a&c=1&an=19005833400&df=f&d2=1&docNum=F3704667622&h2=1&af=RN&d6=1&d3=1&ste=10&stp=Author&d4=0.33&d5=d6&ae=F104667622|access-date=June 9, 2015}}</ref> 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 a state constitution,<ref>{{cite book|last1=Webster|first1=Daniel|title=The Rhode Island Question: Mr. Webster's Argument in the Supreme Court of the United States in the Case of Martin Luther vs. Luther M. Borden and Others, January 27th, 1848|date=1848|publisher=J. and G.S. Gideon|location=Washington, D.C.|url=http://www.heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.trials/rhodislq0001&id=1&collection=trials&index=alpha/R_trials#1|access-date=June 9, 2015}}</ref> 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 [[Dorr rebellion|rebellion]] against the charter government, and Dorr was arrested and imprisoned for treason against the state.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Pitman|first1=Joseph S.|title=Report on the Trial of Thomas Wilson Dorr, for Treason Against the State of Rhode Island, Containing the Arguments of Counsel, and the Charge of Chief Justice Durfee|date=1844|publisher=Tappan & Dennet|location=Boston|url=http://www.heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.trials/aaga0001&id=1&size=2&collection=trials&index=alpha/R_trials#1|access-date=June 9, 2015}}</ref> Later that year, the legislature drafted a state constitution, removing property requirements for American-born citizens but keeping them in place for immigrants, and retaining urban under-representation in the legislature.<ref>{{cite book|last1=King|first1=Dan|title=The Life and Times of Thomas Wilson Dorr, with Outlines of the Political History of Rhode Island|date=1859|publisher=Dan King|location=Boston|url=http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/MOML?dd=0&locID=cornell&d1=19003605000&srchtp=a&c=1&an=19003605000&df=f&d2=2&docNum=F3702905342&h2=1&vrsn=1.0&af=RN&db=Title+Page&d6=2&d3=0&ste=10&d4=0.33&stp=Author&d5=d6&ae=F102905341|access-date=June 9, 2015}}</ref>


In the early 19th century, Rhode Island was subject to a tuberculosis outbreak which led to [[Rhode Island vampire panic|public hysteria about vampirism]].
In the early 19th century, Rhode Island was subject to a tuberculosis outbreak which led to [[Rhode Island vampire panic|public hysteria about vampirism]].
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{{Main|Rhode Island in the American Civil War}}
{{Main|Rhode Island in the American Civil War}}


During the [[American Civil War]], Rhode Island was the first Union state to send troops in response to [[Abraham Lincoln|President Lincoln]]'s request for help from the states. Rhode Island furnished 25,236 fighting men, of whom 1,685 died.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}} On the home front, Rhode Island and the other northern states used their industrial capacity to supply the Union Army with the materials that it needed to win the war. The [[United States Naval Academy]] moved to Rhode Island temporarily during the war.
During the [[American Civil War]], Rhode Island was the first Union state to send troops in response to [[Abraham Lincoln|President Lincoln]]'s request for help from the states. Rhode Island furnished 25,236 fighting men, of whom 1,685 died.{{citation needed|date=June 2018}} 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 the war.


In 1866, Rhode Island abolished racial segregation in the public schools throughout the state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/studteaguide/RhodeIslandHistory/chapt5.html |title=Rhode Island History: CHAPTER V: Change, Controversy, and War, 1846–1865 |access-date=March 28, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060203064148/http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/studteaguide/RhodeIslandHistory/chapt5.html |archive-date=February 3, 2006 }}</ref>
In 1866, Rhode Island abolished racial segregation in the public schools throughout the state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/studteaguide/RhodeIslandHistory/chapt5.html |title=Rhode Island History: CHAPTER V: Change, Controversy, and War, 1846–1865 |access-date=March 28, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060203064148/http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/studteaguide/RhodeIslandHistory/chapt5.html |archive-date=February 3, 2006 }}</ref>
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[[File:Rhode Island - NED500.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Terrain map of Rhode Island]]
[[File:Rhode Island - NED500.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Terrain map of Rhode Island]]


Rhode Island covers an area of {{convert|1214|sqmi|sqkm|0}} located 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 the south by [[Rhode Island Sound]] and the Atlantic Ocean.<ref name=area>[http://sos.ri.gov/library/history/facts/ Office of the Secretary of State: A. Ralph Mollis: State Library]. Sos.ri.gov. Retrieved on July 12, 2013.</ref> It shares a narrow maritime border with New York State between Block Island and [[Long Island]]. The mean elevation of the state is {{convert|200|ft|m|0}}. It is only {{convert|37|mi|km|0}} wide and {{convert|48|mi|km|0}} long, yet the state has a tidal shoreline on [[Narragansett Bay]] and the Atlantic Ocean of {{convert|384|mi|km|0}}.<ref>Official Government Web Portal for the State of Rhode Island www.ri.gov/facts/history.php accessed May 24, 2014.</ref>
Rhode Island covers an area of {{convert|1214|sqmi|sqkm|0}} 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 the south by [[Rhode Island Sound]] and the Atlantic Ocean.<ref name=area>[http://sos.ri.gov/library/history/facts/ Office of the Secretary of State: A. Ralph Mollis: State Library]. Sos.ri.gov. Retrieved on July 12, 2013.</ref> It shares a narrow maritime border with New York State between Block Island and [[Long Island]]. The state's mean elevation is {{convert|200|ft|m|0}}. It is only {{convert|37|mi|km|0}} wide and {{convert|48|mi|km|0}} long, yet the state has a tidal shoreline on [[Narragansett Bay]] and the Atlantic Ocean of {{convert|384|mi|km|0}}.<ref>Official Government Web Portal for the State of Rhode Island www.ri.gov/facts/history.php accessed May 24, 2014.</ref>


Rhode Island is nicknamed the Ocean State and has a number of oceanfront [[List of beaches in Rhode Island|beaches]]. It is mostly flat with no real mountains, and the state's highest natural point is [[Jerimoth Hill]], {{convert|812|ft|m|0}} above sea level.<ref name=usgs>{{cite web|date=April 29, 2005 |url=http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest |title=Elevations and Distances in the United States |publisher=U.S Geological Survey |access-date=November 7, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061102095332/http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html |archive-date=November 2, 2006 }}</ref> 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 the [[Northeastern coastal forests]] ecoregion.<ref name="ecoregions">{{cite journal |last1=Olson |first1=D.M. |first2=E. |last2=Dinerstein |title=Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World: A New Map of Life on Earth |journal=[[BioScience]] |year=2001 |volume=51 |issue=11 |pages=933–938 |doi=10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051[0933:TEOTWA]2.0.CO;2 |display-authors=etal |df=mdy-all |doi-access=free }}</ref>
Rhode Island is nicknamed the Ocean State and has a number of oceanfront [[List of beaches in Rhode Island|beaches]]. It is mostly flat with no real mountains, and the state's highest natural point is [[Jerimoth Hill]], {{convert|812|ft|m|0}} above sea level.<ref name=usgs>{{cite web|date=April 29, 2005 |url=http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest |title=Elevations and Distances in the United States |publisher=U.S Geological Survey |access-date=November 7, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061102095332/http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html |archive-date=November 2, 2006 }}</ref> 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 the [[Northeastern coastal forests]] ecoregion.<ref name="ecoregions">{{cite journal |last1=Olson |first1=D.M. |first2=E. |last2=Dinerstein |title=Terrestrial Ecoregions of the World: A New Map of Life on Earth |journal=[[BioScience]] |year=2001 |volume=51 |issue=11 |pages=933–938 |doi=10.1641/0006-3568(2001)051[0933:TEOTWA]2.0.CO;2 |display-authors=etal |df=mdy-all |doi-access=free }}</ref>
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[[File:Blackstone-River-Bikeway.jpg|thumb|The Blackstone River Greenway in autumn, approximately one mile (1.6&nbsp;km) south of the Martin St. Bridge]]
[[File:Blackstone-River-Bikeway.jpg|thumb|The Blackstone River Greenway in autumn, approximately one mile (1.6&nbsp;km) south of the Martin St. Bridge]]


Most of Rhode Island has a [[humid continental climate]], with warm summers and cold winters. The southern coastal portions of the state 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 {{convert|104|°F|°C|0}}, recorded on August 2, 1975 in Providence.<ref>[http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001416.html Recorded Highest Temperatures by State ] Information Please Almanac</ref> The lowest recorded temperature in Rhode Island was {{convert|-23|°F|°C|0}} on February 5, 1996 in [[Greene, Rhode Island|Greene]].<ref>[http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001416.html Recorded Lowest Temperatures by State ] Information Please Almanac</ref> Monthly average temperatures range from a high of {{convert|83|°F|°C|0}} to a low of {{convert|20|°F|°C|0}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rssweather.com/climate/Rhode%20Island/Providence/temp.png |title=Average Temperature Range |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref>
Most of Rhode Island has 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 {{convert|104|°F|°C|0}}, recorded on August 2, 1975 in Providence.<ref>[http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001416.html Recorded Highest Temperatures by State ] Information Please Almanac</ref> The lowest recorded temperature in Rhode Island was {{convert|-23|°F|°C|0}} on February 5, 1996 in [[Greene, Rhode Island|Greene]].<ref>[http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001416.html Recorded Lowest Temperatures by State ] Information Please Almanac</ref> Monthly average temperatures range from a high of {{convert|83|°F|°C|0}} to a low of {{convert|20|°F|°C|0}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rssweather.com/climate/Rhode%20Island/Providence/temp.png |title=Average Temperature Range |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref>


Rhode Island is vulnerable to tropical storms and hurricanes due to its location in New England, catching the brunt of many storms blowing up the eastern seaboard. Some hurricanes that have done significant damage in the state are the [[1938 New England hurricane]], [[Hurricane Carol]] (1954), [[Hurricane Donna]] (1960), and [[Hurricane Bob]] (1991).
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 the [[1938 New England hurricane]], [[Hurricane Carol]] (1954), [[Hurricane Donna]] (1960), and [[Hurricane Bob]] (1991).


{{RIRivers}}
{{RIRivers}}
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| {{Party shading/Republican}}|38.9% ''199,830''
| {{Party shading/Republican}}|38.9% ''199,830''
|}
|}
The capital of Rhode Island is Providence. The state's current governor is [[Daniel McKee]] (D), and the lieutenant governor is currently vacant. [[Gina Raimondo]] became Rhode Island's first female governor with a plurality of the vote in the November 2014 state elections.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/05/us-usa-elections-rhodeisland-governor-idUSKBN0IP0AR20141105|title=Democrat Gina Raimondo becomes Rhode Island's first female governor|work=Reuters|access-date=January 23, 2015}}</ref> Its United States senators are [[Jack Reed (Rhode Island politician)|Jack Reed]] (D) and [[Sheldon Whitehouse]] (D). Rhode Island's two United States representatives are [[David Cicilline]] (D-1) and [[Jim Langevin]] (D-2). ''See [[List of United States congressional districts#Rhode Island|congressional districts map]].'' Rhode Island is one of a few states that do not have an official governor's residence. ''See [[List of Rhode Island Governors]].''
The capital of Rhode Island is Providence. The state's governor is [[Daniel McKee]] (D), and the lieutenant governor is vacant. [[Gina Raimondo]] became Rhode Island's first female governor with a plurality of the vote in the November 2014 state elections.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2014/11/05/us-usa-elections-rhodeisland-governor-idUSKBN0IP0AR20141105|title=Democrat Gina Raimondo becomes Rhode Island's first female governor|work=Reuters|access-date=January 23, 2015}}</ref> Its United States senators are [[Jack Reed (Rhode Island politician)|Jack Reed]] (D) and [[Sheldon Whitehouse]] (D). Rhode Island's two United States representatives are [[David Cicilline]] (D-1) and [[Jim Langevin]] (D-2). ''See [[List of United States congressional districts#Rhode Island|congressional districts map]].'' Rhode Island is one of a few states that do not have an official governor's residence. ''See [[List of Rhode Island Governors]].''


The state legislature is the [[Rhode Island General Assembly]], consisting of the 75-member [[Rhode Island House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and the 38-member [[Rhode Island Senate|Senate]]. Both houses of the bicameral body are currently dominated by the Democratic Party; the presence of the Republican Party is minor in the state government, with Republicans holding a handful of seats in both the Senate and House of Representatives.
The state legislature is the [[Rhode Island General Assembly]], consisting of the 75-member [[Rhode Island House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and the 38-member [[Rhode Island Senate|Senate]]. The Democratic Party dominates both houses of the bicameral body; the Republican Party's presence is minor in the state government, with Republicans holding a handful of seats in both the Senate and House of Representatives.


==Elections==
==Elections==
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Rhode Island's population barely crosses the threshold beyond the minimum of three for additional votes in both the federal [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and [[Electoral College (United States)|Electoral College]]; it is well represented relative to its population, with the [[List of U.S. states by population|eighth-highest]] number of electoral votes and [[List of U.S. states by population|second-highest]] number of House Representatives per resident. Based on its area, Rhode Island has the highest density of electoral votes of any state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.270towin.com/states/New_Jersey |title=New Jersey Presidential Election Voting History |publisher=270towin.com |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref>
Rhode Island's population barely crosses the threshold beyond the minimum of three for additional votes in both the federal [[United States House of Representatives|House of Representatives]] and [[Electoral College (United States)|Electoral College]]; it is well represented relative to its population, with the [[List of U.S. states by population|eighth-highest]] number of electoral votes and [[List of U.S. states by population|second-highest]] number of House Representatives per resident. Based on its area, Rhode Island has the highest density of electoral votes of any state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.270towin.com/states/New_Jersey |title=New Jersey Presidential Election Voting History |publisher=270towin.com |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref>


Federally, Rhode Island is a reliably Democratic state during presidential elections, usually supporting the Democratic presidential nominee. The state voted for the Republican presidential candidate until [[1908 United States presidential election|1908]]. Since then, it has voted for the Republican nominee for president seven times, and the Democratic nominee 17 times. The last 16 presidential elections in Rhode Island have resulted in the Democratic Party winning the Ocean State's Electoral College votes 12 times. In the [[1980 United States presidential election|1980 presidential election]], Rhode Island was one of six states to vote against [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[Ronald Reagan]]. Reagan was the last Republican to win any of the state's counties in a Presidential election until Donald Trump won Kent County in 2016. In 1988, [[George H. W. Bush]] won over 40% of the state's popular vote, something that no Republican has done since.
Federally, Rhode Island is a reliably Democratic state during presidential elections, usually supporting the Democratic presidential nominee. The state voted for the Republican presidential candidate until [[1908 United States presidential election|1908]]. Since then, it has voted for the Republican nominee for president seven times, and the Democratic nominee 17 times. The last 16 presidential elections in Rhode Island have resulted in the Democratic Party winning the Ocean State's Electoral College votes 12 times. In the [[1980 United States presidential election|1980 presidential election]], Rhode Island was one of six states to vote against [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[Ronald Reagan]]. Reagan was the last Republican to win any of the state's counties in a Presidential election until Donald Trump won Kent County in 2016. In 1988, [[George H. W. Bush]] won over 40% of the state's popular vote, something no Republican has done since.


