Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Flag of Rhode Island Seal Nickname(s): The Ocean State, Little Rhody Motto(s): Hope
Official language(s)	none (de facto English)
Demonym	Rhode Islander
Capital	Providence
Largest city	Providence
Area	Ranked 50th in the US
- Total	1,545 sq mi (3,144 km²)
- Width	37 miles (60 km)
- Length	48 miles (77 km)
- % water	32. The Flag of Rhode Island is white and consists of a gold anchor in the center (a symbol for hope surrounded by thirteen gold stars (for the original The Rhode Island State Seal features a maritime anchor as its central image This is a list of US state nicknames, including officially adopted Nicknames and other traditional nicknames for individual states of the United States. Here is a list of state Mottos for the states of the United States of America. The United States does not have an Official language; however the majority of the population speaks English as a native language (about 82% English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place Washington DC has been the capital of the United States since 1800 This is a list of the largest cities of US states by population Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. This is a complete list of the states of the United States and its major territories ordered by total area, land area, and water area The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand 4
- Latitude	41° 09' N to 42° 01' N
- Longitude	71° 07' W to 71° 53' W
Population	Ranked 43rd in the US
- Total	1,048,319
- Density	691. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology This is a list of states of the United States by population (with inhabited non-state jurisdictions included for comparison as of July 1, 2007, according to the This article is a list of the 50 US States ordered by Population density. 0/sq mi  387. 35/km² (2nd in the US)
Elevation
- Highest point	Jerimoth Hill[1] 812 ft  (247 m)
- Mean	200 ft  (60 m)
- Lowest point	Atlantic Ocean[1] 0 ft  (0 m)
Admission to Union	May 29, 1790 (13th)
Governor	Donald Carcieri (R)
Lieutenant Governor	Elizabeth H. Roberts (D)
U.S. Senators	Jack Reed (D) Sheldon Whitehouse (D)
Congressional Delegation	List
Time zone	Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Abbreviations	RI US-RI
Website	www.ri.gov
Footnotes: * Total area in acres is approximately 776,957 acres (3,144 km²)

Rhode Island (IPA: /roʊd 'aɪlɪnd/), officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,^[2] is a state in the New England region of the United States. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government History See also History of New England New England's earliest inhabitants were Algonquian -speaking Native Americans including the The United States of America —commonly referred to as the It is the smallest U. This is a complete list of the states of the United States and its major territories ordered by total area, land area, and water area S. state by area.

The state is called Rhode Island in common usage, but most of the state lies on the North American mainland. Mainland is usually the Continental part of a region as opposed to the Islands nearby Providence Plantations refers to the mainland, while Rhode Island is actually the official name for Aquidneck Island (now composed of the city of Newport, and the towns of Middletown and Portsmouth). Aquidneck Island (or Rhode Island) is the largest island in Narragansett Bay. Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about 30 miles (48 km south of Providence Middletown is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. ^[3]

Having a history of staunch independence, Rhode Island was the first of the thirteen original American colonies to declare independence from British rule and the last to ratify the United States Constitution. The Thirteen Colonies were part of what became known as British America, a name that was used by Great Britain until the Treaty of Paris (1783 recognized the The United States Declaration of Independence is a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4 1776 announcing that the thirteen American colonies then The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States.

Rhode Island has long held the nickname of "Little Rhody", though the state has officially adopted the nickname of "the Ocean State," as nearly one tenth of Rhode Island's inland area is covered by salt water, and no part of the state is more than a 30-minute drive from the water's edge. ^[4]

Contents 1 Name origin 2 Geography 2.1 Climate 3 History 3.1 Colonial Era 3.2 Revolution and industrialization: 1770–1860 3.3 Civil War to Progressive Era: 1860–1929 3.4 Great Depression to present: 1929- 4 Law and government 5 Economy 6 Demographics 6.1 Religion 7 Culture 7.1 Food 7.2 Sports 7.3 Local media 7.4 Landmarks 7.5 Famous Rhode Islanders 7.6 Popular culture 7.7 Famous firsts in Rhode Island 8 Cities and towns 9 Education 9.1 Primary and secondary schools 9.2 Colleges and universities 10 Transportation 11 State symbols 12 See also 13 References 14 Bibliography 14.1 Primary sources 14.2 Secondary sources 15 External links

Name origin

In 1524, Italian navigator Giovanni da Verrazzano was the first European to visit any part of what is now Rhode Island. Giovanni da Verrazzano (c 1485 &ndash c 1528 was an Italian Explorer of North America, in the service of the French crown. He came to what is now Block Island and named it "Luisa" after Louise of Savoy, Queen Mother of France. Block Island is part of the US state of Rhode Island and is located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately south of the coast of Rhode Island Louise of Savoy ( September 11, 1476 &ndash September 22, 1531) was the mother of Francis I of France. Queen mother is a title or position reserved for a widowed Queen consort (a Queen dowager) whose son or daughter from that marriage is the reigning monarch Francis I (September 12 1494 &ndash March 31 1547 was crowned King of France in 1515 in the cathedral at Reims and reigned until 1547 When the founders of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations surveyed the land, they thought that Aquidneck Island was the place. Providence Plantation was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a theologian independent preacher and linguist on land gifted by the Narragansett sachem Canonicus A mistake occurred in 1614, when Luisa was charted by the Dutch explorer Adriaen Block, after whom Luisa was renamed by the Dutch West India Company; however, their motives in doing so are unknown. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Adriaen (Aerjan Block (c 1567 Amsterdam &ndash buried April 27 1627, Amsterdam was a Dutch private trader and navigator who is best Dutch West India Company ( Dutch: Geoctroyeerde Westindische Compagnie or GWC; English: Chartered West India Company was a company of ^[5] The official explanation by the State of Rhode Island is that Adriaen Block named the area "Roodt Eylandt" meaning "red island" in reference to the red clay that lined the shore, and that the name was later anglicized when the region came under British rule. ^[6]

Geography

Further information: List of Rhode Island counties

The smallest of the 50 states, Rhode Island covers an area of approximately 1,545 square miles (4,002 km²) and is bordered on the north and east by Massachusetts, on the west by Connecticut, and on the south by Rhode Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. Terrain, or relief, is the third or vertical dimension of land surface. This is a list of the five counties in the US state of Rhode Island. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. Rhode Island Sound is a strait of water off the coast of the state of Rhode Island at mouth of Narragansett Bay. It shares a water border with New York between Block Island and Long Island. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Long Island is an island located in southeastern New York, USA, its western shores directly across from Manhattan, from which the island stretches The mean elevation of the state is 200 feet (60 m). The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International

Nicknamed the Ocean State, Rhode Island is home to a number of oceanfront beaches. This is a list of beaches in New England sorted by state then town Rhode Island is mostly flat with no real mountains. Rhode Island's highest natural point is Jerimoth Hill, only 812 feet (247 m) above sea level. Jerimoth Hill is the name of the highest natural point in the U ^[1]

Located within the New England province of the Appalachian Region, Rhode Island has two distinct natural regions. History See also History of New England New England's earliest inhabitants were Algonquian -speaking Native Americans including the The Appalachian Mountains ( often called the Appalachians, are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. Eastern Rhode Island contains the lowlands of the Narragansett Bay, while Western Rhode Island forms part of the New England Upland. In physical Geography, a lowland is any broad expanse of land with a general low level Narragansett Bay is a Bay and Estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Narragansett Bay is a major feature of the state's topography. Block Island lies approximately 12 miles (19 km) off the southern coast of the mainland. Block Island is part of the US state of Rhode Island and is located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately south of the coast of Rhode Island A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States Within the Bay, there are over 30 islands. The largest is Aquidneck Island, shared by the municipalities of Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth. Aquidneck Island (or Rhode Island) is the largest island in Narragansett Bay. The second-largest island is Conanicut; the third-largest is Prudence. Conanicut Island is the second largest island in Narragansett Bay, in the state of Rhode Island. Prudence Island is the third largest island in Narragansett Bay in the state of Rhode Island and part of the municipality of Portsmouth Rhode Island

