History

The colony of Rhode Island was founded by Roger Williams. Williams was a former Massachusetts colonist that was banished for his belief that everyone should have freedom of religion. He founded a place that was at the head of the Narragansett Bay that he called Providence, after "God's merciful Providence", a quote used much in the Anglican English Church. Many others followed to Rhode Island. It was the only refuge to persecuted religious dissenters, which was a perfect way to describe Williams. Providence immediately became a beehive of industry, with jewelry and silverware factories booming all over the city.

REvolutionary war

Although the colony of Massachusetts is the most well-known colony for starting the American Revolution, Rhode Island did make a spark. The HMS Gaspee was a British war ship. Since the east coast of the colony was notorious for being smugglers, King George III ordered the all ships of the area to be searched. After making it to the Narragansett Bay, they spotted a small boat called the Hannah, and asked it to stop and be searched. That's when the chase started up the Narragansett Bay. Although many historians argue about what exactly happened, everyone can agree that the Hannah was a lightweight cargo-free boat. As it approached a sandbar that's considered part of the City of Warwick, the water was very shallow, but the small boat was able to make it through the Warwick area without running aground. The heavy British vessel, however, wasn't so lucky. They immediately got stuck. Later that night, the residents of Rhode Island East Coast cities such as Warwick, Cranston, Providence, and Pawtucket, rowed their boats out to the spot where the HMS Gaspee was stuck and burned the ship.