{| class=wikitable
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Rhode Island is one of 21 states that have abolished capital punishment; it was second do so, just after [[Michigan]], and carried out its last execution in the 1840s. Rhode Island was the second to last state to make prostitution illegal. Until November 2009 Rhode Island law [[Prostitution in Rhode Island|made prostitution legal]] provided it took place indoors.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20050910-0019-sexforsale.html|title=Rhode Island police seek stricter anti-prostitution laws|author=Eric Tucker |access-date=April 13, 2008| publisher=Union-Tribune Publishing Co.}}</ref> In a 2009 study Rhode Island was listed as the 9th safest state in the country.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.walletpop.com/insurance/safest-states |title=Safest States |publisher=Walletpop.com |access-date=January 26, 2013 |archive-date=December 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205081617/http://www.walletpop.com/insurance/safest-states |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Rhode Island is one of 21 states that have abolished capital punishment; it was second do so, just after [[Michigan]], and carried out its last execution in the 1840s. Rhode Island was the second to last state to make prostitution illegal. Until November 2009 Rhode Island law [[Prostitution in Rhode Island|made prostitution legal]] provided it took place indoors.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20050910-0019-sexforsale.html|title=Rhode Island police seek stricter anti-prostitution laws|author=Eric Tucker |access-date=April 13, 2008| publisher=Union-Tribune Publishing Co.}}</ref> In a 2009 study Rhode Island was listed as the 9th safest state in the country.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.walletpop.com/insurance/safest-states |title=Safest States |publisher=Walletpop.com |access-date=January 26, 2013 |archive-date=December 5, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205081617/http://www.walletpop.com/insurance/safest-states |url-status=dead }}</ref>


In 2011, Rhode Island became the third state in the United States to pass legislation to allow the use of medical marijuana. Additionally, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed civil unions, and it was signed into law by Governor [[Lincoln Chafee]] on July 2, 2011. Rhode Island became the eighth state to fully recognize either same-sex marriage or civil unions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/south/12004734046312/ri-gov-chafee-signs-bill-allowing-civil-unions/ |title=RI Gov. Chafee signs bill allowing civil unions |publisher=WHDH-TV 7News|access-date=January 26, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117053440/http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/south/12004734046312/ri-gov-chafee-signs-bill-allowing-civil-unions/ |archive-date=January 17, 2013 }}</ref> Same-sex marriage became legal on May 2, 2013, and took effect August 1.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nation.time.com/2013/05/02/rhode-island-becomes-10th-state-with-gay-marriage/ |title=Rhode Island Becomes 10th State With Gay Marriage |author=David Klepper |date=May 2, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521074459/http://nation.time.com/2013/05/02/rhode-island-becomes-10th-state-with-gay-marriage/ |archive-date=May 21, 2013 }}</ref>
In 2011, Rhode Island became the third state in the United States to pass legislation to allow the use of medical marijuana. Additionally, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed legislation that allowed civil unions which Governor [[Lincoln Chafee]] signed into law on July 2, 2011. Rhode Island became the eighth state to fully recognize either same-sex marriage or civil unions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/south/12004734046312/ri-gov-chafee-signs-bill-allowing-civil-unions/ |title=RI Gov. Chafee signs bill allowing civil unions |publisher=WHDH-TV 7News|access-date=January 26, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117053440/http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/south/12004734046312/ri-gov-chafee-signs-bill-allowing-civil-unions/ |archive-date=January 17, 2013 }}</ref> Same-sex marriage became legal on May 2, 2013, and took effect August 1.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nation.time.com/2013/05/02/rhode-island-becomes-10th-state-with-gay-marriage/ |title=Rhode Island Becomes 10th State With Gay Marriage |author=David Klepper |date=May 2, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521074459/http://nation.time.com/2013/05/02/rhode-island-becomes-10th-state-with-gay-marriage/ |archive-date=May 21, 2013 }}</ref>


Rhode Island has some of the highest taxes in the country, particularly its property taxes, ranking seventh in local and state taxes, and sixth in real estate taxes.<ref name=taxes>{{cite web |url=http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_07102007_ndown.5f1e041a.html |author=Downing, Neil |title=Rhode Island taxes rising, now seventh in the country |access-date=April 24, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211122919/http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_07102007_ndown.5f1e041a.html |archive-date=December 11, 2007 }}</ref>
Rhode Island has some of the highest taxes in the country, particularly its property taxes, ranking seventh in local and state taxes, and sixth in real estate taxes.<ref name=taxes>{{cite web |url=http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_07102007_ndown.5f1e041a.html |author=Downing, Neil |title=Rhode Island taxes rising, now seventh in the country |access-date=April 24, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211122919/http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_07102007_ndown.5f1e041a.html |archive-date=December 11, 2007 }}</ref>
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[[File:Rhode Island population map.png|thumb|Rhode Island population density map]]
[[File:Rhode Island population map.png|thumb|Rhode Island population density map]]


The [[United States Census Bureau]] estimates that the population of Rhode Island was 1,059,361 on July 1, 2019, a 0.65% increase since the [[2010 United States Census]].<ref name="PopEstUS">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/ri,US/PST045218|title=QuickFacts Rhode Island; UNITED STATES|website=2018 Population Estimates|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division|date=March 12, 2019|access-date=March 12, 2019}}</ref> The [[center of population]] of Rhode Island is located in [[Providence County, Rhode Island|Providence County]], in the city of [[Cranston, Rhode Island|Cranston]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt|title=Population and Population Centers by State: 2000|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=April 24, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20080918020344/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt|archive-date=September 18, 2008|df=mdy-all}}</ref> A corridor of population can be seen from the Providence area, stretching northwest following the [[Blackstone River]] to [[Woonsocket, Rhode Island|Woonsocket]], where 19th-century mills drove industry and development.
The [[United States Census Bureau]] estimates Rhode Island's population was 1,059,361 on July 1, 2019, a 0.65% increase since the [[2010 United States Census]].<ref name="PopEstUS">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/ri,US/PST045218|title=QuickFacts Rhode Island; UNITED STATES|website=2018 Population Estimates|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division|date=March 12, 2019|access-date=March 12, 2019}}</ref> The [[center of population]] of Rhode Island is in [[Providence County, Rhode Island|Providence County]], in the city of [[Cranston, Rhode Island|Cranston]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt|title=Population and Population Centers by State: 2000|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=April 24, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20080918020344/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt|archive-date=September 18, 2008|df=mdy-all}}</ref> A corridor of population can be seen from the Providence area, stretching northwest following the [[Blackstone River]] to [[Woonsocket, Rhode Island|Woonsocket]], where 19th-century mills drove industry and development.


According to the 2010 Census, 81.4% of the population was White (76.4% [[non-Hispanic white]]), 5.7% was Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.9% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 3.3% from two or more races. 12.4% of the total population was of [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic]] or Latino origin (they may be of any race).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/44000.html |title=Rhode Island QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau |publisher=Quickfacts.census.gov |access-date=August 14, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101015091121/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/44000.html |archive-date=October 15, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
According to the 2010 Census, 81.4% of the population was White (76.4% [[non-Hispanic white]]), 5.7% was Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.9% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 3.3% from two or more races. 12.4% of the total population was of [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic]] or Latino origin (they may be of any race).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/44000.html |title=Rhode Island QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau |publisher=Quickfacts.census.gov |access-date=August 14, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101015091121/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/44000.html |archive-date=October 15, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
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According to the [[2000 United States Census|2000 U.S. Census]], 84% of the population aged 5 and older spoke only [[American English]], while 8.07% spoke Spanish at home, 3.80% Portuguese, 1.96% French, 1.39% Italian and 0.78% speak other languages at home accordingly.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mla.org/map_data_results&state_id=44&mode=state_tops|title=Language Map Data Center|publisher=Mla.org|date=July 17, 2007|access-date=July 31, 2010}}</ref>
According to the [[2000 United States Census|2000 U.S. Census]], 84% of the population aged 5 and older spoke only [[American English]], while 8.07% spoke Spanish at home, 3.80% Portuguese, 1.96% French, 1.39% Italian and 0.78% speak other languages at home accordingly.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mla.org/map_data_results&state_id=44&mode=state_tops|title=Language Map Data Center|publisher=Mla.org|date=July 17, 2007|access-date=July 31, 2010}}</ref>


The state's most populous ethnic group, non-Hispanic white, has declined from 96.1% in 1970 to 76.5% in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/44000.html |title=Rhode Island QuickFacts |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101015091121/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/44000.html |archive-date=October 15, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Rhode Island – Race and Hispanic Origin: 1790 to 1990 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0056/twps0056.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725044857/http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0056/twps0056.html |archive-date=July 25, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> In 2011, 40.3% of Rhode Island's children under the age of one belonged to racial or ethnic minority groups, meaning that they had at least one parent who was not non-Hispanic white.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/index.ssf/2012/06/americas_under_age_1_populatio.html|title=Americans under age 1 now mostly minorities, but not in Ohio: Statistical Snapshot|last=Exner|first=Rich|date=June 3, 2012|work=[[The Plain Dealer]]}}</ref>
The state's most populous ethnic group, non-Hispanic white, has declined from 96.1% in 1970 to 76.5% in 2011.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/44000.html |title=Rhode Island QuickFacts |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101015091121/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/44000.html |archive-date=October 15, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Rhode Island – Race and Hispanic Origin: 1790 to 1990 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0056/twps0056.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725044857/http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0056/twps0056.html |archive-date=July 25, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> In 2011, 40.3% of Rhode Island's children under the age of one belonged to racial or ethnic minority groups, meaning they had at least one parent who was not non-Hispanic white.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cleveland.com/datacentral/index.ssf/2012/06/americas_under_age_1_populatio.html|title=Americans under age 1 now mostly minorities, but not in Ohio: Statistical Snapshot|last=Exner|first=Rich|date=June 3, 2012|work=[[The Plain Dealer]]}}</ref>


6.1% of Rhode Island's population were reported as under 5, 23.6% under 18, and 14.5% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 52% of the population.
6.1% of Rhode Island's population were reported as under 5, 23.6% under 18, and 14.5% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 52% of the population.
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A Pew survey of Rhode Island residents' religious self-identification showed the following distribution of affiliations: [[Catholic Church in the United States|Catholic]] 42%, [[Protestant]] 30%, [[American Jews|Jewish]] 1%, [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] 2%, [[Buddhism in the United States|Buddhism]] 1%, [[Mormonism]] 1%, [[Hinduism in the United States|Hinduism]] 1%, and [[Non-religious]] 20%.<ref name="RIReligion1">{{cite web|url=http://religions.pewforum.org/maps |title=U.S. Religion Map and Religious Populations – U.S. Religious Landscape Study – Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life |publisher=Religions.pewforum.org |access-date=February 26, 2014}}</ref> The largest denominations are the [[Catholic Church]] with 456,598 adherents, the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]] with 19,377, the [[American Baptist Churches USA]] with 15,220, and the [[United Methodist Church]] with 6,901 adherents.<ref name="www.thearda.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.thearda.com/rcms2010/r/s/44/rcms2010_44_state_adh_2010.asp |title=The Association of Religion Data Archives &#124; State Membership Report |publisher=www.thearda.com |access-date=December 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217221736/http://www.thearda.com/rcms2010/r/s/44/rcms2010_44_state_adh_2010.asp |archive-date=December 17, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
A Pew survey of Rhode Island residents' religious self-identification showed the following distribution of affiliations: [[Catholic Church in the United States|Catholic]] 42%, [[Protestant]] 30%, [[American Jews|Jewish]] 1%, [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] 2%, [[Buddhism in the United States|Buddhism]] 1%, [[Mormonism]] 1%, [[Hinduism in the United States|Hinduism]] 1%, and [[Non-religious]] 20%.<ref name="RIReligion1">{{cite web|url=http://religions.pewforum.org/maps |title=U.S. Religion Map and Religious Populations – U.S. Religious Landscape Study – Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life |publisher=Religions.pewforum.org |access-date=February 26, 2014}}</ref> The largest denominations are the [[Catholic Church]] with 456,598 adherents, the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]] with 19,377, the [[American Baptist Churches USA]] with 15,220, and the [[United Methodist Church]] with 6,901 adherents.<ref name="www.thearda.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.thearda.com/rcms2010/r/s/44/rcms2010_44_state_adh_2010.asp |title=The Association of Religion Data Archives &#124; State Membership Report |publisher=www.thearda.com |access-date=December 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131217221736/http://www.thearda.com/rcms2010/r/s/44/rcms2010_44_state_adh_2010.asp |archive-date=December 17, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>


Rhode Island has the highest proportion of Catholic residents of any state,<ref name="catholic">{{cite web | url = http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_romcath.html | publisher = Adherents.com | title = The Largest Roman Catholic Communities | access-date =February 13, 2009 | year = 2000}}</ref> mainly due to large Irish, Italian, and French-Canadian immigration in the past; recently, significant Portuguese and various Hispanic communities have also been established in the state. Though it has the highest overall Catholic percentage of any state, none of Rhode Island's individual counties ranks among the 10 most Catholic in the United States, as Catholics are very evenly spread throughout the state.
Rhode Island has the highest proportion of Catholic residents of any state,<ref name="catholic">{{cite web | url = http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_romcath.html | publisher = Adherents.com | title = The Largest Roman Catholic Communities | access-date =February 13, 2009 | year = 2000}}</ref> mainly due to large Irish, Italian, and French-Canadian immigration in the past; recently, significant Portuguese and various Hispanic communities have also been established in the state. Though it has the highest overall Catholic percentage of any state, none of Rhode Island's individual counties ranks among the 10 most Catholic in the United States, as Catholics are evenly spread throughout the state.
[[File:Touro_Synagogue,_Newport,_Rhode_Island.jpg|thumb|[[Touro Synagogue]] in Newport is the [[Oldest synagogues in the United States|oldest existing synagogue building]] in the United States]]
[[File:Touro_Synagogue,_Newport,_Rhode_Island.jpg|thumb|[[Touro Synagogue]] in Newport is the [[Oldest synagogues in the United States|oldest existing synagogue building]] in the United States]]
The Jewish community of Rhode Island is centered in the Providence area, and emerged during a wave of Jewish immigration predominantly from Eastern Europeans [[shtetl]]s between 1880 and 1920. The presence of the [[Touro Synagogue]] in Newport, the oldest existing synagogue in the United States, emphasizes that these second-wave immigrants did not create Rhode Island's first Jewish community; a comparatively smaller wave of [[Spanish and Portuguese Jews]] immigrated to Newport during the colonial era.
Rhode Island's Jewish community, centered in the Providence area, emerged during a wave of Jewish immigration predominantly from Eastern Europeans [[shtetl]]s between 1880 and 1920. The presence of the [[Touro Synagogue]] in Newport, the oldest existing synagogue in the United States, emphasizes that these second-wave immigrants did not create Rhode Island's first Jewish community; a comparatively smaller wave of [[Spanish and Portuguese Jews]] immigrated to Newport during the colonial era.