A rare type of rock called Cumberlandite, found only in Rhode Island (specifically in the town of Cumberland), is the state rock. In Geology, rock is a naturally occurring aggregate of Minerals and/or Mineraloids The Earth's outer solid layer the ‘ Lithosphere Cumberlandite is the US state of Rhode Island 's state rock. It is only found in large concentrations on a four-acre lot in Blackstone Valley Cumberland is one of the 39 Historic counties of England. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 (excluding Carlisle from 1915 and now forms part of There were initially two known deposits of the mineral, but since it can be engineered into a form of gunpowder, one of the deposits was almost completely mined in the American Civil War. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South

Climate

Rhode Island is an example of a warm summer humid continental climate with hot, rainy summers and cold, snowy winters. The humid continental climate is a Climate found over large areas of land masses in the temperate regions of the mid-latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between The highest temperature recorded in Rhode Island was 105 °F (40 °C), recorded on August 2, 1975 in Providence. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. The lowest temperature in Rhode Island, -13 °F (-25 °C), was recorded on February 6, 1996 in Coventry. Coventry is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. Monthly average temperatures range from a high of 82 °F (28 °C) to a low of 20 °F (-7 °C). ^[7]

History

Main article: History of Rhode Island

Colonial Era

In 1524, Italian navigator Giovanni de Verrazzano traversed the mid-Atlantic coast of North America, searching for an all-water route through North America to China. The history of Rhode Island includes Rhode Island history from pre-colonial times (1636 to modern day Giovanni da Verrazzano (c 1485 &ndash c 1528 was an Italian Explorer of North America, in the service of the French crown. In March of that year, he left what is now New York Harbor and headed east until he discovered what was later called Block Island. Natives guided him into what is now Newport Harbor. He remained for two weeks while his crew surveyed the bay and the surrounding mainland. In early May 1524, Verrazzano departed to renew his search for a Northwest Passage. The Northwest Passage is a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways amidst the Canadian Arctic Archipelago

In 1614, the Dutch explorer Adriaen Block visited the island that is now called Block Island. Native American inhabitants included the Narragansett tribe, occupying most of the area, and the closely related Niantic tribe. The Narragansett tribe are a Native American Tribe who controlled the area surrounding Narragansett Bay in present-day Rhode Island, and also The Niantic, or in their own language the Nehântick or Nehantucket were a tribe of New England Native Americans, who were living in Connecticut Most of the Native Americans were decimated by introduced diseases such as smallpox, intertribal warfare, and the disastrous King Philip's War, but remnants of the Niantic merged into the Narragansett tribe, where they remain on a federally recognized reservation. For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. An infectious disease is a clinically evident Disease resulting from the presence of Pathogenic microbial agents including Pathogenic viruses Pathogenic Smallpox is an Infectious disease unique to humans caused by either of two virus variants named Variola major and Variola minor. Warfare refers to the conduct of conflict between opponents and usually involves escalation of aggression from the proverbial "war of words" between politicians King Philip's War, sometimes called Metacom 's War or Metacom's Rebellion was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of

In 1636, Roger Williams, after being banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his religious views, settled at the tip of Narragansett Bay. Roger Williams ( December 21, 1603 &ndash April 1, 1683) was an English theologian, a notable proponent of Religious The Massachusetts Bay Colony (sometimes called the Massachusetts Bay Company, for the institution that founded it was an English settlement on the east coast of North America He called the site Providence and declared it a place of religious freedom.

The following year, Anne Hutchinson was banished from Massachusetts for criticizing the clergy there. Anne Hutchinson ( July 20, 1591 – August 20, 1643) was the unauthorized Puritan minister of a dissident church discussion She and some others, including William Coddington and John Clark, founded the town of Portsmouth on Aquidneck Island. William Coddington (1601 &ndash November 1, 1678) was the first governor of Rhode Island. John Clarke ( 8 October, 1609 &ndash 20 April, 1676) was a Medical doctor, Baptist minister, co-founder of the In 1639, Coddington left Portsmouth and founded Newport, also on Aquidneck Island.

In that same year, a formal government was established for the island. William Coddington was the first governor, and Philip Sherman was the first secretary. Philip Sherman (1610-1687 was a prominent leader in early Rhode Island and one of its founders In 1643, Samuel Gorton founded Shawomet, which is now called Warwick. Samuell Gorton (1592–1677 English Sectary and founder of the American sect of Gortonites, was born in 1592 at Gorton, Manchester In 1644, the name of Aquidneck Island was changed to Rhode Island.

John Clarke was granted a Charter in 1663 for Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, which effectively united the two colonies into one. Under the terms of the charter, only landowners could vote. Before the Industrial Revolution, when most people were employed as farmers, this was considered democratic. The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the The original charter was used as the state constitution until 1842.

The relationship between the New Englanders and the Native Americans was strained, and caused some bloodshed. On December 19, 1675, colonist militia from Connecticut, Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, and Rhode Island massacred about 350 Narragansetts in the Battle of the Great Swamp^[8] during King Philip's War. The Great Swamp Fight was a crucial battle fought during King Philip's War between the combined colonial militia in New England and the Narragansett tribe. King Philip's War, sometimes called Metacom 's War or Metacom's Rebellion was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of The largest tribes that lived near Rhode Island were the Wampanoag, Pequots, Narragansett, and Nipmuck. The Mashantucket Pequot are a small Native American tribal nation in Connecticut. The Nipmuc (also spelled Nipmuck) are a group of Algonquian Indians native to Worcester County Massachusetts. One native named Squanto, from the Wampanoag tribe, stayed with the Pilgrims and taught them many valuable skills needed to survive in the area. Tisquantum, more commonly known today as Squanto or 'Big Bean' (c He also helped greatly with the eventual peace between the colonists and the natives.

Roger Williams had kept the powerful Narragansetts on friendly terms with local white settlers. White People is the second album by Handsome Boy Modeling School. The Narragansetts were even persuaded to form an alliance with the English in 1637, carrying out an attack that nearly extinguished the Pequots. The English people (from the adjective in Englisc) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to England who predominantly speak English This peace did not last long, however, and by 1670, even the friendly tribes who had greeted Williams and the Pilgrims became estranged from the colonists, and conflicts erupted.

The most important and traumatic event in 17th century Rhode Island was King Philip's War, which occurred during 1675–1676. As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar King Philip's War, sometimes called Metacom 's War or Metacom's Rebellion was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of King Philip (also known as Metacomet) was the chief of the Wampanoag tribe. Metacomet (c 1639 - August 12, 1676) also known as King Philip or Metacom, was a war chief or Sachem of the Wampanoag The settlers of Portsmouth had purchased their land from his father, Massasoit. Massasoit Sachem or Ousamequin (c 1581 - 1661)was the Sachem, or leader of the Pokanoket, and "Massasoit" of the Wampanoag King Philip rebelled against the English. The first attacks were around Narrangansett Bay, but spread throughout New England. The war culminated in Rhode Island in the Great Swamp Fight, where the colonial militia invaded and destroyed the Narragansett Indian village in the Great Swamp in southern Rhode Island, by Worden's Pond. The Great Swamp Fight was a crucial battle fought during King Philip's War between the combined colonial militia in New England and the Narragansett tribe. Metacomet himself was eventually captured near Bristol, RI by agents working for Captain Benjamin Church. Metacomet (c 1639 - August 12, 1676) also known as King Philip or Metacom, was a war chief or Sachem of the Wampanoag Captain Benjamin Church (c 1639-January 17 1718 was an American carpenter military officer and Ranger during America's Colonial era and specifically King Metacomet was slain by his assailants.

