Capital: Providence

Population: 1,057,315 (Source: 2012 U.S. Census)

Major Cities: Providence, Warwick, Cranston, Pawtucket, East Providence

Borders: Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York (maritime border), Atlantic Ocean

Gross Domestic Product (GDP): $50,956 million (2012 U.S. Department of Commerce)

Key Industries:

Jewelry, metal products, shipbuilding, healthcare, tourism, and electrical equipment

Agriculture products include dairy products, eggs, nursery products, and vegetables

How Rhode Island got its name: The state website says the name came from Dutch explorer Adriaen Block who called the land Roodt Eylandt, which means red island. He got the name from the red clay of the Rhode Island coastline.

Other sources claim that the name comes from Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano who thought one of the islands off the coast of Rhode Island looked like the island Rhodes off the coast of Greece.

Click on map for larger view

Rhode Island State Symbols

State Nickname: Ocean State

State Slogan: Unwind

State Motto: Hope

State flower: Violet

State bird: Rhode Island Red Chicken

State fish: Striped bass

State tree: Red Maple

State mammal: NA

State foods: Coffee Milk

Becoming a State

Date admitted: May 29, 1790

Number admitted: 13

Prior Name: Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, then sovereign state in Confederation

Postal Abbreviation: RI

The Geography of Rhode Island

Total Size: 1,045 sq. miles (source: 2003 Census)

Geographical Low Point: Atlantic Ocean at Sea Level (source: U.S. Geological Survey)

Geographical High Point: Jerimoth Hill at 812 feet, located in the county/subdivision of Providence (source: U.S. Geological Survey)

Central Point: Located in Kent County approx. 1 mile south-southwest of Crompton (source: U.S. Geological Survey)

Counties: 5 (source: National Association of Counties)

Bodies of Water: Atlantic Ocean, Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island Sound, Block Island Sound, Scituate Reservoir, Sakonnet River

Famous People

• Chris Van Allsburg - Author who wrote Jumanji, The Polar Express, and Zathura

• George Cohan - Musical composer who wrote patriotic songs such as 'You're a Grand Old Flag' and 'Over There'

• Elisabeth Hasselbeck - TV talk show host and reality TV star

• Matthew C. Perry - U.S. Naval commander

• Gilbert Stuart - Artist who painted the famous portrait of George Washington

• Meredith Vieira - TV talk show host and news anchor

Fun Facts

• Rhode Island is the smallest US State in geographical area.

• Newport, RI held the first circus in the US in 1774.

• The official name of Rhode Island is Rhode Island and the Providence Plantations.

• The Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Rhode Island.

• All the residents of the state live within about 30 miles from the water.

• It was the last of the original thirteen colonies to become a state.

• The oldest carousel in the United States is the Flying Horse Carousel located in Watch Hill.

• The official state rock is Cumberlandite. This is a rare rock and is only found in the state.

• It gets its nickname from having so much ocean coastline for such a small state.

• Rhode Island made the first law that prohibited slavery in 1652.

Professional Sports Teams

There are no major professional sports teams in Rhode Island.

Rhode Island

State History

Native Americans

People have lived in the land that is today Rhode Island for thousands of years. Before the Europeans arrived, various Native American tribes ruled the land. These tribes spoke the Algonquian language, lived in longhouses, and farmed corn, beans, and squash. The largest of the tribes was the Narragansett. Other tribes included the Wampanoag, the Niantic, the Nipmuck, and the Pequot.

Providence State House by Joe Webster

Europeans Arrive

The first recorded visit by a European was in 1524 when Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano arrived. He met with some of the local tribes and mapped out portions of the coastline. Dutch explorer Adriaen Block arrived around 90 years later in 1614. He further mapped out the coastline including Narragansett Bay and Block Island, which was named after him.

Colonization

The first permanent European settlement was established by Roger Williams in 1636. Williams moved to Rhode Island after being kicked out of Massachusetts for his religious beliefs. Williams called the settlement Providence and declared that it would be a place of religious freedom. Today Providence is the capital of Rhode Island and Williams is known as the "Father of Rhode Island."

Roger Williams and Narragansetts

by James Charles Armytage

Other people wanting religious freedom followed Williams to the region. Anne Hutchinson was also told to leave Massachusetts because of her religion. She established the settlement of Portsmouth in 1638.

As more colonists settled in the area, they began to want independence from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In 1644, they united under a single government to form their own colony. They received a royal charter from the King of England in 1663.

King Philip's War

From 1675 to 1676 the colonists in New England fought a war against the local Native Americans. The leader of the Native Americans was a Wampanoag chief called King Philip. Many of the settlements in Rhode Island were attacked including Providence. The largest battle fought during the war was the Great Swamp Fight in which a large Narrangansett force was defeated and their fort was burned to the ground. Eventually, King Philip was hunted down and killed. After the war, few Native Americans were left living in the colony.

American Revolution

When England began to tax the American colonies, Rhode Island was eager to gain their independence. In 1772, colonists from Providence attacked and burned the British ship the Gaspee. Rhode Island was also one of the first colonies to renounce their allegiance to Britain on May 4, 1776.

The burning of the Gaspee by Harper & Brothers

Becoming a State

After the war, Rhode Island was hesitant to join the United States. They wanted to be sure that the Constitution would protect their rights. They finally agreed to join after the Bill of Rightswas added to the Constitution. Rhode Island became the 13th state to join the Union on May 29, 1790.

Timeline

• 1524 - Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano is the first European to visit Rhode Island.

• 1614 - Dutch navigator Adriaen Block arrives and maps the coastline including Block Island.

• 1636 - The first permanent settlement, Providence, is established by Roger Williams.

• 1638 - Anne Hutchinson founds the city of Portsmouth.

• 1644 - The colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation is established.

• 1676 - King Philip's war between the colonists and the Indians comes to an end.

• 1784 - Brown University is founded by John Brown.

• 1772 - Providence residents attack and burn the British ship Gaspee.

• 1776 - Rhode Island announced its independence from Britain.

• 1790 - The U.S. Congress admits Rhode Island as the 13th state.

• 1841 - Thomas Dorr leads a rebellion demanding the right to vote.

• 1938 - A powerful hurricane hits the coastline and destroys many homes.