===Cities and towns===
===Cities and towns===
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{{Div col end}}
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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, Rhode Island|Kingston]] in the town of South Kingstown, which houses the University of Rhode Island; [[Wickford, Rhode Island|Wickford]] in the town of North Kingstown, the site of an annual international art festival; and [[Wakefield, Rhode Island|Wakefield]] where the Town Hall is located for the Town of South Kingstown.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.southkingstownri.com/|title=Homepage of the Town of South Kingstown|access-date=April 5, 2013}}</ref><gallery mode="packed" caption="Major Cities of Rhode Island">
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, Rhode Island|Kingston]] in the town of South Kingstown, which houses the University of Rhode Island; [[Wickford, Rhode Island|Wickford]] in the town of North Kingstown, the site of an annual international art festival; and [[Wakefield, Rhode Island|Wakefield]] where the Town Hall is for the Town of South Kingstown.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.southkingstownri.com/|title=Homepage of the Town of South Kingstown|access-date=April 5, 2013}}</ref><gallery mode="packed" caption="Major Cities of Rhode Island">
File:Downcity Providence.jpg|1. [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]]
File:Downcity Providence.jpg|1. [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]]
File:Warwick Rhode Island City Hall.jpg|2. [[Warwick, Rhode Island|Warwick]]
File:Warwick Rhode Island City Hall.jpg|2. [[Warwick, Rhode Island|Warwick]]
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The Rhode Island economy had a colonial base in fishing.
The Rhode Island economy had a colonial base in fishing.
[[File:Slater_and_Wilkinson_Mills_-_exterior_&_water_power_systems.jpg|thumb|[[Slater Mill Historic Site|Slater Mill]] in Pawtucket is cited as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in the United States]]
[[File:Slater_and_Wilkinson_Mills_-_exterior_&_water_power_systems.jpg|thumb|[[Slater Mill Historic Site|Slater Mill]] in Pawtucket is cited as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in the United States]]
The Blackstone River Valley was a major contributor to the [[Economic history of the United States|American]] Industrial Revolution. It was in [[Pawtucket, Rhode Island|Pawtucket]] that [[Samuel Slater]] set up [[Slater Mill]] in 1793,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slatermill.org|publisher=Slater Mill Historic Site|title=Slater Mill|access-date=April 13, 2008}}</ref> 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 southern U.S. states. The textile industry still constitutes a part of the Rhode Island economy but does not have the same power that it once had.
The Blackstone River Valley was a major contributor to the [[Economic history of the United States|American]] Industrial Revolution. It was in [[Pawtucket, Rhode Island|Pawtucket]] that [[Samuel Slater]] set up [[Slater Mill]] in 1793,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slatermill.org|publisher=Slater Mill Historic Site|title=Slater Mill|access-date=April 13, 2008}}</ref> 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 southern U.S. states. The textile industry still constitutes a part of the Rhode Island economy but does not have the same power.


Other important industries in Rhode Island's past included toolmaking, [[costume jewelry]], and [[cutlery|silverware]]. An interesting by-product of Rhode Island's industrial history is the number of abandoned factories, many of them now being used for condominiums, museums, offices, and low-income and elderly housing. Today, much of the economy of Rhode Island is based on services, particularly healthcare and education, and still manufacturing to some extent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/Providence-Economy.html|publisher=Advameg, Inc.|title=Providence: Economy – Major Industries and Commercial Activity|access-date=April 13, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://stats.bls.gov/eag/eag.ri.htm|title=Rhode Island Economy at a Glance|publisher=US Dept. of Labor|access-date=April 13, 2008}}</ref> The state's nautical history continues in the 21st century in the form of nuclear submarine construction.
Other important industries in Rhode Island's past included toolmaking, [[costume jewelry]], and [[cutlery|silverware]]. An interesting by-product of Rhode Island's industrial history is the number of abandoned factories, many of which are now condominiums, museums, offices, and low-income and elderly housing. Today, much of Rhode Island's economy is based on services, particularly healthcare and education, and still manufacturing to some extent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/Providence-Economy.html|publisher=Advameg, Inc.|title=Providence: Economy – Major Industries and Commercial Activity|access-date=April 13, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://stats.bls.gov/eag/eag.ri.htm|title=Rhode Island Economy at a Glance|publisher=US Dept. of Labor|access-date=April 13, 2008}}</ref> The state's nautical history continues in the 21st century in the form of nuclear submarine construction.


Per the 2013 American Communities Survey, Rhode Island has the highest paid elementary school teachers in the country, with an average salary of $75,028 (adjusted to inflation).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://golocalprov.com/news/rhode-island-has-the-highest-salaries-for-elementary-school-teachers-in-us|title=Rhode Island Has the Highest Salaries for Elementary School Teachers in US|website=GoLocalProv|access-date=January 23, 2015}}</ref>[[File:Textron Headquarters Building Providence Rhode Island.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Textron Tower|Textron's headquarters]] in Downtown Providence]]The headquarters of [[Citizens Financial Group]], the 14th largest bank in the United States, is located in [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nyjobsource.com/banks.html |title=Nation's Largest Banks |publisher=Nyjobsource.com |date=June 30, 2009 |access-date=July 31, 2010}}</ref> The Fortune 500 companies [[CVS Caremark]] and [[Textron]] are based in [[Woonsocket, Rhode Island|Woonsocket]] and Providence, respectively. [[FM Global]], [[GTECH Corporation]], [[Hasbro]], [[American Power Conversion]], Nortek, and [[Amica Mutual Insurance]] are all Fortune 1000 companies that are based in Rhode Island.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2009/snapshots/387.html |title=Fortune 500 2009: Top 1000 American Companies – Exxon Mobil – XOM|publisher=CNN |access-date=July 31, 2010}}</ref>
Per the 2013 American Communities Survey, Rhode Island has the highest paid elementary school teachers in the country, with an average salary of $75,028 (adjusted to inflation).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://golocalprov.com/news/rhode-island-has-the-highest-salaries-for-elementary-school-teachers-in-us|title=Rhode Island Has the Highest Salaries for Elementary School Teachers in US|website=GoLocalProv|access-date=January 23, 2015}}</ref>[[File:Textron Headquarters Building Providence Rhode Island.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Textron Tower|Textron's headquarters]] in Downtown Providence]]The headquarters of [[Citizens Financial Group]], the 14th largest bank in the United States, is in [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nyjobsource.com/banks.html |title=Nation's Largest Banks |publisher=Nyjobsource.com |date=June 30, 2009 |access-date=July 31, 2010}}</ref> The Fortune 500 companies [[CVS Caremark]] and [[Textron]] are based in [[Woonsocket, Rhode Island|Woonsocket]] and Providence, respectively. [[FM Global]], [[GTECH Corporation]], [[Hasbro]], [[American Power Conversion]], Nortek, and [[Amica Mutual Insurance]] are all Fortune 1000 companies based in Rhode Island.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2009/snapshots/387.html |title=Fortune 500 2009: Top 1000 American Companies – Exxon Mobil – XOM|publisher=CNN |access-date=July 31, 2010}}</ref>


Rhode Island's 2000 total gross state production was $46.18&nbsp;billion (adjusted to inflation), placing it 45th in the nation. Its 2000 ''per capita'' personal income was $41,484 (adjusted to inflation), 16th in the nation. Rhode Island has the lowest level of energy consumption per capita of any state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/aer/txt/ptb0106.html|title= State-Level Energy Consumption, Expenditures, and Prices, 2004|publisher=US Dept. of Energy|access-date=April 13, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/ranks/rank30.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414201433/http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/ranks/rank30.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 14, 2008 |title=Energy consumption per capita, 2003 |publisher=US Census Bureau |access-date=June 26, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sustainablemiddleclass.com/energy-consumption.html |title=Energy Consumption: Red State and Blue State Comparisons |publisher=sustainablemiddleclass.com |access-date=June 26, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602114044/http://sustainablemiddleclass.com/energy-consumption.html |archive-date=June 2, 2008 }}</ref> Additionally, Rhode Island is rated as the 5th most energy efficient state in the country.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/Boston/metrodesk/2011/10/massachusetts-ranks-energy-efficiency/HMzckZrGcLVtF2dCucvbDP/index.html?p1=Upbox_links |work=The Boston Globe |title=Massachusetts ranks No. 1 in energy efficiency |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105060928/http://www.boston.com/Boston/metrodesk/2011/10/massachusetts-ranks-energy-efficiency/HMzckZrGcLVtF2dCucvbDP/index.html?p1=Upbox_links |archive-date=January 5, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Kuffner |first=Alex |date=October 20, 2011 |url=http://news.providencejournal.com/business/2011/10/ri-moves-up-in-state-energy-efficiency-rankings.html#.TqDdkpwu5EE |title=RI moves up in state energy efficiency rankings |newspaper=The Providence Journal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127045149/http://news.providencejournal.com/business/2011/10/ri-moves-up-in-state-energy-efficiency-rankings.html |archive-date=2011-11-27}}</ref> In December 2012, the state's unemployment rate was 10.2%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bls.gov/lau/ |title=Local Area Unemployment Statistics |publisher=Bureau of Labor Statistics |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref> This has gradually reduced to 3.5% in November 2019, however, the coronavirus pandemic brought the unemployment rate to a high of 18.1% in April 2020. This has since reduced to 10.5% in September 2020 and is projected to further decrease to 7% in October 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bureau of Labor Statisitics|url=https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LASST440000000000003?amp%253bdata_tool=XGtable&output_view=data&include_graphs=true}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Rhode Island Economy at a Glance|url=https://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.ri.htm|access-date=2020-12-02|website=www.bls.gov|language=en}}</ref>
Rhode Island's 2000 total gross state production was $46.18 billion (adjusted to inflation), placing it 45th in the nation. Its 2000 ''per capita'' personal income was $41,484 (adjusted to inflation), 16th in the nation. Rhode Island has the lowest level of energy consumption per capita of any state.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/aer/txt/ptb0106.html|title= State-Level Energy Consumption, Expenditures, and Prices, 2004|publisher=US Dept. of Energy|access-date=April 13, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/ranks/rank30.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414201433/http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/ranks/rank30.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 14, 2008 |title=Energy consumption per capita, 2003 |publisher=US Census Bureau |access-date=June 26, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sustainablemiddleclass.com/energy-consumption.html |title=Energy Consumption: Red State and Blue State Comparisons |publisher=sustainablemiddleclass.com |access-date=June 26, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602114044/http://sustainablemiddleclass.com/energy-consumption.html |archive-date=June 2, 2008 }}</ref> Additionally, Rhode Island is rated as the 5th most energy efficient state in the country.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/Boston/metrodesk/2011/10/massachusetts-ranks-energy-efficiency/HMzckZrGcLVtF2dCucvbDP/index.html?p1=Upbox_links |work=The Boston Globe |title=Massachusetts ranks No. 1 in energy efficiency |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120105060928/http://www.boston.com/Boston/metrodesk/2011/10/massachusetts-ranks-energy-efficiency/HMzckZrGcLVtF2dCucvbDP/index.html?p1=Upbox_links |archive-date=January 5, 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Kuffner |first=Alex |date=October 20, 2011 |url=http://news.providencejournal.com/business/2011/10/ri-moves-up-in-state-energy-efficiency-rankings.html#.TqDdkpwu5EE |title=RI moves up in state energy efficiency rankings |newspaper=The Providence Journal |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127045149/http://news.providencejournal.com/business/2011/10/ri-moves-up-in-state-energy-efficiency-rankings.html |archive-date=2011-11-27}}</ref> In December 2012, the state's unemployment rate was 10.2%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bls.gov/lau/ |title=Local Area Unemployment Statistics |publisher=Bureau of Labor Statistics |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref> This has gradually reduced to 3.5% in November 2019, however, the coronavirus pandemic brought the unemployment rate to a high of 18.1% in April 2020. This has since reduced to 10.5% in September 2020 and is projected to further decrease to 7% in October 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bureau of Labor Statisitics|url=https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LASST440000000000003?amp%253bdata_tool=XGtable&output_view=data&include_graphs=true}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Rhode Island Economy at a Glance|url=https://www.bls.gov/eag/eag.ri.htm|access-date=2020-12-02|website=www.bls.gov|language=en}}</ref>


Health services are Rhode Island's largest industry. Second is tourism, supporting 39,000 jobs, with tourism-related sales at $4.56&nbsp;billion (adjusted to inflation) in the year 2000. The third-largest industry is manufacturing.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.visitrhodeisland.com/facts_history/rifacts.aspx |title=Facts about Rhode Island |website=Visitrhodeisland.com |access-date=April 13, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512002351/http://www.visitrhodeisland.com/facts_history/rifacts.aspx |archive-date=May 12, 2008 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Its industrial outputs are submarine construction, shipbuilding, costume jewelry, fabricated metal products, electrical equipment, machinery, and boatbuilding. Rhode Island's agricultural outputs are nursery stock, vegetables, dairy products, and eggs.
Health services are Rhode Island's largest industry. Second is tourism, supporting 39,000 jobs, with tourism-related sales at $4.56&nbsp;billion (adjusted to inflation) in the year 2000. The third-largest industry is manufacturing.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.visitrhodeisland.com/facts_history/rifacts.aspx |title=Facts about Rhode Island |website=Visitrhodeisland.com |access-date=April 13, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512002351/http://www.visitrhodeisland.com/facts_history/rifacts.aspx |archive-date=May 12, 2008 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> Its industrial outputs are submarine construction, shipbuilding, costume jewelry, fabricated metal products, electrical equipment, machinery, and boatbuilding. Rhode Island's agricultural outputs are nursery stock, vegetables, dairy products, and eggs.