Revolution and industrialization: 1770–1860

Rhode Island's tradition of independence and dissent gave it a prominent role in the American Revolution. In 1772, the first bloodshed of the American Revolution took place in Rhode Island when a band of Providence residents attacked a grounded British ship for enforcing unpopular British trade regulations. This incident would come to be known as the Gaspee Affair. The Gaspée Affair was a significant event in the American Revolution. Keeping with its culture of defiance, Rhode Island was the first of the original thirteen colonies to declare its independence from Great Britain (May 4, 1776,^[9]) and the last to ratify the Constitution, doing the latter only after being threatened with having its exports taxed as a foreign nation. The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800 Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 1776 ( MDCCLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a During the Revolution, Portsmouth was the site of the first African American military unit, the 1st Rhode Island Regiment, to fight for the U. The 1st Rhode Island Regiment was a Continental Army Regiment from Rhode Island during the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783 S. in the Battle of Rhode Island. Background French Admiral d'Estaing arrived in the summer of 1778 with a fleet of ships with infantry reinforcements for the war

As the Industrial Revolution moved large numbers of workers into the cities, a permanently landless, and therefore voteless, class developed. The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the By 1829, 60% of the state's free white males were ineligible to vote.

Several attempts had been made to address this problem, but none were successful. In 1842, Thomas Dorr drafted a liberal constitution which was passed by popular referendum. Thomas Wilson Dorr ( November 5, 1805 &ndash December 27, 1854) American Politician and Reformer, known for A constitution is a system for government often Codified as a written document that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity However, the conservative sitting governor, Samuel Ward King, opposed the people's wishes, leading to the Dorr Rebellion. Samuel Ward King ( May 22, 1786 - January 20, 1851) was the Governor of Rhode Island from 1839 to 1843 The Dorr Rebellion was a short-lived armed insurrection in Rhode Island in 1841 and 1842 led by Thomas Wilson Dorr who was agitating for changes to the state's electoral Although this was not a success, a modified version of the constitution was passed in November, which allowed any white male to vote if he owned land or could pay a $1 poll tax. A poll tax, head tax, or capitation is a Tax of a uniform fixed amount per individual (as opposed to a percentage of income

In addition to industrialization, Rhode Island was heavily involved in the slave trade during the post-revolution era. The history of slavery uncovers many different forms of human exploitation across many cultures throughout history Slavery was extant in the state as early as 1652, and by 1774, the slave population of Rhode Island was 6. As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another 3%, nearly twice as high as any other New England colony. In the late 18th century, several Rhode Island merchant families began actively engaging in the triangle slave trade. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system Notable among these was the Brown family, for whom Brown University is named, although some Browns became prominent abolitionists. In the years after the Revolution, Rhode Island merchants controlled between 60% and 90% of the American trade in African slaves. ^[10][11]

Civil War to Progressive Era: 1860–1929

During the Civil War, Rhode Island was the first Union state to send troops in response to President Lincoln's request for help from the states. Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South Rhode Island furnished 25,236 fighting men, of whom 1,685 died. On the home front, Rhode Island, along with the other northern states, used its industrial capacity to supply the Union Army with the materials it needed to win the war. In addition, Newport was the temporary home of the United States Naval Academy during the war. War is an international relations Dispute, characterized by organized Violence between National Military units Rhode Island's continued growth and modernization led to the creation of an urban mass transit system and improved health and sanitation programs. In 1866, Rhode Island abolished racial segregation throughout the state. ^[12]

Post-war immigration increased the population. From the 1860s to the 1880s, most immigrants were from England, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, and Quebec. Toward the end of the century, however, most immigrants were from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean. ^[13] At the turn of the century, Rhode Island had a booming economy, which fed the demand for immigration. In the years leading up to World War I, Rhode Island's constitution remained reactionary, in contrast to the more progressive reforms that were occurring in the rest of the country. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The state never ratified the 18th Amendment establishing national prohibition of alcohol. ^[14] During World War I, Rhode Island furnished 28,817 troops, of whom 612 died. After the war, the state was hit hard by the Spanish Influenza. The 1918 flu pandemic (commonly referred to as the Spanish flu) was an Influenza Pandemic that spread to nearly every part of the world ^[15] In the 1920s and 1930s, rural Rhode Island saw a surge in Ku Klux Klan membership, largely in reaction to the large waves of immigrants moving to the state. Ku Klux Klan ( KKK) is the name of several past and present secret domestic terrorist organizations in the United States, generally in the southern states that are The Klan is believed to be responsible for burning the Watchman Industrial School in Scituate, which was a school for African American children. The Watchman Industrial School and Camp, known to some as the Watchman Institute, was founded 1908 by Reverend William S African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa ^[16]

Great Depression to present: 1929-

In the 20th century, the state continued to grow, though the decline in industry devastated many urban areas. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on These areas were impacted further, as with the rest of the country's urban areas, by construction of Interstate highways through city cores and the suburbanization caused by it and by the GI Bill. The GI Bill (officially titled Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 PL346 58 Statutes at Large 284 provided for college or vocational education for returning

Since the Great Depression, the Rhode Island Democratic Party has dominated local politics. The Democratic Party's core of support is in the urban areas of the state. While known for old school politics and corruption, Rhode Island also has comprehensive health insurance for low-income children, and a large social safety net. Despite this, many urban areas still have a high rate of children in poverty. Due to an influx of residents from Boston, increasing housing costs have resulted in more homeless in Rhode Island. ^[17]

The Republican Party, virtually non-existent in the state legislature, has successfully put forward occasional state-wide "good government" reform candidates who criticize the state's high taxes and the excesses of the Democratic Party. For other uses see Reform (disambiguation Reform means beneficial change or sometimes more specifically reversion to a pure original Current Governor Donald Carcieri of East Greenwich, and former Mayor Vincent A. "Buddy" Cianci of Providence (who later became an independent political boss, and was convicted on RICO charges) ran as Republican reform candidates. Donald L "Don" Carcieri (born December 16, 1942) is the Governor of the U Vincent Albert "Buddy" Cianci Jr (born April 30 1941 in Cranston Rhode Island) served as the Mayor of Providence Rhode Island from 1975

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

In 2003, a nightclub fire in West Warwick claimed one hundred lives and caught national attention. The Station nightclub fire on the evening of Thursday February 20, 2003, was the fourth-deadliest nightclub fire in U West Warwick is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The fire resulted in criminal sentences. ^[18]

Law and government

The capital of Rhode Island is Providence. The state's current governor is Donald L. Carcieri (R), and its United States Senators are Jack Reed (D) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D). Donald L "Don" Carcieri (born December 16, 1942) is the Governor of the U John Francis "Jack" Reed (born November 12, 1949) is a Democrat and the senior United States senator from Rhode Island. Sheldon Whitehouse (born October 20, 1955) is the Junior Senator from the state of Rhode Island. Rhode Island's two United States Congressmen are Patrick J. Kennedy (D-1) and Jim Langevin (D-2). This article is about the current member of the United States House of Representatives James R Langevin (born April 22, 1964) is a Democratic member of the Rhode Island congressional delegation See congressional districts map. This is a complete list of congressional districts for representation in the United States House of Representatives.

Rhode Island is one of a few states that does not have an official Governor's residence. See List of Rhode Island Governors. List of Rhode Island Governors Colonial governors See also List of colonial governors of Rhode Island State governors

The state legislature is the Rhode Island General Assembly, consisting of the 75-member House of Representatives and the 38-member Senate. In the United States of America, a state legislature is a generic term referring to the legislative body of any of the country's 50 states. The State of Rhode Island General Assembly is the state legislature of the U The Rhode Island House of Representatives is the Lower house of the Rhode Island General Assembly, the state legislature of the U The Rhode Island Senate is the Upper house of the Rhode Island General Assembly, the state legislature of the U Both houses of the bicameral body are currently dominated by the Democratic Party. In Government, bicameralism (bi + Latin la ''camera'' chamber is the practice of having two legislative or Parliamentary chambers Thus a bicameral The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party.

