Information and history of the state of Rhode Island

In 1636, Roger Williams, after being banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his religious views, settled at the tip of Narragansett Bay, on land granted to him by the Narragansett and Pequot tribes. He called the site Providence "having a sense of God's merciful providence unto me in my distress." Eventually it became a place of religious freedom.

Rhode Island was the first of the original Thirteen Colonies to declare independence from British rule, declaring itself independent on May 4, 1776, two months before any other colony. The State was also the last of the thirteen original colonies to ratify the United States Constitution.

Rhode Island's official nickname is "The Ocean State", a reference to the State's geography, since Rhode Island has several large bays and inlets that amount to about 14% of its total area. Its land area is 1,045 square miles, but its total area is significantly larger.

Some Rhode Island Symbols

1. State Bird	2. State Shell	3. State Flower	4. State Fish	5. State Insect
6. State Tree	7. State Beverage	8. State Fruit	9. State Rock	10. State Mineral

1. Rhode Island Red - The Rhode Island red chicken was designated the official state bird of Rhode Island in 1954.
2. Quahaug - Rhode Island designated the quahaug as official state shell in 1987.
3. Violet - Rhode Island was the last state to adopt an official state flower. Although the violet was voted as the state flower by Rhode Island's school children in 1897, the flower was not officially adopted as the state flower until 1968.
4. Striped Bass - The striped bass was adopted as the state fish of Rhode Island in 2000.
5. Firefly - The firefly was designated the official state insect of Pennsylvania in 1974. A small, unremarkable beetle by day, fireflies can transform a midsummer night into a fairyland of tiny, brilliant twinkling lights - a wonder of nature.
6. Red Maple - Although the red maple was voted as the state tree by Rhode Island's school children in the 1890's, it was not officially recognized as the state tree until 1964.
7. Coffee Milk - First introduced to Rhode Islanders in the early 1920's, coffee milk became so popular it was designated the official state drink of Rhode Island in 1993.
8. Rhode Island Greening Apple - The Rhode Island greening apple was designated the official state fruit of Rhode Island in 1991.
9. Cumberlandite - Rhode Island designated cumberlandite as the official state rock in 1966.
10. Bowenite - Rhode Island designated bowenite as the official state mineral in 1966.

Did you know?

• Rhode Island is the smallest state in size in the United States. Its distances North to South are 48 miles and East to West 37 miles.
• Rhode Island never ratified the 18th Amendment prohibition.
• Rhode Island has no county government. It is divided into 39 municipalities each having its own form of local government.
• Thomas Jefferson and John Adams publicly acknowledged Roger Williams, as the originator of the concepts and principles reflected in The First Amendment. Among those principles were freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of public assembly.
• The White Horse Tavern was built in 1673 and is the oldest operating tavern in the United States.
• Portsmouth is home to the oldest schoolhouse in the United States. The school was built in 1716.
• Rhode Island is known for making silverware and fine jewelry.