Rhode Island's taxes were appreciably higher than neighboring states,<ref name=taxes/> because Rhode Island's income tax was based on 25% of the payer's federal income tax payment.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/ind_inc.pdf |access-date=April 13, 2008 |publisher=Federation of Tax Administrators |title=State Individual Income Taxes |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414005744/https://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/ind_inc.pdf |archive-date=April 14, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Former Governor Donald Carcieri claimed that the higher tax rate had an inhibitory effect on business growth in the state and called for reductions to increase the competitiveness of the state's business environment. In 2010, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed a new state income tax structure that was then signed into law on June 9, 2010, by Governor Carcieri.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newsblog.projo.com/2010/06/carcier-signs-law-changing-inc.html |title=Carcieri signs law changing income tax structure |website=Projo 7 to 7 News Blog &#124; The Providence Journal |date=June 9, 2010 |access-date=July 31, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613014203/http://newsblog.projo.com/2010/06/carcier-signs-law-changing-inc.html |archive-date=June 13, 2010 }}</ref> The income tax overhaul has now made Rhode Island competitive with other New England states by lowering its maximum tax rate to 5.99% and reducing the number of tax brackets to three.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.projo.com/business/yourmoney/content/state_tax_overhaul_plan_06-05-10_ECIOV59_v13.1839414.html |title=R.I. General Assembly approves income tax overhaul |website=The Providence Journal |date=June 5, 2010 |access-date=July 31, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613014213/http://www.projo.com/business/yourmoney/content/state_tax_overhaul_plan_06-05-10_ECIOV59_v13.1839414.html |archive-date=June 13, 2010 }}</ref> The state's first income tax was enacted in 1971.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/rhodeislandhistory/chapt8.html |title=Chapter VIII, The Era of Transition. 1946–1983 |date=December 29, 2009 |website=rilin.state.ri.us |publisher=State of Rhode Island General Assembly |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902080009/http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/rhodeislandhistory/chapt8.html |archive-date=September 2, 2012 }}</ref>
Rhode Island's taxes were appreciably higher than neighboring states,<ref name=taxes/> because Rhode Island's income tax was based on 25% of the payer's federal income tax payment.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/ind_inc.pdf |access-date=April 13, 2008 |publisher=Federation of Tax Administrators |title=State Individual Income Taxes |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414005744/https://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/ind_inc.pdf |archive-date=April 14, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Former Governor Donald Carcieri claimed the higher tax rate had an inhibitory effect on business growth in the state and called for reductions to increase the competitiveness of the state's business environment. In 2010, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed a new state income tax structure that Governor Carcieri signed into law on June 9, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newsblog.projo.com/2010/06/carcier-signs-law-changing-inc.html |title=Carcieri signs law changing income tax structure |website=Projo 7 to 7 News Blog &#124; The Providence Journal |date=June 9, 2010 |access-date=July 31, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613014203/http://newsblog.projo.com/2010/06/carcier-signs-law-changing-inc.html |archive-date=June 13, 2010 }}</ref> The income tax overhaul has made Rhode Island competitive with other New England states by lowering its maximum tax rate to 5.99% and reducing the number of tax brackets to three.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.projo.com/business/yourmoney/content/state_tax_overhaul_plan_06-05-10_ECIOV59_v13.1839414.html |title=R.I. General Assembly approves income tax overhaul |website=The Providence Journal |date=June 5, 2010 |access-date=July 31, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100613014213/http://www.projo.com/business/yourmoney/content/state_tax_overhaul_plan_06-05-10_ECIOV59_v13.1839414.html |archive-date=June 13, 2010 }}</ref> The state's first income tax was enacted in 1971.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/rhodeislandhistory/chapt8.html |title=Chapter VIII, The Era of Transition. 1946–1983 |date=December 29, 2009 |website=rilin.state.ri.us |publisher=State of Rhode Island General Assembly |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902080009/http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/rhodeislandhistory/chapt8.html |archive-date=September 2, 2012 }}</ref>


===Largest employers===
===Largest employers===
{{As of |2011 |March}}, the largest employers in Rhode Island (excluding employees of municipalities) are the following:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.riedc.com/files/Top%20Employers%20ranking%202011.pdf |title=Top Employers in Rhode Island |publisher=Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation |date=March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130718064751/http://www.riedc.com/files/Top%20Employers%20ranking%202011.pdf |archive-date=July 18, 2013 }}</ref>
{{As of |2011 |March}}, Rhode Island's largest employers (excluding employees of municipalities) are:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.riedc.com/files/Top%20Employers%20ranking%202011.pdf |title=Top Employers in Rhode Island |publisher=Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation |date=March 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130718064751/http://www.riedc.com/files/Top%20Employers%20ranking%202011.pdf |archive-date=July 18, 2013 }}</ref>


{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
Line 754: Line 756:
[[File:RIPTA Gillig Low Floor 0517.jpg|thumb|A RIPTA bus at [[Kennedy Plaza]] in 2008.]]
[[File:RIPTA Gillig Low Floor 0517.jpg|thumb|A RIPTA bus at [[Kennedy Plaza]] in 2008.]]


The [[Rhode Island Public Transit Authority]] (RIPTA) operates statewide intra- and intercity bus transport from its hubs at [[Kennedy Plaza]] in Providence, [[Pawtucket, Rhode Island|Pawtucket]], and [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]]. RIPTA bus routes serve 38 of Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns. ([[New Shoreham, Rhode Island|New Shoreham]] on [[Block Island]] is not served). RIPTA currently operates 58 routes, including daytime trolley service (using trolley-style replica buses) in Providence and Newport.
The [[Rhode Island Public Transit Authority]] (RIPTA) operates statewide intra- and intercity bus transport from its hubs at [[Kennedy Plaza]] in Providence, [[Pawtucket, Rhode Island|Pawtucket]], and [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]]. RIPTA bus routes serve 38 of Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns. ([[New Shoreham, Rhode Island|New Shoreham]] on [[Block Island]] is not served). RIPTA operates 58 routes, including daytime trolley service (using trolley-style replica buses) in Providence and Newport.


===Ferry===
===Ferry===
From 2000 through 2008, RIPTA offered seasonal ferry service linking Providence and Newport (already connected by highway) funded by grant money from the [[United States Department of Transportation]]. Though the service was popular with residents and tourists, RIPTA was unable to continue on after the federal funding ended. Service was discontinued {{as of|2010|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pbn.com/RIPTA-No-Newport-ferry-service-in-2010,48712 |title=RIPTA: No Newport ferry service in 2010 |publisher=Pbn.com |date=December 7, 2012 |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref> The service was resumed in 2016 and has been successful. The privately run Block Island Ferry<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blockislandferry.com/ |title=Block Island Ferry |publisher=Block Island Ferry |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref> links [[Block Island]] with [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]] and [[Narragansett, Rhode Island|Narragansett]] with traditional and fast-ferry service, while the Prudence Island Ferry<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prudenceferry.com/ |title=Prudence Island Ferry |publisher=Prudenceferry.com |date=October 15, 2012 |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref> connects [[Bristol, Rhode Island|Bristol]] with [[Prudence Island]]. Private ferry services also link several Rhode Island communities with ports in [[Connecticut]], [[Massachusetts]], and New York. The Vineyard Fast Ferry<ref>{{cite web|author=Marthas Vineyard Ferry |url=http://www.vineyardfastferry.com/ |title=Vineyard Fast Ferry |publisher=Vineyard Fast Ferry |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref> offers seasonal service to [[Martha's Vineyard]] from [[Quonset Point]] with bus and train connections to Providence, Boston, and New York. Viking Fleet<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vikingfleet.com/ |title=Viking Fleet |publisher=Viking Fleet |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref> offers seasonal service from Block Island to [[New London, Connecticut]], and [[Montauk, New York]].
From 2000 through 2008, RIPTA offered seasonal ferry service linking Providence and Newport (already connected by highway) funded by grant money from the [[United States Department of Transportation]]. Though the service was popular with residents and tourists, RIPTA was unable to continue after the federal funding ended. Service was discontinued {{as of|2010|lc=y}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pbn.com/RIPTA-No-Newport-ferry-service-in-2010,48712 |title=RIPTA: No Newport ferry service in 2010 |publisher=Pbn.com |date=December 7, 2012 |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref> The service resumed in 2016 and has been successful. The privately run Block Island Ferry<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blockislandferry.com/ |title=Block Island Ferry |publisher=Block Island Ferry |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref> links [[Block Island]] with [[Newport, Rhode Island|Newport]] and [[Narragansett, Rhode Island|Narragansett]] with traditional and fast-ferry service, while the Prudence Island Ferry<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prudenceferry.com/ |title=Prudence Island Ferry |publisher=Prudenceferry.com |date=October 15, 2012 |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref> connects [[Bristol, Rhode Island|Bristol]] with [[Prudence Island]]. Private ferry services also link several Rhode Island communities with ports in [[Connecticut]], [[Massachusetts]], and New York. The Vineyard Fast Ferry<ref>{{cite web|author=Marthas Vineyard Ferry |url=http://www.vineyardfastferry.com/ |title=Vineyard Fast Ferry |publisher=Vineyard Fast Ferry |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref> offers seasonal service to [[Martha's Vineyard]] from [[Quonset Point]] with bus and train connections to Providence, Boston, and New York. Viking Fleet<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vikingfleet.com/ |title=Viking Fleet |publisher=Viking Fleet |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref> offers seasonal service from Block Island to [[New London, Connecticut]], and [[Montauk, New York]].


===Rail===
===Rail===
Line 771: Line 773:
[[Interstate 95 in Rhode Island|Interstate 95]] (I-95) runs southwest to northeast across the state, linking Rhode Island with other states along the [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]]. [[Interstate 295 (Rhode Island-Massachusetts)|I-295]] functions as a partial [[ring road|beltway]] encircling Providence to the west. [[Interstate 195 (Rhode Island–Massachusetts)|I-195]] provides a limited-access highway connection from Providence (and [[Connecticut]] and New York via I-95) to Cape Cod. Initially built as the easternmost link in the (now cancelled) extension of [[Interstate 84 (east)|I-84]] from [[Hartford, Connecticut]], a portion of [[U.S. Route 6 in Rhode Island|U.S. Route 6]] (US&nbsp;6) through northern Rhode Island is limited-access and links I-295 with downtown Providence.
[[Interstate 95 in Rhode Island|Interstate 95]] (I-95) runs southwest to northeast across the state, linking Rhode Island with other states along the [[East Coast of the United States|East Coast]]. [[Interstate 295 (Rhode Island-Massachusetts)|I-295]] functions as a partial [[ring road|beltway]] encircling Providence to the west. [[Interstate 195 (Rhode Island–Massachusetts)|I-195]] provides a limited-access highway connection from Providence (and [[Connecticut]] and New York via I-95) to Cape Cod. Initially built as the easternmost link in the (now cancelled) extension of [[Interstate 84 (east)|I-84]] from [[Hartford, Connecticut]], a portion of [[U.S. Route 6 in Rhode Island|U.S. Route 6]] (US&nbsp;6) through northern Rhode Island is limited-access and links I-295 with downtown Providence.


Several Rhode Island highways extend the state's limited-access highway network. [[Rhode Island Route 4|Route&nbsp;4]] is a major north–south freeway linking Providence and [[Warwick, Rhode Island|Warwick]] (via I-95) with suburban and beach communities along [[Narragansett Bay]]. [[Rhode Island Route 10|Route&nbsp;10]] is an urban [[connector (road)|connector]] linking downtown Providence with [[Cranston (RI)|Cranston]] and [[Johnston, Rhode Island|Johnston]]. [[Rhode Island Route 37|Route&nbsp;37]] is an important east–west freeway through Cranston and Warwick and links I-95 with I-295. [[Rhode Island Route 99|Route&nbsp;99]] links [[Woonsocket, Rhode Island|Woonsocket]] with Providence (via [[Rhode Island Route 146|Route&nbsp;146]]). Route&nbsp;146 travels through the [[Blackstone Valley]], linking Providence and I-95 with [[Worcester, Massachusetts]] and the [[Massachusetts Turnpike]]. [[Rhode Island Route 403|Route&nbsp;403]] links Route&nbsp;4 with [[Quonset Point]].
Several Rhode Island highways extend the state's limited-access highway network. [[Rhode Island Route 4|Route&nbsp;4]] is a major north–south freeway linking Providence and [[Warwick, Rhode Island|Warwick]] (via I-95) with suburban and beach communities along [[Narragansett Bay]]. [[Rhode Island Route 10|Route&nbsp;10]] is an urban [[connector (road)|connector]] linking downtown Providence with [[Cranston (RI)|Cranston]] and [[Johnston, Rhode Island|Johnston]]. [[Rhode Island Route 37|Route&nbsp;37]] is an important east–west freeway through Cranston and Warwick and links I-95 with I-295. [[Rhode Island Route 99|Route&nbsp;99]] links [[Woonsocket, Rhode Island|Woonsocket]] with Providence (via [[Rhode Island Route 146|Route&nbsp;146]]). Route 146 travels through the [[Blackstone Valley]], linking Providence and I-95 with [[Worcester, Massachusetts]] and the [[Massachusetts Turnpike]]. [[Rhode Island Route 403|Route&nbsp;403]] links Route&nbsp;4 with [[Quonset Point]].


Several bridges cross [[Narragansett Bay]] connecting [[Aquidneck Island]] and [[Conanicut Island]] to the mainland, most notably the [[Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge]] and the [[Jamestown-Verrazano Bridge]].
Several bridges cross [[Narragansett Bay]] connecting [[Aquidneck Island]] and [[Conanicut Island]] to the mainland, most notably the [[Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge]] and the [[Jamestown-Verrazano Bridge]].
Line 823: Line 825:
===Local accent===
===Local accent===
{{main|Eastern New England English#Rhode Island English}}
{{main|Eastern New England English#Rhode Island English}}
Some Rhode Islanders speak with the distinctive, [[Rhotic and non-rhotic accents|non-rhotic]], traditional [[Eastern New England English#Rhode Island English|Rhode Island accent]] that linguists describe as a cross between [[New York City English|New York City]] and [[Boston accent]]s (e.g., "water" sounds like "watuh" {{IPA|[ˈwɔəɾə]}}).<ref>"[http://www.ling.upenn.edu/phono_atlas/Atlas_chapters/Ch16_2nd.rev.pdf This phonemic and phonetic arrangement of the low back vowels makes Rhode Island more similar to New York City than to the rest of New England]". Labov, William et al. (2006). ''The Atlas of North American English''. Berlin: Mouton-de Gruyter.</ref> Many Rhode Islanders distinguish a strong ''aw'' sound {{IPA|[ɔə]}} (i.e., resist the [[cot–caught merger]] of Boston) much like one might hear in New Jersey or New York City; for example, the word ''coffee'' is pronounced {{IPA|[ˈkʰɔəfi]}}.<ref name="rilang">{{cite web|url=http://www.quahog.org/factsfolklore/index.php?id=43|title=Guide to Rhode Island Language Stuff|access-date=May 30, 2007|publisher=Quahog.org}}</ref> Rhode Islanders sometimes refer to [[drinking fountain]]s as "bubblers", milkshakes as "cabinets", and overstuffed foot-long sandwiches (of whatever kind) as "grinders".<ref>Vaux, Bert; Jøhndal, Marius L. (2009). "[survey.johndal.com/results/ The Cambridge online survey of world Englishes]." University of Cambridge.</ref>
Some Rhode Islanders speak with the distinctive, [[Rhotic and non-rhotic accents|non-rhotic]], traditional [[Eastern New England English#Rhode Island English|Rhode Island accent]] linguists describe as a cross between [[New York City English|New York City]] and [[Boston accent]]s (e.g., "water" sounds like "watuh" {{IPA|[ˈwɔəɾə]}}).<ref>"[http://www.ling.upenn.edu/phono_atlas/Atlas_chapters/Ch16_2nd.rev.pdf This phonemic and phonetic arrangement of the low back vowels makes Rhode Island more similar to New York City than to the rest of New England]". Labov, William et al. (2006). ''The Atlas of North American English''. Berlin: Mouton-de Gruyter.</ref> Many Rhode Islanders distinguish a strong ''aw'' sound {{IPA|[ɔə]}} (i.e., resist the [[cot–caught merger]] of Boston) much like one might hear in New Jersey or New York City; for example, the word ''coffee'' is pronounced {{IPA|[ˈkʰɔəfi]}}.<ref name="rilang">{{cite web|url=http://www.quahog.org/factsfolklore/index.php?id=43|title=Guide to Rhode Island Language Stuff|access-date=May 30, 2007|publisher=Quahog.org}}</ref> Rhode Islanders sometimes refer to [[drinking fountain]]s as "bubblers", milkshakes as "cabinets", and overstuffed foot-long sandwiches (of whatever kind) as "grinders".<ref>Vaux, Bert; Jøhndal, Marius L. (2009). "[survey.johndal.com/results/ The Cambridge online survey of world Englishes]." University of Cambridge.</ref>


===Food and beverages===
===Food and beverages===
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The official state drink of Rhode Island is ''[[coffee milk]]'',<ref>{{cite web|author=RI.gov |url=http://www.ri.gov/facts |title=RI Government Facts and History |publisher=Ri.gov |date=July 20, 2000 |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref> a beverage created by mixing milk with coffee syrup. This unique syrup was invented in the state and is sold in almost all Rhode Island supermarkets, as well as its bordering states. [[Johnnycake]]s have been a Rhode Island staple since Colonial times, made with corn meal and water then pan-fried much like pancakes.
The official state drink of Rhode Island is ''[[coffee milk]]'',<ref>{{cite web|author=RI.gov |url=http://www.ri.gov/facts |title=RI Government Facts and History |publisher=Ri.gov |date=July 20, 2000 |access-date=January 26, 2013}}</ref> a beverage created by mixing milk with coffee syrup. This unique syrup was invented in the state and is sold in almost all Rhode Island supermarkets, as well as its bordering states. [[Johnnycake]]s have been a Rhode Island staple since Colonial times, made with corn meal and water then pan-fried much like pancakes.