Because Rhode Island's population barely crosses the threshold for additional votes in both the federal House 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. The United States House of Representatives is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. The Electoral College consists of 538 popularly elected representatives who formally select the President and Vice President of the United States. This is a list of states of the United States by population (with inhabited non-state jurisdictions included for comparison as of July 1, 2007, according to the This is a list of states of the United States by population (with inhabited non-state jurisdictions included for comparison as of July 1, 2007, according to the

Federally, Rhode Island is one of the most reliably Democratic states during presidential elections, regularly giving the Democratic nominees one of their best showings. In 1980, Rhode Island was one of only 6 states to vote against Ronald Reagan. Reagan did carry Rhode Island in his 49-state victory in 1984, but the state was the second weakest of the states Reagan won. Rhode Island was the Democrats' leading state in 1988 and 2000, and second-best in 1996 and 2004. The state was devoted to Republicans until 1908, but has only strayed from the Democrats 7 times in the 24 elections that have followed. In 2004, Rhode Island gave John Kerry more than a 20-percentage-point margin of victory (the third-highest of any state), with 59. } John Forbes Kerry (born December 11 1943 is an American Politician who is currently serving his fourth term as the junior United States Senator 4% of its vote. All but three of Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns voted for the Democratic candidate. The only exceptions were East Greenwich, West Greenwich and Scituate. ^[19]

Rhode Island has abolished capital punishment, making it one of 15 states that have done so. Capital punishment, the death penalty or execution, is the Killing of a person by judicial process as Punishment. Rhode Island abolished the death penalty very early, just after Michigan (the first state to abolish it), and carried out its last execution in the 1840s. Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. Rhode Island is one of two states in which prostitution is legal, provided it takes place indoors, though there have been recent efforts to change this. In Rhode Island the act of Prostitution is legal as long as it happens indoors ^[20]

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. ^[21]

Economy

The Blackstone River Valley is known as the "Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution". The Textron World Headquarters building (formerly known as the Old Stone Tower) is an International -style skyscraper in downtown Providence One Financial Plaza, also known as the Sovereign Bank Tower and formerly known as the Hospital Trust Tower, is an international-style skyscraper in The economic history of the United States has its roots in European settlements in the 16th 17th and 18th centuries ^[22] It was in Pawtucket that Samuel Slater set up Slater Mill in 1793,^[23] using the waterpower of the Blackstone River to power his cotton mill. Pawtucket (pronounced Pa-TUCK-et is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. Samuel Slater ( June 9 1768 &ndash April 21 1835) was an early American Industrialist popularly known as the "Founder The Blackstone River is a River in the US states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. A cotton mill is a Factory housing spinning and Weaving Machinery Cotton was a leading sector in the Industrial Revolution, as cotton For a while, Rhode Island was one of the leaders in textiles. A textile is a flexible material comprised of a network of natural or artificial Fibres often referred to as thread or Yarn. However, with the Great Depression, most textile factories relocated to the American South. The textile industry still constitutes a part of the Rhode Island economy, but does not have the same power that it once had. 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 amount of abandoned factories - many of them now being used for low-income or elderly housing, or converted into offices or condominiums. Today, much of the economy of state is based in services, particularly healthcare and education, and still to some extent, manufacturing. ^[24][25]

The headquarters of Citizens Financial Group, a 160 billion dollar banking corporation which operates in many parts of the US, is located in Providence. Several banks are commonly known as Citizens Bank. Citizens Financial Group Inc The Fortune 500 companies CVS and Textron are based in Woonsocket and Providence, respectively. CVS Caremark Corporation ( is an integrated pharmacy services provider combining a United States pharmaceutical services company with a U Founded in 1923 as the Special Yarns Company by Royal Little, Textron, today is a multi-industry company with a portfolio of familiar brands such as Bell Helicopter FM Global, Hasbro, American Power Conversion, Nortek, and Amica Mutual Insurance are all Fortune 1000 companies based in Rhode Island. FM Global is a US -based insurance company with offices worldwide that specializes in loss prevention services primarily to large corporations throughout the world in Hasbro ( is an American Toy company It is one of the largest toy makers in the world second only to the toy giant Mattel. Company Profile Amica Mutual Insurance Company, was founded in 1907 The GTECH Corporation is headquartered in Providence. GTECH Corporation, a company based in Providence, Rhode Island, United States, became a wholly owned subsidiary of Lottomatica S

Rhode Island's 2000 total gross state product was $33 billion, placing it 45^th in the nation. Its 2000 per capita personal income was $29,685, 16^th in the nation. Rhode Island has the lowest level of energy consumption per capita of any state. ^[26]

Health services are Rhode Island's largest industry. Second is tourism, supporting 39,000 jobs, with tourism-related sales at $3. 26 billion in the year 2000. The third-largest industry is manufacturing. ^[27] Its industrial outputs are fashion jewelry, fabricated metal products, electrical equipment, machinery, shipbuilding and boatbuilding. Rhode Island's agricultural outputs are nursery stock, vegetables, dairy products and eggs.

The state's taxes are appreciably higher than neighboring states. ^[21] Governor Carcieri has claimed that this higher tax rate has had an inhibitory effect on business growth in the state and is calling for reductions to increase the competitiveness of the state's business environment. Rhode Island's income tax is based on 25% of the payer's federal income tax payment. ^[28]

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1790	68,825		—
1800	69,122		0. 4%
1810	76,931		11. 3%
1820	83,059		8%
1830	97,199		17%
1840	108,830		12%
1850	147,545		35. 6%
1860	174,620		18. 4%
1870	217,353		24. 5%
1880	276,531		27. 2%
1890	345,506		24. 9%
1900	428,556		24%
1910	542,610		26. 6%
1920	604,397		11. 4%
1930	687,497		13. 7%
1940	713,346		3. 8%
1950	791,896		11%
1960	859,488		8. 5%
1970	946,725		10. 1%
1980	947,154		0%
1990	1,003,464		5. 9%
2000	1,048,319		4. 5%
Est. 2007	1,057,832		0. 9%

Demographics of Rhode Island (csv)
By race	White	Black	AIAN*	Asian	NHPI*
2000 (total population)	90. 96%	6. 45%	1. 07%	2. 74%	0. 19%
2000 (Hispanic only)	7. 14%	1. 42%	0. 18%	0. 08%	0. 07%
2005 (total population)	90. 16%	7. 07%	1. 09%	3. 07%	0. 21%
2005 (Hispanic only)	9. 12%	1. 49%	0. 22%	0. 08%	0. 08%
Growth 2000–05 (total population)	1. 76%	12. 52%	4. 91%	15. 09%	9. 93%
Growth 2000–05 (non-Hispanic only)	-0. 75%	13. 80%	1. 03%	15. 44%	8. 90%
Growth 2000–05 (Hispanic only)	31. 21%	7. 98%	24. 03%	3. 78%	11. 64%
* AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

The center of population of Rhode Island is located in Providence County, in the city of Cranston. In Demographics, the center of population of a region is the geographical point nearest to all the inhabitants of that region on average Providence County is a County located in the US state of Rhode Island. Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. ^[29] A corridor of population can be seen from the Providence area, stretching northwest following the Blackstone River to Woonsocket, where nineteenth-century mills drive industry and development. The Blackstone River is a River in the US states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. According to the U. S. Census Bureau, as of 2005, Rhode Island had an estimated population of 1,076,189, which is a decrease of 3,727, or 0. 3%, from the prior year and an increase of 27,870, or 2. 7%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 15,220 people (that is 66,973 births minus 51,753 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 14,001 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 18,965 people, and migration within the country produced a net decrease of 4,964 people. American immigration ( emigration to the United States of America) refers to the movement of non-residents to the United States.

The six largest ancestry groups in Rhode Island are: Italian (19%), Irish (19%), French Canadian (17. An Italian American is an American of Italian descent and/or dual citizenship Irish Americans (Gael-Mheiriceánach are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland. 3%),^[30] English (12%), Hispanic 11% (predominantly Puerto Rican and Dominican, with smaller Central American populations), [1] Portuguese (8. English Americans (occasionally known as Anglo -Americans although this may have a wider cultural meaning are Citizens of the United States whose ancestry Hispanic and Latino Americans are Americans of Hispanic or Latino descent, which comprises ancestry or origins in Hispanic America Portuguese Americans are Citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates in the southwest European nation of Portugal, including the 7%).

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 8. 07% of the population aged 5 and over speaks Spanish at home, while 3. 80% speaks Portuguese, 1. Portuguese ( or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia (Spain and northern Portugal. 96% French, and 1. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people 39% Italian [2]. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy.

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.

Rhode Island has a higher percentage of Americans of Portuguese ancestry (who dominate Bristol County), including Portuguese Americans and Cape Verdean Americans than any other state in the nation. Portuguese Americans are Citizens of the United States whose ancestry originates in the southwest European nation of Portugal, including the Cape Verdean immigration to the United States began in the early 1800s French Canadians form a large part of northern Providence County whereas Irish Americans have a strong presence in Newport and Kent counties. Irish Americans (Gael-Mheiriceánach are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland. Yankees of English ancestry still have a presence in the state as well, especially in Washington county, and are often referred to as "Swamp Yankees. Swamp Yankee is a colloquialism that has a variety of meanings "

Religion

The religious affiliations of the people of Rhode Island are:^[31]

• Christian – 87. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings 5%
  • Roman Catholic – 63. Roman Catholicism in the United States has grown dramatically over the country's history from being a tiny minority faith during the time of the Thirteen Colonies 6%,
  • Protestant – 21. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. 6%
    • Baptist – 6. Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. 3%
    • Episcopalian – 5. The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States. 1%
    • Protestant - other – 3. 2%,
    • Protestant, no denomination – 7%,
  • Other Christian – 2. 3%
• Jewish – 1. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut 6%,
• Muslim – 0. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion 4%
• Self-identified non-religious – 6%,
• Other religious – 4. 5%;.

Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island. The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island is a Diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the state of Rhode Island.

Rhode Island has the highest percentage of Roman Catholics^[32] in the nation mainly due to large Irish, Italian, and French Canadian immigration in the past (these 3 groups form roughly 55-60% of the state population); recently, significant Portuguese (though Portuguese communities have existed since the mid 19th century) and Hispanic communities (these 2 groups form roughly 20% of the state population) have also been established in the state. Irish Americans (Gael-Mheiriceánach are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Though it has the highest overall Catholic percentage of any state, none of Rhode Island's individual counties ranks among the ten most Catholic in the United States, as Catholics are very evenly spread throughout the state. ^[32] Rhode Island and Utah are the only two states in which a majority of the population are members of a single religious body. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States.

Culture

Many Rhode Islanders speak with a non-rhotic accent that many compare to a "Brooklyn" or a cross between a New York and Boston accent ("water" becomes "wata"). NewportbridgeJPG|right|thumb|180px|Approximate location]] The Claiborne Pell Bridge, commonly known as the Newport Bridge, is a Suspension bridge operated by English pronunciation is divided into two main accent groups the rhotic (ˈroʊtɪk and non-rhotic, depending on when the sound typically represented The Boston accent is found not only in the city of Boston Massachusetts itself but also much of eastern Massachusetts Many Rhode Islanders pronounce the 'aw' sound as one might hear in New Jersey; e. g. , "coffee" is pronounced "cauwwefee. "^[33]

The nautical nature of Rhode Island's geography pervades its culture. Newport Harbor, in particular, holds many pleasure boats. In the lobby of the state's main airport, T. F. Green, is a large lifesize sailboat,^[34] and the state's license plates depict an ocean wave. T F Green International Airport, also known as Theodore Francis Green State Airport, is a public Airport located in Warwick, six miles (10 ^[35]

Additionally, the large number of beaches in Washington County (known locally as South County) lures many Rhode Islanders south for summer vacation. Washington County is a County located in the southwestern part of the U ^[36]

The Fox show Family Guy takes place in a fictional town in Rhode Island named Quahog (the name of a large clam popular in Rhode Island), a satirised example of a small town in Rhode Island. Family Guy is an animated American television sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane that airs on Fox and regularly on other ^[37]

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. The Patriarca crime family is a criminal organization based in New England, specifically Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts Although the power of organized crime has greatly diminished in Rhode Island over the last 20 years, its residents are still stigmatized by popular perceptions of rampant graft and corruption that have haunted the state for decades.

Rhode Islanders developed a unique style of architecture in the 17th century, called the stone-ender. List of the oldest buildings in Rhode IslandThe Stone-ender is a unique style of Rhode Island architecture that developed in the 1600s where one wall in a house is made up of ^[38]

Rhode Island is the only state to still celebrate Victory over Japan Day. Victory over Japan Day ( V-J Day, also known as Victory in the Pacific Day, or V-P Day) is a name chosen for the day on which the Surrender of It is known locally as "VJ Day", or simply "Victory Day". ^[39]

Food

Rhode Island is a large per capita consumer of coffee. According to a Providence Journal article, the state features the highest number of coffee/donut shops per capita in the country, with over 225 Dunkin' Donuts locations in the state alone. Dunkin' Donuts is an international donut and Coffee retailer founded in 1950 in Quincy, Massachusetts, U ^[40] The Official State Drink of Rhode Island is coffee milk,^[41] a beverage created by mixing milk with coffee syrup. Coffee milk is a Drink similar to Chocolate milk; however instead of chocolate syrup Coffee syrup is used This unique syrup was invented in the state and is bottled and sold in most Rhode Island supermarkets. Although coffee milk contains some caffeine, it is sold in school cafeterias throughout the state. Strawberry milk is also popular. Iced coffee is popular in both summer and winter. Frozen lemonade, a mixture of ice-slush, lemons and sugar is popular in the summer, especially Del's Frozen Lemonade, a company based in Cranston.

Several foods and dishes are unique to Rhode Island, and are hard to find outside of the state. "Hot Wieners," which are sometimes called "gaggers" or "weenies" are smaller than a standard hot dog but are covered in a meat sauce, chopped onions, mustard, and celery salt. The Hot Weiner is a staple in the food culture of Rhode Island. Mustard is a thick yellowish-brown paste with a sharp taste made from the ground seeds of a Mustard plant (white or yellow mustard Sinapis hirta See also Wild celery Apium graveolens is a plant species in the family Apiaceae, and yielding celery and Celeriac Submarine sandwiches are referred to as "grinders" in Rhode Island, with a popular version being the Italian grinder, which is made with Italian cold cuts (usually ham, prosciutto, capicola, salami, and Provolone cheese). Prosciutto (proˈʃutːo pronounced "pro-shoo-toe" is the Italian word for ham. For other uses see Salama and Salameh. Salami is cured Sausage, fermented and air-dried Provolone is an Italian Cheese that originated in southern Italy, where it is still produced in various shapes as in 10 to 15 cm long pear shapes sausage Chouriço (a spicy Portuguese sausage) and peppers, eaten with hearty bread, is also popular among the state's large Portuguese community. Chorizo (tʃo̞ˈɾiso̞ in Latin American Spanish or tʃo̞ˈɾiθo̞ in Castilian Spanish) Chouriço (ʃoˈɾisu in Portuguese) or Xoriç Another popular item is pizza strips. Sold in most supermarkets, they are rectangular strips of pizza without the cheese, and are often served cold. Spinach pies, similar to a calzone but filled with seasoned spinach instead of meat, sauce and cheese, are sold in many Italian bakeries and local supermarkets. Variations can include black olives or pepperoni with the spinach, or broccoli instead of spinach.