Submarine sandwiches are called ''grinders'' throughout Rhode Island, and the Italian grinder is especially popular, made with cold cuts such as ham, [[prosciutto]], [[capicola]], [[salami]], and [[Provolone cheese]]. [[Linguiça]] or [[chouriço]] is a spicy Portuguese sausage, frequently served with peppers among the state's large Portuguese community and eaten with hearty bread.
Submarine sandwiches are called ''grinders'' throughout Rhode Island, and the Italian grinder, made with cold cuts such as ham, [[prosciutto]], [[capicola]], [[salami]], and [[Provolone cheese]], is especially popular [[Linguiça]] or [[chouriço]] is a spicy Portuguese sausage that the state's large Portuguese community often serves with peppers and eats with hearty bread.


===Rhode Island state symbols===
===Rhode Island state symbols===
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The [[The Great Gatsby (1974 film)|1974 film adaptation]] of ''[[The Great Gatsby]]'' was also filmed in Newport.
The [[The Great Gatsby (1974 film)|1974 film adaptation]] of ''[[The Great Gatsby]]'' was also filmed in Newport.


[[Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis|Jacqueline Bouvier]] and [[John F. Kennedy]] were married at St. Mary's church in Newport. Their reception was held at [[Hammersmith Farm]], the Bouvier summer home in Newport.
[[Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis|Jacqueline Bouvier]] and [[John F. Kennedy]] were married at St. Mary's church in Newport. Their reception was took place at [[Hammersmith Farm]], the Bouvier summer home in Newport.


Cartoonist [[Don Bousquet]], a state icon, has made a career out of Rhode Island culture, drawing Rhode Island-themed gags in ''[[The Providence Journal]]'' and ''[[Yankee (magazine)|Yankee]]'' magazine. These cartoons have been reprinted in the ''Quahog'' series of paperbacks (''I Brake for Quahogs'', ''Beware of the Quahog'', and ''The Quahog Walks Among Us''.) Bousquet has also collaborated with humorist and ''Providence Journal'' columnist [[Mark Patinkin]] on two books: ''The Rhode Island Dictionary'' and ''The Rhode Island Handbook''.
Cartoonist [[Don Bousquet]], a state icon, has made a career out of Rhode Island culture, drawing Rhode Island-themed gags in ''[[The Providence Journal]]'' and ''[[Yankee (magazine)|Yankee]]'' magazine. These cartoons have been reprinted in the ''Quahog'' series of paperbacks (''I Brake for Quahogs'', ''Beware of the Quahog'', and ''The Quahog Walks Among Us''.) Bousquet has also collaborated with humorist and ''Providence Journal'' columnist [[Mark Patinkin]] on two books: ''The Rhode Island Dictionary'' and ''The Rhode Island Handbook''.
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The [[Pawtucket Red Sox]] baseball team was a [[Triple-A (baseball)|Triple-A]] [[International League]] affiliate of the [[Boston Red Sox]] from 1973 to 2020. They played at [[McCoy Stadium]] in [[Pawtucket, Rhode Island|Pawtucket]] and had won four league titles, the [[Governors' Cup]], in 1973, 1984, 2012, and 2014. McCoy Stadium also has the distinction of being home to the [[longest professional baseball game]] ever played – 33 innings.
The [[Pawtucket Red Sox]] baseball team was a [[Triple-A (baseball)|Triple-A]] [[International League]] affiliate of the [[Boston Red Sox]] from 1973 to 2020. They played at [[McCoy Stadium]] in [[Pawtucket, Rhode Island|Pawtucket]] and had won four league titles, the [[Governors' Cup]], in 1973, 1984, 2012, and 2014. McCoy Stadium also has the distinction of being home to the [[longest professional baseball game]] ever played – 33 innings.


The [[Providence Reds]] were a hockey team that played in the Canadian-American Hockey League (CAHL) between 1926 and 1936 and the American Hockey League (AHL) from 1936 to 1977, the last season of which they played as the Rhode Island Reds. The team won the Calder Cup in 1938, 1940, 1949, and 1956. The Reds played at the Rhode Island Auditorium, located on North Main Street in Providence, Rhode Island from 1926 through 1972, when the team affiliated with the New York Rangers and moved into the newly built Providence Civic Center. The team name came from the rooster known as the Rhode Island Red. They moved to New York in 1977, then to [[Connecticut]] in 1997, and are now called the [[Hartford Wolf Pack]].
The [[Providence Reds]] were a hockey team that played in the Canadian-American Hockey League (CAHL) between 1926 and 1936 and the American Hockey League (AHL) from 1936 to 1977, the last season of which they played as the Rhode Island Reds. The team won the Calder Cup in 1938, 1940, 1949, and 1956. The Reds played at the Rhode Island Auditorium, on North Main Street in Providence, Rhode Island from 1926 through 1972, when the team affiliated with the New York Rangers and moved into the newly built Providence Civic Center. The team name came from the rooster known as the Rhode Island Red. They moved to New York in 1977, then to [[Connecticut]] in 1997, and are now called the [[Hartford Wolf Pack]].


The Reds are the oldest continuously operating minor-league hockey franchise in North America, having fielded a team in one form or another since 1926 in the CAHL. It is also the only AHL franchise to have never missed a season. The AHL returned to Providence in 1992 in the form of the Providence Bruins.
The Reds are the oldest continuously operating minor-league hockey franchise in North America, having fielded a team in one form or another since 1926 in the CAHL. It is also the only AHL franchise to have never missed a season. The AHL returned to Providence in 1992 in the form of the Providence Bruins.


[[File:1884grays.jpg|thumb|1884 Baseball Champion Providence Grays]]
[[File:1884grays.jpg|thumb|1884 Baseball Champion Providence Grays]]
Before the great expansion of athletic teams all over the country, Providence and Rhode Island in general played a great role in supporting teams. The [[Providence Grays]] won the first World Championship in baseball history in 1884. The team played their home games at the old Messer Street Field in Providence. The Grays played in the National League from 1878 to 1885. They defeated the New York Metropolitans of the American Association in a best of five-game series at the Polo Grounds in New York. Providence won three straight games to become the first champions in major league baseball history. [[Babe Ruth]] played for the minor league Providence Grays of 1914 and hit his only official minor league home run for that team before being recalled by the Grays' parent club, the [[Boston Red Sox|Boston Red Stockings]].
Before the great expansion of athletic teams all over the country, Providence and Rhode Island in general played a great role in supporting teams. The [[Providence Grays]] won the first World Championship in baseball history in 1884. The team played their home games at the old Messer Street Field in Providence. The Grays played in the National League from 1878 to 1885. They defeated the New York Metropolitans of the American Association in a best of five-game series at the Polo Grounds in New York. Providence won three straight games to become the first champions in major league baseball history. [[Babe Ruth]] played for the minor league Providence Grays of 1914 and hit his only official minor league home run for them before the Grays' parent club, the [[Boston Red Sox|Boston Red Stockings]], recalled him.


The now-defunct professional football team the [[Providence Steam Roller]] won the 1928 NFL title. They played in a 10,000 person stadium called the Cycledrome.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1921-1930#1928 |title=NFL History by Decade |work=Nfl.com |access-date=January 26, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410134638/http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1921-1930 |archive-date=April 10, 2016 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The [[Providence Steamrollers]] played in the [[Basketball Association of America]] which became the [[National Basketball Association]].
The now-defunct professional football team the [[Providence Steam Roller]] won the 1928 NFL title. They played in a 10,000 person stadium called the Cycledrome.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1921-1930#1928 |title=NFL History by Decade |work=Nfl.com |access-date=January 26, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160410134638/http://www.nfl.com/history/chronology/1921-1930 |archive-date=April 10, 2016 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> The [[Providence Steamrollers]] played in the [[Basketball Association of America]] which became the [[National Basketball Association]].
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The [[First Baptist Church in America|First Baptist Church of Providence]] is the oldest Baptist church in the Americas, founded by Roger Williams in 1638.
The [[First Baptist Church in America|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 located in Providence. There are many historic mansions in the seaside city of Newport, including [[The Breakers]], [[Marble House]], and [[Belcourt Castle]]. Also located there is 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 that were 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 presently houses the [[International Tennis Hall of Fame]] and features an active grass-court tennis club.
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 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 the [[International Tennis Hall of Fame]] and features an active grass-court tennis club.
[[File:The_Towers,_Narragansett_Pier_RI.jpg|thumb|[[The Towers (Narragansett, Rhode Island)|The Towers]] are a [[Narragansett, Rhode Island|Narragansett]] landmark]]
[[File:The_Towers,_Narragansett_Pier_RI.jpg|thumb|[[The Towers (Narragansett, Rhode Island)|The Towers]] are a [[Narragansett, Rhode Island|Narragansett]] landmark]]
[[Rhode Island Route 1A|Scenic Route 1A]] (known locally as Ocean Road) is in [[Narragansett, Rhode Island|Narragansett]]. "[[The Towers (Narragansett, Rhode Island)|The Towers]]" is also located 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 a tourist information center.
[[Rhode Island Route 1A|Scenic Route 1A]] (known locally as Ocean Road) is in [[Narragansett, Rhode Island|Narragansett]]. "[[The Towers (Narragansett, Rhode Island)|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 a tourist information center.


The [[Newport Tower (Rhode Island)|Newport Tower]] has been hypothesized to be of [[Viking]] origin, although most experts believe that it was a Colonial-era windmill.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://newporttowermuseum.com/styled-4/index.html |title=Who built the Newport Tower? |website=Newport Tower Museum |access-date=September 28, 2016}}</ref>
The [[Newport Tower (Rhode Island)|Newport Tower]] has been hypothesized to be of [[Viking]] origin, although most experts believe it was a Colonial-era windmill.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://newporttowermuseum.com/styled-4/index.html |title=Who built the Newport Tower? |website=Newport Tower Museum |access-date=September 28, 2016}}</ref>


==Notable people==
==Notable people==

Revision as of 20:34, 5 May 2021

Rhode Island
State of Rhode Island
Nickname(s)
The Ocean State
Little Rhody[1]
Motto
Hope
Anthem: "Rhode Island's It for Me"
Map of the United States with Rhode Island highlighted
Map of the United States with Rhode Island highlighted
CountryUnited States
Before statehoodColony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Admitted to the UnionMay 29, 1790 (13th)
Capital
(and largest city)
Providence
Largest metro and urban areasGreater Providence
Government
 • GovernorDaniel McKee (D)
 • Lieutenant governorSabina Matos (D)
LegislatureRhode Island General Assembly
 • Upper houseSenate
 • Lower houseHouse of Representatives
JudiciaryRhode Island Supreme Court
U.S. senatorsJack Reed (D)
Sheldon Whitehouse (D)
U.S. House delegation1: David Cicilline (D)
2: James Langevin (D) (list)
Area
 • Total
1,214[a][2] sq mi (3,144 km2)
 • Land1,045 sq mi (2,707 km2)
 • Water169 sq mi (438 km2)  13.9%
 • Rank50th
Dimensions
 • Length48 mi (77 km)
 • Width37 mi (60 km)
Elevation
200 ft (60 m)
Highest elevation812 ft (247 m)
Lowest elevation
(Atlantic Ocean[3])
0 ft (0 m)
Population
 (2020 Census Results)
 • Total
1,098,163[5]
 • Rank45th
 • Density1,006/sq mi (388/km2)
  • Rank2nd
 • Median household income
$63,870[6]
 • Income rank
16th
DemonymRhode Islander
Language
 • Official languageDe jure: None
De facto: English
Time zoneUTC-05:00 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-04:00 (EDT)
USPS abbreviation
RI
ISO 3166 codeUS-RI
Traditional abbreviationR.I.
Latitude41° 09′ N to 42° 01′ N
Longitude71° 07′ W to 71° 53′ W
Websitewww.ri.gov
  1. ^ Approximately 776,957 acres

Rhode Island (/ˌrd -/ , like road)[7][8], officially the State of Rhode Island, is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous (1,098,163[9] according to the 2020 census), but it is also the second-most densely populated behind New Jersey. The state takes its name from Rhode Island; however, most of the state is on the mainland. The state has land borders with Connecticut to the west, Massachusetts to the north and east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Island Sound. It also shares a small maritime border with New York.[10] Providence is the state capital and most populous city in Rhode Island.

On May 4, 1776, the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was the first of the Thirteen Colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown,[11] and it was the fourth state to ratify the Articles of Confederation, doing so on February 9, 1778.[12] The state boycotted the 1787 convention, which drew up the United States Constitution[13] and initially refused to ratify it;[14] it was the last of the original 13 states to do so, on May 29, 1790.[15][16]

Formerly named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations since its accession to the Union in 1790, voters in the state approved an amendment in November 2020 to the state constitution, renaming itself the State of Rhode Island. This change took effect when the results were certified on November 30, 2020.[17][18] Rhode Island's official nickname is the "Ocean State", a reference to the large bays and inlets that amount to about 14% of its total area.[2]

Name

Origins of the name

Despite its name, most of Rhode Island is on the mainland of the United States. Prior to 2020, the state's official name was State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, which is derived from the merger of four Colonial settlements. The settlements of Newport and Portsmouth were situated on what is commonly called Aquidneck Island today but was called Rhode Island in Colonial times.[19][20] Providence Plantation was the name of the colony founded by Roger Williams in the state's capital of Providence.[21] This was adjoined by the settlement of Warwick; hence the plural Providence Plantations.