The state is also known for its jonnycakes. Jonnycake (also spelled "johnnycake" johnny cake and "journey cake" is a baked Cornmeal Flatbread, and was a popular American pioneer As in colonial times, johnny cakes are made with corn meal and water, and pan fried much like pancakes. During fairs and carnivals, Rhode Islanders enjoy dough boys, plate-sized disks of deep fried dough sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. While these are known as zeppolas in other states, such as New York, in Rhode Island zeppolas or zeppolis are completely different. Traditionally eaten on Saint Joseph's Day (widely celebrated across the state), St. Saint Joseph's Day, 19 March, the Feast of St Joseph or Solemnity of Saint Joseph is in Western Christianity the principal feast day of Joseph's Day zeppolis are doughnut-like pastries with exposed centers of vanilla pudding or riccota cream, topped with a cherry.

The Ocean State's tradition has a strong tradition of seafood. Shellfish is extremely popular, with clams being used in multiple ways. Shellfish is a Culinary and Fisheries term for those aquatic Invertebrate animals that are used as Food: various species of molluscs Taken from the Narragansett "Poquauhock" (see "A Key into the Language of America" by Roger Williams 1643)"Quahaug" is a more correct spelling for this popular shellfish. The quahog (whose shell is Rhode Island's state shell) is a large clam which is mixed with stuffing and spicy minced sausage and then baked in the shell to form a "Stuffie. " Steamed clams are also a very popular dish. Fried squid, or "calamari," is most popular in Italian restaurants, typically served Sicilian-style: tossed with spicy banana peppers and with marinara sauce on the side.

Rhode Island, like the rest of New England, has a long tradition of clam chowder. Clam chowder is any of several Chowders containing Clams and Broth. While the white "New England" variety is popular and the red "Manhattan" variety is not uncommon, Rhode Island makes a clear chowder, known as "Rhode Island Clam Chowder. "

Perhaps the most unusual culinary tradition in Rhode Island is the "clam cake. Clam cakes are a New England food most common in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. " The clam cake (also known as a fritter) is 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. The quintessential summer meal in Rhode Island is "clam cakes and chowder. "

It is also said that Clams Casino originated in Rhode Island after being "invented" by Julius Keller, the maitre d' in the original Casino next to the seaside Towers in Narragansett. 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.

Sports

• Pawtucket Red Sox, AAA (minor league baseball) affiliate of the Boston Red Sox
• Providence Bruins, AHL (minor league hockey) affiliate of the Boston Bruins
• Newport Gulls, NECBL (New England Collegiate Baseball League)
• Rhode Island Stingrays, USL PDL minor league soccer team
• Rhode Island Rams*, Division 1 NCAA Basketball Team of the University of Rhode Island
• Brown University Bears, Division 1 NCAA Basketball Team
• Providence Friars, Division 1 NCAA Basketball Team of Providence College
• Bryant Bulldogs, Division 1 NCAA Basketball Team of Bryant University

The Providence Grays won the first World Championship in baseball history in 1884. The Pawtucket Red Sox (known colloquially as the PawSox) are the Minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to The Boston Red Sox are a Professional baseball team based in Boston Massachusetts, and are the reigning (2007 World Series Champions. The Providence Bruins is an Ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are the primary development team for the NHL 's Boston Bruins American Hockey Association (1926–1942The American Hockey League (AHL is a Professional Ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary The Boston Bruins are a professional Ice hockey team based in Boston Massachusetts. Postseason appearances The New England Collegiate Baseball League ( NECBL) is a 12-team amateur summer Baseball league founded in 1993 and sanctioned by the NCAA and Rhode Island Stingrays are an American Soccer team founded in 1995. History In 1995 the USISL split into two leagues one professional and one amateur The University of Rhode Island, commonly abbreviated as URI, is the principal public research university in the State of Rhode Island, with its main campus in Brown University is a highly esteemed private University located in Providence, Rhode Island and is a member of the Ivy League. This page refers to a college in Rhode Island. For the college in Manitoba, see Providence College and Theological Seminary. The Bryant Bulldogs are the athletic teams representing Bryant University in Smithfield Rhode Island. Providence Grays was a team name used by several major and minor league baseball teams based in Providence Rhode Island. 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 Stockings. George Herman Ruth Jr (February 6 1895 &ndash August 16 1948 also popularly known as " Babe " " The Bambino " and " The Sultan of

A now defunct professional football team, the Providence Steam Roller won the 1928 NFL title. The Providence Steam Roller (also referred to as the Providence Steam Rollers, the Providence Steamroller and the Providence Steamrollers) was a professional They used to play in a 10,000 person stadium called the Cycledrome. ^[42] A team by a similar name, the Providence Steamrollers, played in the Basketball Association of America, which would become the National Basketball Association. Franchise history The Steamrollers were one of the original eleven NBA franchises (when the league was called the Basketball Association of America

From 1930 to 1983, America's Cup races were sailed off Newport, and the first few extreme-sport X Games and Gravity Games were hosted in the state's capital city. The America’s Cup is the most prestigious Regatta and Match race in the sport of Sailing, and the oldest active Trophy in international The X Games is an annual event with a focus on extreme action sports Gravity Games is a multi-sport competition originating from Providence Rhode Island that is broken down into Winter and Summer adaptations

Local media

Main article: Media in Rhode Island

Landmarks

The state capitol building is made of white Georgian marble. The state of Rhode Island has the following popular media. FOR DAILY AND WEEKLY The Rhode Island State House is the capitol of the US state of Rhode Island. Providence Place, opened on August 20, 1999, is a modern urban Shopping mall in the central part of Providence Rhode Island, near the Rhode On top is the world's fourth largest self-supported marble dome. ^[43] It houses the Rhode Island Charter of 1663 and other state treasures.

Providence is home to the First Baptist Church in America, the oldest Baptist church in the Americas, which was founded by Roger Williams in 1638. The First Baptist Church in America is the First Baptist Church of Providence Rhode Island, also known as First Baptist Meetinghouse. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America Providence is the home of the first fully automated post office in the country. The seaside city of Newport is home to many famous mansions, including The Breakers, Marble House and Belcourt Castle. The Breakers is a Vanderbilt mansion located on Ochre Point Avenue NewportRhode IslandUSA, United States on the Atlantic Ocean. Marble House is one of the Gilded Age Mansions of Newport Rhode Island, now open to the public as a museum Belcourt Castle is the former summer cottage of Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont, located on Bellevue Avenue in Newport Rhode Island. It is also home to the Touro Synagogue, dedicated on 2 December 1763, considered by locals to be the first synagogue within the United States (see below for information on New York City's contestant), and still serving. The Touro Synagogue is a Synagogue in Newport Rhode Island, that is the oldest surviving Jewish synagogue building in North America and the Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire Year 1763 ( MDCCLXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a 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 Newport Casino is located at 186-202 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island, United States. A National Historic Landmark (NHL is a Building, site, Structure, Object, or District, that is officially recognized by the The International Tennis Hall of Fame is a non-profit Tennis Hall of fame and Museum at the Newport Casino in Newport Rhode Island

Rhode Island is home to the famous roadside attraction Nibbles Woodaway, the Big Blue Bug, the world's largest termite. The Big Blue Bug, also known as Nibbles Woodaway, is the giant Termite mascot of New England Pest Control, located along I-95 in Providence The termites are a group of Social Insects usually classified at the taxonomic rank of order Isoptera (but see also taxonomy

Fort Adams, on Narragansett Bay, was the setting for the finish of Eco-Challenge 1995. Fort Adams in Newport Rhode Island was established on July 4, 1799 as a First System coastal fortification

Scenic Route 1A (known locally as Ocean Road) in Narragansett is home to "The Towers", a large stone arch. Route 1A is a numbered State highway in Rhode Island, running 34 Narragansett is a town in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States. It was once the entrance to the famous Narragansett casino that burned down in 1900. The towers now serve as a tourist information center and also a banquet hall for events like weddings and birthday parties.

Famous Rhode Islanders

Main article: Famous people from Rhode Island

Rhode Island State Symbols
Living Symbols
-Bird	Rhode Island Red Chicken
-Fish	Striped bass
-Flower	Violet
-Tree	Red maple
Beverage	Coffee milk
Food	Rhode Island Greening Apple
Mineral	Bowenite
Rock	Cumberlandite
Shell	Northern Quahog
Slogan(s)	Unwind
Soil	Narragansett
Song(s)	Rhode Island, Rhode Island, It's for Me
Tartan	Rhode Island Tartan
Route Marker(s)
Quarter	2001
See Also

Popular culture

Main article: Rhode Island in popular culture

The state of Rhode Island is often depicted in popular culture, partly due to its natives the Farrelly brothers and former resident and creator of the television show Family Guy, Seth MacFarlane. This is a list of US state birds as designated by each state's legislature The Rhode Island Red is a breed of Chicken (Gallus domesticus. This is a list of official and *unofficial US state fish:The only states lacking a state fish as of 2008 are Arkansas Indiana Kansas and Ohio The striped bass ( Morone saxatilis, also called rock or rockfish is the state fish of Maryland, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and This is a list of US state flowers: See also List of US state trees Lists of U Viola, commonly called Violets, is a Genus of Flowering plants in the family Violaceae, with around 400-500 species distributed This List of US state trees includes official trees of the following states and U Acer rubrum ( Red Maple, also known as Swamp or Soft Maple) is one of the most common and widespread deciduous Trees of eastern This is a list of official state beverages: Coffee milk is a Drink similar to Chocolate milk; however instead of chocolate syrup Coffee syrup is used This is a list of official US state foods: Not every state has an official state mineral rock stone or gemstone Bowenite is a hard compact variety of the Serpentine species Antigorite found in several places throughout the world notably in Rhode Island where in Not every state has an official state mineral rock stone or gemstone Cumberlandite is the US state of Rhode Island 's state rock. It is only found in large concentrations on a four-acre lot in Blackstone Valley This is a list of official state shells: See also Lists of US The hard clam ( Mercenaria mercenaria) or quahog, is an edible Marine Bivalve Mollusc which is native to the This list of US state slogans is made up the Advertising slogans currently and formerly used by U This is a list of Representative US State Soils. A state soil is a Soil that has special significance to a particular state. Narragansett - Coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal mixed active mesic Typic Dystrudepts The (Unofficial State Soil of Rhode Island USA Introduction Forty-nine states of the United States (all except New Jersey) have one or more state songs, selected by the state "Rhode Island It's For Me" is the official State song of Rhode Island. This is a list of official US state Tartans: See also Lists of U Highways in the United States are split into at least four different types of systems The 50 State Quarters program ( is the release of a series of commemorative coins by the United States Mint. These are lists of US state insignia as designated by tradition or the respective state legislatures: List of U The state of Rhode Island is often depicted in popular culture, partly due to its natives the Farrelly brothers and former residence of the creator of the television The Farrelly brothers, Peter (b December 17 1956 and Bobby (b Family Guy is an animated American television sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane that airs on Fox and regularly on other Seth Woodbury MacFarlane (born October 26 1973 is an Emmy award-winning American Comedian, Animator, Screenwriter, producer

Famous firsts in Rhode Island

• Rhode Island enacted the first law prohibiting slavery in North America on May 18, 1652. Law is a system of rules enforced through a set of Institutions used as an instrument to underpin civil obedience politics economics and society As a social-economic system slavery is a legal institution under which a Person (called "a slave" is compelled to work for another Events 1152 - Henry II of England marries Eleanor of Aquitaine. ^[44]
• Slater Mill in Pawtucket was the first commercially successful cotton-spinning mill with a fully mechanized power system in America and was the birth place of the Industrial Revolution. ^[45]
• The oldest Fourth of July Parade in the country is still held annually in Bristol, RI.
• The first Baptist Church in America was founded in Providence in 1638. Baptist is a term describing individuals belonging to a Baptist church or a Baptist denomination. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[46]
• Ann Smith Franklin of the Newport Mercury was the first woman newspaper editor in America (August 22, 1762). Ann Smith Franklin (1696&ndash1763 was an American colonial newspaper printer and publisher Events 392 - Arbogast has Eugenius elected Western Roman Emperor. Year 1762 ( MDCCLXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year She was the editor of "The Newport Mercury" in Newport, Rhode Island. ^[44]
• Touro Synagogue, the first synagogue in America, was founded in Newport in 1763. The Touro Synagogue is a Synagogue in Newport Rhode Island, that is the oldest surviving Jewish synagogue building in North America and the A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of ^[44] Other sources say the first synagogue was the Mill Street, now South William Street, Synagogue in New York City, built by the Shearith Israel congregation in 1729 (or 1730), having earlier met in rented quarters, making Touro Synagogue the second-oldest in the United States. ^[47]
• The first armed act of rebellion in America against the British Crown was the boarding and burning of the Revenue Schooner Gaspee in Narragansett Bay on June 10, 1772. TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The monarchy The Gaspée Affair was a significant event in the American Revolution. Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem Year 1772 ( MDCCLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a
• The idea of a Continental Congress was first proposed at a town meeting in Providence on May 17, 1774. The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the Events 1521 - Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for Treason. Year 1774 ( MDCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Rhode Island elected the first delegates (Stephen Hopkins and Samuel Ward) to the Continental Congress on June 15, 1774. Stephen Hopkins (March 7 1707 &ndash July 13 1785 was an American political leader from Rhode Island who signed the Declaration of Independence. Samuel Ward (American statesman (1725–1776 was an American merchant and a delegate to the Continental Congress from Rhode Island Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history Year 1774 ( MDCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a
• The Rhode Island General Assembly created the first standing army in the colonies (1,500 men) on April 22, 1775. An army (from Latin Armata "act of arming" via Old French armée) in the broadest sense is the land-based Armed forces This article is about a type of political territory For other uses see Colony (disambiguation. Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. Year 1775 ( MDCCLXXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a
• On June 15, 1775, the first naval engagement of the American Revolution occurred between a Colonial Sloop commanded by Capt. Events 763 BC - Assyrians record a Solar eclipse that will be used to fix the Chronology of Mesopotamian history Year 1775 ( MDCCLXXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Abraham Whipple and an armed tender of the British Frigate Rose. Abraham Whipple ( 26 September 1733 &ndash 27 May 1819) was an American The Kingdom of Great Britain, also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, was a State in northwest Europe, in existence from 1707 to 1800 The tender was chased aground and captured. Later in June, the General Assembly created the first American Navy when it commissioned the Sloops Katy and Washington, armed with 24 guns and commanded by Abraham Whipple, who was promoted to Commodore. Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. A gun is a particular Weapon that propels Projectiles The projectile is generally fired through a hollow tube known as the gun's barrel. Please see " Commodore " for other uses of this rank Commodore is a rank of the United States Navy with a somewhat When the Rhode Island Navy was created Esek Hopkins, not Captain Abraham Whipple, was named its Commanding Officer with the rank of Commodore. When in December of that year the Continental Navy was created Commodore Esek Hopkins was named its Commanding Officer.
• Rhode Island was the first Colony to declare independence from Britain on May 4, 1776. This article is about a type of political territory For other uses see Colony (disambiguation. Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV Year 1776 ( MDCCLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a ^[44]
• Pelham Street in Newport was the first in America to be illuminated by gaslight in 1806. ^[44]
• The first strike in the United States in which women participated occurred in Pawtucket in 1824. Strike action, often simply called a strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal by Employees to perform work. ^[44]
• Watch Hill has the nation’s oldest carousel that has been in continuous operation since 1850. See Watch Hill (Lake District for fells in the English Lake District called Watch Hill A carousel ( carrousel in French) is an Amusement ride consisting of a rotating platform with seats for passengers ^[44]
• The motion picture machine (a machine showing animated pictures) was patented in Providence on April 23, 1867. A patent is a set of Exclusive rights granted by a State to an inventor or his assignee for a fixed period of time in exchange for a disclosure of an Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 1867 ( MDCCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting ^[44]
• The first lunch wagon in America was introduced in Providence in 1872. ^[44]
• The first nine hole golf course in America was completed in Newport in 1890. A golf course consists of a series of holes each consisting of a Teeing ground, Fairway, rough and other hazards and a green with a pin and cup all designed for ^[44]
• The first state health laboratory was established in Providence on September 1, 1894^[44]
• The Rhode Island State House was the first building with an all-marble dome to be built in the United States (1895–1901)^[44]
• The first automobile race on a track was held in Cranston on September 7, 1896. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. Year 1894 ( MDCCCXCIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Rhode Island State House is the capitol of the US state of Rhode Island. Marble is a nonfoliated Metamorphic rock resulting from the Metamorphism of Limestone, composed mostly of Calcite (a crystalline form of Events 1251 BC - A Solar eclipse on this date might mark the birth of legendary Heracles at Thebes Greece. Year 1896 ( MDCCCXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year ^[44]
• The first automobile parade was held in Newport on September 7, 1899 on the grounds of Belcourt Castle. Events 1251 BC - A Solar eclipse on this date might mark the birth of legendary Heracles at Thebes Greece. Year 1899 ( MDCCCXCIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common ^[44]
• The first NFL night game was held on November 6, 1929 at Providence's Kinsley Park. The National Football League ( NFL) is the largest professional American football league. Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Chicago (now Arizona) Cardinals defeated the Providence Steam Roller 16-0. The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale Arizona, just outside of Phoenix.