It is unclear how the island came to be named Rhode Island, but two historical events may have been of influence:

  • Explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano noted the presence of an island near the mouth of Narragansett Bay in 1524 which he likened to the island of Rhodes off the coast of Greece.[22] Subsequent European explorers were unable to precisely identify the island Verrazzano described, but the colonists who settled the area assumed it was this island.[23]
  • Adriaen Block passed by the island during his expeditions in the 1610s, and he described it in a 1625 account of his travels as "an island of reddish appearance," which was "een rodlich Eylande" in 17th-century Dutch, meaning a red or reddish island, supposedly evolving into the designation Rhode Island.[24][25] Historians have theorized this "reddish appearance" resulted from either red autumn foliage or red clay on portions of the shore.[26]

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.[27][28] Dutch maps as early as 1659 call the island "Red Island" (Roodt Eylant).[citation needed]

Attempts to change the name

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. However, in 1643, he petitioned Charles I of England to grant Providence and neighboring towns a colonial patent, due to threats of invasion from the colonies of Boston and Plymouth.[29] He used the name "Providence Plantations" in his petition, plantation being the English term for a colony. "Providence Plantations" was therefore the official name of the colony from 1643 to 1663, when a new charter was issued.[30] In 1790, following the American Revolution, the new state incorporated both "Rhode Island" and "Providence Plantations" becoming known as the "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations". 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 on June 25, 2009, to hold a general referendum scheduled for November 2010 determining whether "and Providence Plantations" would be dropped from the official name.

Advocates for excising plantation claimed the word symbolized an alleged 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 referendum election was held on November 2, 2010, and the people voted overwhelmingly (78% to 22%) to retain the entire original name.[31]

2020 referendum to change the name

On June 19, 2020, State Senator Harold Metts introduced a resolution for another ballot referendum on removing the words "and Providence Plantations" from the state's name, 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."[32] On June 22, 2020, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo issued an executive order to remove "Providence Plantations" from a range of official documents and state websites.[33] On July 16, 2020, 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. The vote was 69–1 in the House of Representatives[34] and 35–0 in the Senate.[35] The change was approved by voters 52.8% to 47.2% as part of the 2020 United States elections, and took effect upon final certification of the election results.[17][36]

History

Colonial era: 1636–1770

Roger Williams and Narragansett Indians

In 1636, Roger Williams 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",[37] and it became a place of religious freedom where all were welcome.

The congregation founded by Roger Williams in 1638 built this church in 1776.

In 1638 (after conferring with Williams), Anne Hutchinson, William Coddington, John Clarke, Philip Sherman, and other religious dissenters settled on Aquidneck Island (also known as Rhode Island), which was purchased from the local tribes who called it Pocasset. This settlement was called Portsmouth and 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 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.[38]

Metacomet was the Wampanoag tribe's war leader, whom 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.[37] 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.[39] In one of the final actions of the war, an Indian associated with Benjamin Church killed King Philip in Bristol, Rhode Island.[40]

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 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.[41] 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 the slave trade during the post-revolution era.[42] In 1774, the slave population of Rhode Island was 6.3% of the total (nearly twice the ratio of other New England colonies).[43][44]

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 but was the first college in America to accept students regardless of religious affiliation.[45]

Revolutionary to Civil War period: 1770–1860

National Park Service map of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route, which commenced in Rhode Island

Rhode Island's tradition of independence and dissent gave it 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 Gaspee, burning it to the waterline for enforcing unpopular trade regulations within Narragansett Bay.[46] Rhode Island was the first of the thirteen colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown on May 4, 1776.[47] It was also 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.[48]

During the Revolution, the British occupied Newport in December 1776. A combined Franco-American force fought to drive them off Aquidneck Island. Portsmouth 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.[49] 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.[50] The celebrated march to Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781 ended with the defeat of the British at the Siege of Yorktown and the Battle of the Chesapeake.

Providence's rapidly industrializing skyline in the mid-19th century

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 the second cotton mill in America, a water-powered textile mill. The Industrial Revolution moved large numbers of workers into the cities, creating a permanently landless class who were, therefore, by the law of the time, also voteless. By 1829, 60% of the state's free white males were ineligible to vote. Several attempts were unsuccessfully made to address this problem, and a new state constitution was passed in 1843 allowing landless men to vote if they could pay a $1 poll tax.

For the first several decades of statehood, Rhode Island was governed in accordance with the 1663 colonial charter. Voting rights were restricted to landowners holding at least $134 in property, disenfranchising well over half of the state's male citizens. The charter apportioned legislative seats equally among 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.[51] 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 a state constitution,[52] 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 the state.[53] Later that year, the legislature drafted a state constitution, removing property requirements for American-born citizens but keeping them in place for immigrants, and retaining urban under-representation in the legislature.[54]

In the early 19th century, Rhode Island was subject to a tuberculosis outbreak which led to public hysteria about vampirism.

Civil War

The United States Naval Academy was moved to Fort Adams in Newport during the Civil War

During 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.[citation needed] 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 the war.

In 1866, Rhode Island abolished racial segregation in the public schools throughout the state.[55]

Gilded Age

Interior of The Breakers, a Newport symbol of the Gilded Age

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 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.[56]

World War I

During World War I, Rhode Island furnished 28,817 soldiers, of whom 612 died. After the war, the state was hit hard by the Spanish Influenza.[57]

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.[58]

Growth in the modern era: 1929–present

Since the Great Depression, 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. 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 homelessness in Rhode Island.[59]

Providence in 2008

The 350th Anniversary of the founding of Rhode Island 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.

In 2003, a nightclub fire in West Warwick claimed 100 lives and resulted in nearly twice as many injured, catching national attention. The fire resulted in criminal sentences.[60]

In March 2010, areas of the state received record flooding due to rising rivers from heavy rain. The first period of rainy weather in mid-March caused localized flooding and, two weeks later, more rain caused more widespread flooding in many towns, especially south of Providence. Rain totals on March 29–30, 2010 exceeded 14 inches (35.5 cm) in many locales, resulting in the inundation of area rivers—especially the Pawtuxet River which runs through central Rhode Island. The overflow of the Pawtuxet River, nearly 11 feet (3 m) above flood stage, submerged a sewage treatment plant and closed a five-mile (8 km) stretch of Interstate 95. In addition, it flooded two shopping malls, numerous businesses, and many homes in the towns of Warwick, West Warwick, Cranston, and Westerly. Amtrak service was also suspended between New York and Boston during this period. Following the flood, Rhode Island was in a state of emergency for two days. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was called in to help flood victims.

Geography and climate

Terrain map of Rhode Island

Rhode Island covers an area of 1,214 square miles (3,144 km2) 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 the south by Rhode Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.[2] 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).[61]

Rhode Island 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.[62] 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 the Northeastern coastal forests ecoregion.[63]

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 the mainland and separates Block Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean proper.[64][65]

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.[66][67]

The Blackstone River Greenway in autumn, approximately one mile (1.6 km) south of the Martin St. Bridge

Most of Rhode Island has 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.[68] The lowest recorded temperature in Rhode Island was −23 °F (−31 °C) on February 5, 1996 in Greene.[69] Monthly average temperatures range from a high of 83 °F (28 °C) to a low of 20 °F (−7 °C).[70]

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 the 1938 New England hurricane, Hurricane Carol (1954), Hurricane Donna (1960), and Hurricane Bob (1991).

Government

Gubernatorial election results[71]
Year Democratic Republican
1950 59.3% 176,125 40.7% 120,683
1954 57.7% 189,595 41.7% 137,131
1958 49.1% 170,275 50.9% 176,505
1962 49.9% 163,554 50.1% 163,952
1966 36.7% 121,862 63.3% 210,202
1970 50.1% 173,420 49.5% 171,549
1974 78.5% 252,436 21.5% 69,224
1978 62.8% 197,386 30.7% 96,596
1982 73.3% 247,208 23.6% 79,602
1986 32.4% 104,504 64.7% 208,822
1990 74.1% 264,411 25.9% 92,177
1994 43.6% 157,361 47.4% 171,194
1998 42.1% 129,105 51.0% 156,180
2002 45.2% 150,229 54.7% 181,827
2006 49.0% 189,503 51.0% 197,306
2010 23.1% 78,896 33.6% 114,911
2014 40.7% 131,452 36.2% 117,106
2018 52.6% 198,122 37.2% 139,932
Presidential election results[71]
Year Democratic Republican
1952 49.1% 203,293 50.9% 210,935
1956 41.7% 161,790 58.3% 225,819
1960 63.6% 258,032 36.4% 147,502
1964 80.9% 315,463 19.1% 74,615
1968 64.0% 246,518 31.8% 122,359
1972 46.8% 194,645 53.0% 220,383
1976 55.4% 227,636 44.1% 181,249
1980 47.7% 198,342 37.2% 154,793
1984 48.0% 197,106 51.7% 212,080
1988 55.6% 225,123 43.9% 177,761
1992 47.0% 213,299 29.0% 131,601
1996 59.7% 233,050 26.8% 104,683
2000 61.0% 249,508 31.9% 130,555
2004 59.4% 259,760 38.7% 169,046
2008 62.9% 296,571 35.1% 165,391
2012 62.7% 279,677 35.2% 157,204
2016 54.4% 252,525 38.9% 180,543
2020 59.6% 306,192 38.9% 199,830

The capital of Rhode Island is Providence. The state's governor is Daniel McKee (D), and the lieutenant governor is vacant. Gina Raimondo became Rhode Island's first female governor with a plurality of the vote in the November 2014 state elections.[72] Its United States senators are Jack Reed (D) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D). Rhode Island's two United States representatives are David Cicilline (D-1) and Jim Langevin (D-2). See congressional districts map. Rhode Island is one of a few states that do not have an official governor's residence. See List of Rhode Island Governors.

The state legislature is the Rhode Island General Assembly, consisting of the 75-member House of Representatives and the 38-member Senate. The Democratic Party dominates both houses of the bicameral body; the Republican Party's presence is minor in the state government, with Republicans holding a handful of seats in both the Senate and House of Representatives.

Elections

Treemap of the popular vote by county, 2016 presidential election

Rhode Island's population barely crosses the threshold beyond the minimum of three for additional votes in both the federal House of Representatives and Electoral College; it is well represented relative to its population, with the eighth-highest number of electoral votes and second-highest number of House Representatives per resident. Based on its area, Rhode Island has the highest density of electoral votes of any state.[73]

Federally, Rhode Island is a reliably Democratic state during presidential elections, usually supporting the Democratic presidential nominee. The state voted for the Republican presidential candidate until 1908. Since then, it has voted for the Republican nominee for president seven times, and the Democratic nominee 17 times. The last 16 presidential elections in Rhode Island have resulted in the Democratic Party winning the Ocean State's Electoral College votes 12 times. In the 1980 presidential election, Rhode Island was one of six states to vote against Republican Ronald Reagan. Reagan was the last Republican to win any of the state's counties in a Presidential election until Donald Trump won Kent County in 2016. In 1988, George H. W. Bush won over 40% of the state's popular vote, something no Republican has done since.

#DCDCDC #3333FF #E81B23
Party registration as of February 2021[74]
Party Total voters Percentage
Unaffiliated 348,569 43.18%
Democratic 346,320 42.90%
Republican 112,334 13.92%
Total 807,223 100%

Rhode Island was the Democrats' leading state in 1988 and 2000, and second-best in 1968, 1996, and 2004. Rhode Island's most one-sided Presidential election result was in 1964, with over 80% of Rhode Island's votes going for Lyndon B. Johnson. In 2004, Rhode Island gave John Kerry more than a 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 exceptions were East Greenwich, West Greenwich, and Scituate.[75] In 2008, Rhode Island gave Barack Obama a 28-percentage-point margin of victory (the third-highest of any state), with 63% of its vote. All but one of Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns voted for the Democratic candidate (the exception being Scituate).[76]

Legislation and taxes

Rhode Island is one of 21 states that have abolished capital punishment; it was second do so, just after Michigan, and carried out its last execution in the 1840s. Rhode Island was the second to last state to make prostitution illegal. Until November 2009 Rhode Island law made prostitution legal provided it took place indoors.[77] In a 2009 study Rhode Island was listed as the 9th safest state in the country.[78]

In 2011, Rhode Island became the third state in the United States to pass legislation to allow the use of medical marijuana. Additionally, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed legislation that allowed civil unions which Governor Lincoln Chafee signed into law on July 2, 2011. Rhode Island became the eighth state to fully recognize either same-sex marriage or civil unions.[79] Same-sex marriage became legal on May 2, 2013, and took effect August 1.[80]

Rhode Island has some of the highest taxes in the country, particularly its property taxes, ranking seventh in local and state taxes, and sixth in real estate taxes.[81]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
179068,825
180069,1220.4%
181076,93111.3%
182083,0598.0%
183097,19917.0%
1840108,83012.0%
1850147,54535.6%
1860174,62018.4%
1870217,35324.5%
1880276,53127.2%
1890345,50624.9%
1900428,55624.0%
1910542,61026.6%
1920604,39711.4%
1930687,49713.7%
1940713,3463.8%
1950791,89611.0%
1960859,4888.5%
1970946,72510.1%
1980947,1540.0%
19901,003,4645.9%
20001,048,3194.5%
20101,052,5670.4%
20201,097,3794.3%
Source: 1910–2020[82]
Rhode Island population density map

The United States Census Bureau estimates Rhode Island's population was 1,059,361 on July 1, 2019, a 0.65% increase since the 2010 United States Census.[83] The center of population of Rhode Island is in Providence County, in the city of Cranston.[84] A corridor of population can be seen from the Providence area, stretching northwest following the Blackstone River to Woonsocket, where 19th-century mills drove industry and development.

According to the 2010 Census, 81.4% of the population was White (76.4% non-Hispanic white), 5.7% was Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.9% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 3.3% from two or more races. 12.4% of the total population was of Hispanic or Latino origin (they may be of any race).[85]

Rhode Island racial breakdown of population
Racial composition 1970[86] 1990[86] 2000[87] 2010[88]
White 96.6% 91.4% 85.0% 81.4%
Black 2.7% 3.9% 4.5% 5.7%
Asian 0.4% 1.8% 2.3% 2.9%
Native 0.1% 0.4% 0.5% 0.6%
Native Hawaiian and
other Pacific Islander
0.1% 0.1%
Other race 0.2% 2.5% 5.0% 6.1%
Two or more races 2.7% 3.3%

Of the people residing in Rhode Island, 58.7% were born in Rhode Island, 26.6% were born in a different state, 2.0% were born in Puerto Rico, U.S. Island areas or born abroad to American parent(s), and 12.6% were foreign born.[89]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2015, Rhode Island had an estimated population of 1,056,298, which is an increase of 1,125, or 0.10%, from the prior year and an increase of 3,731, or 0.35%, since the year 2010. 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.

Hispanics in the state make up 12.8% of the population, predominantly Dominican, Puerto Rican, and Guatemalan populations.[90]

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 84% of the population aged 5 and older spoke only American English, while 8.07% spoke Spanish at home, 3.80% Portuguese, 1.96% French, 1.39% Italian and 0.78% speak other languages at home accordingly.[91]

The state's most populous ethnic group, non-Hispanic white, has declined from 96.1% in 1970 to 76.5% in 2011.[92][93] In 2011, 40.3% of Rhode Island's children under the age of one belonged to racial or ethnic minority groups, meaning they had at least one parent who was not non-Hispanic white.[94]

6.1% of Rhode Island's population were reported as under 5, 23.6% under 18, and 14.5% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 52% of the population.

According to the 2010–2015 American Community Survey, the largest ancestry groups were Irish (18.3%), Italian (18.0%), English (10.5%), French (10.4%), and Portuguese (9.3%).[95]

Rhode Island has a higher percentage of Americans of Portuguese ancestry, including Portuguese Americans and Cape Verdean Americans than any other state in the nation. Additionally, the state also has the highest percentage of Liberian immigrants, with more than 15,000 residing in the state.[96] Italian Americans make up a plurality in central and southern Providence County and French-Canadian Americans form a large part of northern Providence County. Irish Americans have a strong presence in Newport and Kent counties. Americans of English ancestry still have a presence in the state as well, especially in Washington County, and are often referred to as "Swamp Yankees." African immigrants, including Cape Verdean Americans, Liberian Americans, Nigerian Americans and Ghanaian Americans, form significant and growing communities in Rhode Island.

Although Rhode Island has the smallest land area of all 50 states, it has the second highest population density of any state in the Union, second to that of New Jersey.

Birth data

Live Births by Race/Ethnicity of Mother
Race 2013[97] 2014[98] 2015[99] 2016[100] 2017[101] 2018[102] 2019[103]
White: 8,672 (80.2%) 8,734 (80.7%) 8,824 (80.3%) ... ... ... ...
Non-Hispanic White 6,572 (60.8%) 6,573 (60.7%) 6,702 (61.0%) 6,338 (58.7%) 6,142 (57.7%) 6,008 (57.2%) 5,564 (54.7%)
Black 1,411 (13.0%) 1,365 (12.6%) 1,392 (12.7%) 784 (7.3%) 776 (7.3%) 783 (7.5%) 836 (8.2%)
Asian 598 (5.5%) 594 (5.5%) 639 (5.8%) 565 (5.2%) 542 (5.1%) 519 (4.9%) 496 (4.9%)
American Indian 128 (1.2%) 130 (1.2%) 138 (1.2%) 63 (0.6%) 51 (0.5%) 41 (0.4%) 46 (0.4%)
Hispanic (of any race) 2,453 (22.7%) 2,585 (23.9%) 2,622 (23.8%) 2,684 (24.8%) 2,760 (25.9%) 2,756 (26.2%) 2,921 (28.7%)
Total Rhode Island 10,809 (100%) 10,823 (100%) 10,993 (100%) 10,798 (100%) 10,638 (100%) 10,506 (100%) 10,175 (100%)
  • Since 2016, data for births of White Hispanic origin are not collected, but included in one Hispanic group; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

Religion

Religious affiliation (2014)[104][105]
Christian
75%
Catholic
42%
Protestant
30%
Other Christian
3%
Unaffiliated
20%
Jewish
1%
Hindu
1%
Buddhist
1%
Other faiths
2%

A Pew survey of Rhode Island residents' religious self-identification showed the following distribution of affiliations: Catholic 42%, Protestant 30%, Jewish 1%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, Buddhism 1%, Mormonism 1%, Hinduism 1%, and Non-religious 20%.[104] The largest denominations are the Catholic Church with 456,598 adherents, the Episcopal Church with 19,377, the American Baptist Churches USA with 15,220, and the United Methodist Church with 6,901 adherents.[106]

Rhode Island has the highest proportion of Catholic residents of any state,[107] mainly due to large Irish, Italian, and French-Canadian immigration in the past; recently, significant Portuguese and various Hispanic communities have also been established in the state. Though it has the highest overall Catholic percentage of any state, none of Rhode Island's individual counties ranks among the 10 most Catholic in the United States, as Catholics are evenly spread throughout the state.

Touro Synagogue in Newport is the oldest existing synagogue building in the United States

Rhode Island's Jewish community, centered in the Providence area, emerged during a wave of Jewish immigration predominantly from Eastern Europeans shtetls between 1880 and 1920. The presence of the Touro Synagogue in Newport, the oldest existing synagogue in the United States, emphasizes that these second-wave immigrants did not create Rhode Island's first Jewish community; a comparatively smaller wave of Spanish and Portuguese Jews immigrated to Newport during the colonial era.

Cities and towns

Rhode Island is divided into five counties but it has no county governments. The entire state is divided into municipalities, which handle all local government affairs.

There are 39 cities and towns in Rhode Island. Major population centers today result from historical factors; development took place predominantly along 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 18 largest municipalities ranked by population are[108] :

  1. Providence (180,393)
  2. Warwick (82,672)
  3. Cranston (80,387)
  4. Pawtucket (72,001)
  5. East Providence (47,600)
  6. Woonsocket (41,759)
  7. Coventry (34,933)
  8. Cumberland (34,927)
  9. North Providence (32,511)
  10. South Kingstown (30,788)
  11. Johnston (29,332)
  12. West Warwick (28,626)
  13. North Kingstown (26,160)
  14. Newport (24,942)
  15. Westerly (22,567)
  16. Bristol (22,290)
  17. Lincoln (21,863)
  18. Smithfield (21,767)

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 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.[109]

Economy

The Rhode Island economy had a colonial base in fishing.

Slater Mill in Pawtucket is cited as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in the United States

The Blackstone River Valley was a major contributor to the American Industrial Revolution. It was in Pawtucket that Samuel Slater set up Slater Mill in 1793,[110] 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 southern U.S. states. The textile industry still constitutes a part of the Rhode Island economy but does not have the same power.

Other important industries in Rhode Island's past included toolmaking, costume jewelry, and silverware. An interesting by-product of Rhode Island's industrial history is the number of abandoned factories, many of which are now condominiums, museums, offices, and low-income and elderly housing. Today, much of Rhode Island's economy is based on services, particularly healthcare and education, and still manufacturing to some extent.[111][112] The state's nautical history continues in the 21st century in the form of nuclear submarine construction.

Per the 2013 American Communities Survey, Rhode Island has the highest paid elementary school teachers in the country, with an average salary of $75,028 (adjusted to inflation).[113]

Textron's headquarters in Downtown Providence

The headquarters of Citizens Financial Group, the 14th largest bank in the United States, is in Providence.[114] The Fortune 500 companies CVS Caremark and Textron are based in Woonsocket and Providence, respectively. FM Global, GTECH Corporation, Hasbro, American Power Conversion, Nortek, and Amica Mutual Insurance are all Fortune 1000 companies based in Rhode Island.[115]

Rhode Island's 2000 total gross state production was $46.18 billion (adjusted to inflation), placing it 45th in the nation. Its 2000 per capita personal income was $41,484 (adjusted to inflation), 16th in the nation. Rhode Island has the lowest level of energy consumption per capita of any state.[116][117][118] Additionally, Rhode Island is rated as the 5th most energy efficient state in the country.[119][120] In December 2012, the state's unemployment rate was 10.2%.[121] This has gradually reduced to 3.5% in November 2019, however, the coronavirus pandemic brought the unemployment rate to a high of 18.1% in April 2020. This has since reduced to 10.5% in September 2020 and is projected to further decrease to 7% in October 2020.[122][123]

Health services are Rhode Island's largest industry. Second is tourism, supporting 39,000 jobs, with tourism-related sales at $4.56 billion (adjusted to inflation) in the year 2000. The third-largest industry is manufacturing.[124] Its industrial outputs are submarine construction, shipbuilding, costume jewelry, fabricated metal products, electrical equipment, machinery, and boatbuilding. Rhode Island's agricultural outputs are nursery stock, vegetables, dairy products, and eggs.

Rhode Island's taxes were appreciably higher than neighboring states,[81] because Rhode Island's income tax was based on 25% of the payer's federal income tax payment.[125] Former Governor Donald Carcieri claimed the higher tax rate had an inhibitory effect on business growth in the state and called for reductions to increase the competitiveness of the state's business environment. In 2010, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed a new state income tax structure that Governor Carcieri signed into law on June 9, 2010.[126] The income tax overhaul has made Rhode Island competitive with other New England states by lowering its maximum tax rate to 5.99% and reducing the number of tax brackets to three.[127] The state's first income tax was enacted in 1971.[128]

Largest employers

As of March 2011, Rhode Island's largest employers (excluding employees of municipalities) are:[129]

Rank Employer Employees Notes
1 State of Rhode Island 14,904 Full-time equivalents
2 Lifespan Hospital Group 11,869 Rhode Island Hospital (7,024 employees), The Miriam Hospital (2,410), Newport Hospital (919), Emma Pendleton Bradley Hospital (800), Lifespan Corporate Services (580), Newport Alliance Newport (68), Lifespan MSO (53), and Home Medical (15)
3 U.S. federal government 11,581 Excludes 3,000 active duty military personnel and 7,000 reservists, but includes 250 employees of the Naval War College.
4 Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence 6,200
5 Care New England 5,953 Employees at: Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island (3,134), Kent County Memorial Hospital (1,850), Butler Hospital (800), VNA of Care New England (140), and Care New England (29)
6 CVS Caremark 5,800 The corporate headquarters are at Woonsocket (5,630 employees). The corporation also has 170 employees at Pharmacare
7 Citizens Financial Group 4,991 The corporate headquarters are in Johnston.
8 Brown University 4,800 Excludes student employees.
9 Stop & Shop Supermarket
(subsidiary of Ahold)
3,632
10 Bank of America 3,500
11 Fidelity Investments 2,934 2,434 employees in Smithfield and 500 in Providence
12 Rhode Island ARC 2,851 Employees at James L. Maher Center (700), The Homestead Group (650), Cranston Arc (374), The ARC of Blackstone Valley (350), Kent County ARC (500), The Fogarty Center (225), and Westerly Chariho, ARC (52)
13 MetLife Insurance Co. 2,604
14 General Dynamics Corp. 2,243 2,200 employees at General Dynamics Electric Boat in North Kingstown, and 43 employees at General Dynamics Information Technology – Newport in Middletown adjacent to the Naval Undersea Warfare Center[130]
15 University of Rhode Island 2,155
16 Wal-Mart 2,078
17 The Jan Companies 2,050 Employees at Jan-Co Burger King (1,500) (Burger King franchiser); Newport Creamery, LLC (400), Quidnessett Country Club (100), and The Country Inn (50)
18 Shaw's Supermarkets
(subsidiary of Albertsons LLC)
1,900
19 St. Joseph Health Services and Hospitals of Rhode Island/CharterCARE Health Partners 1,865 Employees at Our Lady of Fatima Hospital (1,343) and St. Joseph Hospital for Specialty Care (522)
20 The Home Depot, Inc. 1,780

Transportation

Bus

A RIPTA bus at Kennedy Plaza in 2008.

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) operates statewide intra- and intercity bus transport from its hubs at Kennedy Plaza in Providence, Pawtucket, and Newport. RIPTA bus routes serve 38 of Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns. (New Shoreham on Block Island is not served). RIPTA operates 58 routes, including daytime trolley service (using trolley-style replica buses) in Providence and Newport.

Ferry

From 2000 through 2008, RIPTA offered seasonal ferry service linking Providence and Newport (already connected by highway) funded by grant money from the United States Department of Transportation. Though the service was popular with residents and tourists, RIPTA was unable to continue after the federal funding ended. Service was discontinued as of 2010.[131] The service resumed in 2016 and has been successful. The privately run Block Island Ferry[132] links Block Island with Newport and Narragansett with traditional and fast-ferry service, while the Prudence Island Ferry[133] connects Bristol with Prudence Island. Private ferry services also link several Rhode Island communities with ports in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York. The Vineyard Fast Ferry[134] offers seasonal service to Martha's Vineyard from Quonset Point with bus and train connections to Providence, Boston, and New York. Viking Fleet[135] offers seasonal service from Block Island to New London, Connecticut, and Montauk, New York.

Rail

The MBTA Commuter Rail's Providence/Stoughton Line links Providence and T. F. Green Airport with Boston. The line was later extended southward to Wickford Junction, with service beginning April 23, 2012. The state hopes to extend the MBTA line to Kingston and Westerly, as well as explore the possibility of extending Connecticut's Shore Line East to T.F. Green Airport.[136] Amtrak's Acela Express stops at Providence Station (the only Acela stop in Rhode Island), linking Providence to other cities in the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak's Northeast Regional service makes stops at Providence Station, Kingston, and Westerly.

Aviation

Rhode Island's primary airport for passenger and cargo transport is T. F. Green Airport in Warwick, though most Rhode Islanders who wish to travel internationally on direct flights and those who seek a greater availability of flights and destinations often fly through Logan International Airport in Boston.

Limited access highways

The Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge (foreground) and Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge (background)

Interstate 95 (I-95) runs southwest to northeast across the state, linking Rhode Island with other states along the East Coast. I-295 functions as a partial beltway encircling Providence to the west. I-195 provides a limited-access highway connection from Providence (and Connecticut and New York via I-95) to Cape Cod. Initially built as the easternmost link in the (now cancelled) extension of I-84 from Hartford, Connecticut, a portion of U.S. Route 6 (US 6) through northern Rhode Island is limited-access and links I-295 with downtown Providence.

Several Rhode Island highways extend the state's limited-access highway network. Route 4 is a major north–south freeway linking Providence and Warwick (via I-95) with suburban and beach communities along Narragansett Bay. Route 10 is an urban connector linking downtown Providence with Cranston and Johnston. Route 37 is an important east–west freeway through Cranston and Warwick and links I-95 with I-295. Route 99 links Woonsocket with Providence (via Route 146). Route 146 travels through the Blackstone Valley, linking Providence and I-95 with Worcester, Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Turnpike. Route 403 links Route 4 with Quonset Point.

Several bridges cross Narragansett Bay connecting Aquidneck Island and Conanicut Island to the mainland, most notably the Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge and the Jamestown-Verrazano Bridge.

Bicycle paths

The East Bay Bike Path in Riverside

The East Bay Bike Path stretches from Providence to Bristol along the eastern shore of Narragansett Bay, while the Blackstone River Bikeway will eventually link Providence and Worcester. In 2011, Rhode Island completed work on a marked on-road bicycle path through Pawtucket and Providence, connecting the East Bay Bike Path with the Blackstone River Bikeway, completing a 33.5 miles (54 km) bicycle route through the eastern side of the state.[137] The William C. O'Neill Bike Path (commonly known as the South County Bike Path) is an 8 mi (13 km) path through South Kingstown and Narragansett. The 19 mi (31 km) Washington Secondary Bike Path stretches from Cranston to Coventry, and the 2 mi (3.2 km) Ten Mile River Greenway path runs through East Providence and Pawtucket.