Cities and towns

Main article: Cities and towns in Rhode Island

See also: Rhode Island locations by per capita income

There are 39 cities and towns in Rhode Island. This is a list of the 39 municipalities in Rhode Island. Eight of these municipalities were re-incorporated as cities while the other 31 remain as towns Rhode Island is the 17th Richest state in the United States of America, with a Per capita income of $21688 (2000 and a Personal per capita income Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about 30 miles (48 km south of Providence Major population centers today result from historical factors — with the advent of the water-powered mill development took place predominantly along the Blackstone, Seekonk, and Providence Rivers. The Blackstone River is a River in the US states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The Seekonk River is a tidal extension of the Blackstone River and Ten Mile River in the U Providence River is a Tidal river in the US state of Rhode Island.

Ranked by population, the state's 8 cities are:

1. Providence (175,255)
2. Warwick (87,233)
3. Cranston (79,269)
4. Pawtucket (73,742)
5. East Providence (49,515)
6. Woonsocket (44,328)
7. Newport (26,475)
8. Central Falls (19,159)

In common with many other New England states, some Rhode Island cities and towns are further partitioned into villages that reflect historic townships which were later combined for administrative purposes. Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. Cranston, once known as Pawtuxet is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. Pawtucket (pronounced Pa-TUCK-et is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. East Providence is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about 30 miles (48 km south of Providence Central Falls is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. Notable villages include Kingston, in the town of South Kingstown, which houses the University of Rhode Island, and Wickford, in North Kingstown, the site of an annual international art festival.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Further information: Rhode Island schools

Colleges and universities

Main article: List of colleges and universities in Rhode Island

Rhode Island has 14 colleges and universities:

Transportation

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA), which has its hub in downtown Providence manages local bus transit for the state, serving 38 out of 39 Rhode Island communities. The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA provides Public transportation, primarily Buses in the state of Rhode Island Kennedy Plaza is a transportation hub in downtown Providence, Rhode Island next to the Providence City Hall and Providence Federal Building. Downtown, also known as Downcity, is the central economic political and cultural district of the city of Providence Rhode Island. RIPTA has 58 bus lines, 2 tourist trolley lines known as LINK, and a seasonal ferry to Newport. Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about 30 miles (48 km south of Providence ^[48] The southern terminus of the MBTA commuter rail Providence/Stoughton Line is also in downtown Providence and connects to Boston. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority ( MBTA) is "a body politic and corporate and a political subdivision" of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Providence/Stoughton Line is a line of the MBTA Commuter Rail system running southwest from Boston Massachusetts, USA. Ferry services link Block Island, Prudence Island, and Hog Island to the Rhode Island mainland. Block Island is part of the US state of Rhode Island and is located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately south of the coast of Rhode Island Prudence Island is the third largest island in Narragansett Bay in the state of Rhode Island and part of the municipality of Portsmouth Rhode Island Hog Island is an island in Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island, USA.

The major airport is T. F. Green Airport in Warwick, though Logan International Airport in Boston is also used. NewportbridgeJPG|right|thumb|180px|Approximate location]] The Claiborne Pell Bridge, commonly known as the Newport Bridge, is a Suspension bridge operated by T F Green International Airport, also known as Theodore Francis Green State Airport, is a public Airport located in Warwick, six miles (10 Warwick is a city in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The commuter rail is in the process of being extended to the airport, which will link by rail T. F. Green to Providence and Boston.

Interstate 95 runs diagonally across the state connecting major population centers, while the auxiliary interstate 295 provides a bypass around Providence. Route 84 (Rhode Island redirects here For the once-planned Interstate Highway, see Interstate 84 (Rhode Island. The auxiliary Interstate Highways (also called 3-digit Interstate Highways) is an additional network of freeways of the Interstate Highway System. Interstate 295 (abbreviated I-295) is an Interstate route in length within the U Narragansett Bay has a number of suspension bridge crossings connecting Aquidneck Island and Conanicut Island to the mainland, most notably the Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge and the Jamestown-Verrazano Bridge. Narragansett Bay is a Bay and Estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound. Aquidneck Island (or Rhode Island) is the largest island in Narragansett Bay. Conanicut Island is the second largest island in Narragansett Bay, in the state of Rhode Island. NewportbridgeJPG|right|thumb|180px|Approximate location]] The Claiborne Pell Bridge, commonly known as the Newport Bridge, is a Suspension bridge operated by

State symbols

State symbols include:

• State bird - "Rhode Island Red,"
• State flower - "Violet,"
• State tree - "Red Maple,"
• State drink - "Coffee Milk,"

See also

• List of Rhode Island-related topics

References

Bibliography

External links

• State of Rhode Island government website
• Rhode Island State Databases - Annotated list of searchable databases produced by Rhode Island state agencies and compiled by the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association.
• USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Rhode Island
• U.S. Census Bureau
• Rhode Island laws
• Scituate Art Festival
• Rhode Island State Facts
• Detailed Historical Article from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
• Some Old Postcard Views of Rhode Island
• Directory of filming locations in the state
• Interactive Rhode Island Map Server
• Rhode Island newsgroup
• Old Postcards of Rhode Island
• Old Interactive Rhode Island for kids

Preceded by North Carolina

List of U.S. states by date of statehood Ratified Constitution on May 29, 1790 (13th)

Succeeded by Vermont

North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This is a list of U The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme Law of the United States. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the Year 1790 ( MDCCXC) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Vermont ( is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America.

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