Future

In late 2019, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority released a draft of the Rhode Island Transit Master Plan, documenting and describing a variety of proposed improvements and additions to be made to the state's public transit network by 2040. Several different proposals were offered and still under consideration as of December 2020,[138] including implementation of a bus rapid transit system, express bus routes, expansion of Amtrak and MBTA services throughout the state, and construction of a new light rail network through downtown Providence.[138][139]

Environmental legislation

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 the roads by 2025. The goal of the plan is to reduce greenhouse gas and smog-causing emissions. The Action Plan covers promoting zero emission vehicles and investing in the infrastructure to support them.[140]

In 2014, Rhode Island received grants from the Environmental Protection Agency in the amount of $2,711,685 to clean up Brownfield sites in eight locations. The intent of the grants was to provide communities with the funding necessary to assess, clean up, and redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies, and leverage jobs while protecting public health and the environment.[141]

In 2013, the "Lots of Hope" program 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. "Lots of Hope", supported by a $100,000 grant, 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.[142]

In 2012, Rhode Island passed bill S2277/H7412, "An act relating to Health and Safety – Environmental Cleanup Objectives for Schools", informally known as the "School Siting Bill." The bill, sponsored by Senator Juan Pichardo and Representative Scott Slater and signed into law by the Governor, made Rhode Island the first state in the US to prohibit school construction on Brownfield Sites where there is an ongoing potential for toxic vapors to negatively impact 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.[143]

Media

Education

University Hall at Brown University is one of the oldest academic buildings in the United States.

Primary and secondary schools

Colleges and universities

Rhode Island has several colleges and universities:

Culture

Local accent

Some Rhode Islanders speak with the distinctive, non-rhotic, traditional Rhode Island accent linguists describe as a cross between New York City and Boston accents (e.g., "water" sounds like "watuh" [ˈwɔəɾə]).[144] Many Rhode Islanders distinguish a strong aw sound [ɔə] (i.e., resist the cot–caught merger of Boston) much like one might hear in New Jersey or New York City; for example, the word coffee is pronounced [ˈkʰɔəfi].[145] Rhode Islanders sometimes refer to drinking fountains as "bubblers", milkshakes as "cabinets", and overstuffed foot-long sandwiches (of whatever kind) as "grinders".[146]

Food and beverages

Rhode Island, like the rest of New England, has a tradition of clam chowder. Both the white New England and the red Manhattan varieties are popular, but there is also a unique clear-broth chowder known as Rhode Island Clam Chowder available in many restaurants. A culinary tradition in Rhode Island is the clam cake (also known as a clam fritter outside of Rhode Island), a deep fried ball of buttery dough with chopped bits of clam inside. They are sold by the half-dozen or dozen in most seafood restaurants around the state, and the quintessential summer meal in Rhode Island is chowder and clam cakes.

The quahog is a large local clam usually used in a chowder. It is also ground and mixed with stuffing or spicy minced sausage, and then baked in its shell to form a stuffie. Calamari (squid) is sliced into rings and fried as an appetizer in most Italian restaurants, typically served Sicilian-style with sliced banana peppers and marinara sauce on the side. (In 2014, calamari became the official state appetizer.[147]) Clams Casino originated in Rhode Island, invented by Julius Keller, the maitre d' in the original Casino next to the seaside Towers in Narragansett.[148] Clams Casino resemble the beloved stuffed quahog but are generally made with the smaller littleneck or cherrystone clam and are unique in their use of bacon as a topping.

The official state drink of Rhode Island is coffee milk,[149] a beverage created by mixing milk with coffee syrup. This unique syrup was invented in the state and is sold in almost all Rhode Island supermarkets, as well as its bordering states. Johnnycakes have been a Rhode Island staple since Colonial times, made with corn meal and water then pan-fried much like pancakes.

Submarine sandwiches are called grinders throughout Rhode Island, and the Italian grinder, made with cold cuts such as ham, prosciutto, capicola, salami, and Provolone cheese, is especially popular Linguiça or chouriço is a spicy Portuguese sausage that the state's large Portuguese community often serves with peppers and eats with hearty bread.

Rhode Island state symbols

Symbols

The Farrelly brothers and Seth MacFarlane depict Rhode Island in popular culture, often making comedic parodies of the state. MacFarlane's television series Family Guy is based in a fictional Rhode Island city named Quahog, and notable local events and celebrities are regularly lampooned. Peter Griffin is seen working at the Pawtucket brewery, and other state locations are mentioned.

The movie High Society (starring Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, and Frank Sinatra) was set in Newport, Rhode Island.

The 1974 film adaptation of The Great Gatsby was also filmed in Newport.

Jacqueline Bouvier and John F. Kennedy were married at St. Mary's church in Newport. Their reception was took place at Hammersmith Farm, the Bouvier summer home in Newport.

Cartoonist Don Bousquet, a state icon, has made a career out of Rhode Island culture, drawing Rhode Island-themed gags in The Providence Journal and Yankee magazine. These cartoons have been reprinted in the Quahog series of paperbacks (I Brake for Quahogs, Beware of the Quahog, and The Quahog Walks Among Us.) Bousquet has also collaborated with humorist and Providence Journal columnist Mark Patinkin on two books: The Rhode Island Dictionary and The Rhode Island Handbook.

The 1998 film Meet Joe Black was filmed at Aldrich Mansion in the Warwick Neck area of Warwick.

Body of Proof's first season was filmed entirely in Rhode Island.[150] The show premiered on March 29, 2011.[151]

The 2007 Steve Carell and Dane Cook film Dan in Real Life was filmed in various coastal towns in the state. The sunset scene with the entire family on the beach takes place at Napatree Point.

Jersey Shore star Pauly D filmed part of his spin-off The Pauly D Project in his hometown of Johnston.

The Comedy Central cable television series Another Period is set in Newport during the Gilded Age.

Notable firsts in Rhode Island

Rhode Island has been the first in a number of initiatives. The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations enacted the first law prohibiting slavery in America on May 18, 1652.[152]

The first act of armed rebellion in America against the British Crown was the boarding and burning of the Revenue Schooner Gaspee in Narragansett Bay on June 10, 1772. The idea of a Continental Congress was first proposed at a town meeting in Providence on May 17, 1774. Rhode Island elected the first delegates (Stephen Hopkins and Samuel Ward) to the Continental Congress on June 15, 1774. The Rhode Island General Assembly created the first standing army in the colonies (1,500 men) on April 22, 1775. On June 15, 1775, the first naval engagement took place in the American Revolution between an American sloop commanded by Capt. Abraham Whipple and an armed tender of the British Frigate Rose. The tender was chased aground and captured. Later in June, the General Assembly created the American Navy when it commissioned the sloops Katy and Washington, armed with 24 guns and commanded by Abraham Whipple who was promoted to Commodore. Rhode Island was the first Colony to declare independence from Britain on May 4, 1776.[152]

Slater Mill in Pawtucket was the first commercially successful cotton-spinning mill with a fully mechanized power system in America and was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in the US.[153] The oldest Fourth of July parade in the country is still held annually in Bristol, Rhode Island. The first Baptist church in America was founded in Providence in 1638.[154] Ann Smith Franklin of the Newport Mercury was the first female newspaper editor in America (August 22, 1762).[152] Touro Synagogue was the first synagogue in America, founded in Newport in 1763.[152]

Pelham Street in Newport was the first in America to be illuminated by gaslight in 1806.[152] The first strike in the United States in which women participated occurred in Pawtucket in 1824.[152] Watch Hill has the nation's oldest flying horses carousel that has been in continuous operation since 1850.[152] The motion picture machine was patented in Providence on April 23, 1867.[152] The first lunch wagon in America was introduced in Providence in 1872.[152] The first nine-hole golf course in America was completed in Newport in 1890.[152] The first state health laboratory was established in Providence on September 1, 1894.[152] The Rhode Island State House was the first building with an all-marble dome to be built in the United States (1895–1901).[152] The first automobile race on a track was held in Cranston on September 7, 1896.[152] The first automobile parade was held in Newport on September 7, 1899 on the grounds of Belcourt Castle.[152]

Miscellaneous local culture

Rhode Island is nicknamed "The Ocean State", and the nautical nature of Rhode Island's geography pervades its culture. Newport Harbor, in particular, holds many pleasure boats. In the lobby of T. F. Green, the state's main airport, is a large life-sized sailboat,[155] and the state's license plates depict an ocean wave or a sailboat.[156]

Many Rhode Islanders visit Washington County for its beaches

Additionally, the large number of beaches in Washington County lures many Rhode Islanders south for summer vacation.[157]

The state was notorious for organized crime activity from the 1950s into the 1990s when the Patriarca crime family held sway over most of New England from its Providence headquarters.

Rhode Islanders developed a unique style of architecture in the 17th century called the stone-ender.[158]

Rhode Island is the only state to still celebrate Victory over Japan Day which is officially named "Victory Day" but is sometimes referred to as "VJ Day."[159] It is celebrated on the second Monday in August.[160]

Nibbles Woodaway, more commonly referred to as "The Big Blue Bug", is a 58-foot-long termite mascot for a Providence extermination business. Since its construction in 1980, it has been featured in several movies and television shows, and has come to be recognized as a cultural landmark by many locals.[161] In more recent times, the Big Blue Bug has been given a mask to remind locals and visitors to mask-up during the COVID-19 outbreak.[162]

Sports

Professional

Rhode Island's only professional minor league team is the Providence Bruins ice hockey team of the American Hockey League, who are a top-level minor league affiliate of the Boston Bruins. They play in the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence and won the AHL's Calder Cup during the 1998–99 AHL season.

The Pawtucket Red Sox played at McCoy Stadium

The Pawtucket Red Sox baseball team was a Triple-A International League affiliate of the Boston Red Sox from 1973 to 2020. They played at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket and had won four league titles, the Governors' Cup, in 1973, 1984, 2012, and 2014. McCoy Stadium also has the distinction of being home to the longest professional baseball game ever played – 33 innings.

The Providence Reds were a hockey team that played in the Canadian-American Hockey League (CAHL) between 1926 and 1936 and the American Hockey League (AHL) from 1936 to 1977, the last season of which they played as the Rhode Island Reds. The team won the Calder Cup in 1938, 1940, 1949, and 1956. The Reds played at the Rhode Island Auditorium, on North Main Street in Providence, Rhode Island from 1926 through 1972, when the team affiliated with the New York Rangers and moved into the newly built Providence Civic Center. The team name came from the rooster known as the Rhode Island Red. They moved to New York in 1977, then to Connecticut in 1997, and are now called the Hartford Wolf Pack.

The Reds are the oldest continuously operating minor-league hockey franchise in North America, having fielded a team in one form or another since 1926 in the CAHL. It is also the only AHL franchise to have never missed a season. The AHL returned to Providence in 1992 in the form of the Providence Bruins.

1884 Baseball Champion Providence Grays

Before the great expansion of athletic teams all over the country, Providence and Rhode Island in general played a great role in supporting teams. The Providence Grays won the first World Championship in baseball history in 1884. The team played their home games at the old Messer Street Field in Providence. The Grays played in the National League from 1878 to 1885. They defeated the New York Metropolitans of the American Association in a best of five-game series at the Polo Grounds in New York. Providence won three straight games to become the first champions in major league baseball history. Babe Ruth played for the minor league Providence Grays of 1914 and hit his only official minor league home run for them before the Grays' parent club, the Boston Red Stockings, recalled him.

The now-defunct professional football team the Providence Steam Roller won the 1928 NFL title. They played in a 10,000 person stadium called the Cycledrome.[163] The Providence Steamrollers played in the Basketball Association of America which became the National Basketball Association.

Rhode Island is also home to a top semi-professional soccer club, the Rhode Island Reds, which compete in the National premier soccer league, in the fourth division of U.S. Soccer.

Rhode Island is home to one top level non-minor league team, the Rhode Island Rebellion rugby league team, a semi-professional rugby league team that competes in the USA Rugby League, the Top Competition in the United States for the Sport of Rugby League.[164][165] The Rebellion play their home games at Classical High School in Providence.[166]

Current professional teams
Professional Team League Sport Venue City Established Championships
Providence Bruins American Hockey League (AHL) Ice hockey Dunkin' Donuts Center Providence, Rhode Island 1987 1
USLC Rhode Island USL Championship (USLC) Soccer Riptide Stadium Pawtucket, Rhode Island 2020 0
Current semi-professional teams
Semi-Professional Team League Sport Venue City Established Championships
Rhode Island Rebellion USA Rugby League (USARL) Rugby union Marvel Field Providence, Rhode Island 2011 0
Rhode Island Reds FC National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) Soccer Brown University Providence, Rhode Island 2012 0
Rhode Island Reds FC Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) Soccer Bayside Field Bristol, Rhode Island 2012 0

Collegiate and amateur sports

University of Rhode Island's Meade Stadium in Kingston

There are four NCAA Division I schools in Rhode Island. All four schools compete in different conferences. The Brown University Bears compete in the Ivy League, the Bryant University Bulldogs compete in the Northeast Conference, the Providence College Friars compete in the Big East Conference, and the University of Rhode Island Rams compete in the Atlantic-10 Conference. Three of the schools' football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision, the second-highest level of college football in the United States. Brown plays FCS football in the Ivy League, Bryant plays FCS football in the Northeast Conference, and Rhode Island plays FCS football in the Colonial Athletic Association. All four of the Division I schools in the state compete in an intrastate all-sports competition known as the Ocean State Cup, with Bryant winning the most recent cup in 2011–12 academic year.

From 1930 to 1983, America's Cup races were sailed off Newport, and the extreme-sport X Games and Gravity Games were founded and hosted in the state's capital city.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport

The International Tennis Hall of Fame is in Newport at the Newport Casino, site of the first U.S. National Championships in 1881. The Hall of Fame and Museum were established in 1954 by James Van Alen as "a shrine to the ideals of the game".

Rhode Island is also home to the headquarters of the governing body for youth rugby league in the United States, the American Youth Rugby League Association or AYRLA. The AYRLA has started the first-ever Rugby League youth competition in Providence Middle Schools, a program at the RI Training School, in addition to starting the first High School Competition in the US in Providence Public High School.[167]

Landmarks

The Rhode Island State House in Providence boasts the world's fourth largest self-supported marble dome

The state capitol building is made of white Georgian marble. On top is the world's fourth largest self-supported marble dome.[168] It houses the Rhode Island Charter granted by King Charles II in 1663, 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 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 the International Tennis Hall of Fame and features an active grass-court tennis club.

The Towers are a Narragansett landmark

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 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.[169]

Notable people

See also

References

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Preceded by List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union
Ratified Constitution on May 29, 1790 (13th)
Succeeded by

41°42′N 71°30′W / 41.7°N 71.5°W / 41.7; -71.5 (State of Rhode Island)