Where is Rhode Island on the map?
Despite its name, most of Rhode Island is on the mainland of the United States. Prior to 2020, its official name was State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, derived from the merger of four Colonial settlements.
Why was Rhode Island unique among the 13 colonies?
Rhode Island was unique among the Thirteen British Colonies for being founded by a refugee, Roger Williams, who fled religious persecution from the Massachusetts Bay Colony to establish a haven for religious liberty.
What is the population of Rhode Island?
, Rhode Island had an estimated population of 1,056,298, which is an increase of 1,125, or 0.10%, from the prior year and an increase of 3,731, or 0.35%, since the year 2010.
Who was the first person to settle in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island was one of the 13 original colonies, first settled by Roger Williams in 1636. In 1776, Rhode Island was the first of the colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown.
What are the two nicknames for Rhode Island?
“Little Rhody” is a traditional nickname for Rhode Island, in reference to the state's small size. Variations include “Little Rhodie,” “L'il Rhody,” and “Little Rhode.” The nickname “Plantation State” is derived from the states official full name “The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.”
What percentage of RI is coastline?
Its official nickname is the "Ocean State", a reference to its 400 miles (640 km) of coastline and the large bays and inlets that comprise about 14% of its total area....Rhode IslandWebsitewww.ri.gov^ Approximately 776,957 acres49 more rows
Why is Rhode Island called an island when it's not an island?
Theories Behind the Name In 1524, Giovanni da Verrazzano, an Italian explorer serving under King Francis I of France recognized the existence of an island close to the crevice of Narragansett Bay, which he pointed out to resemble the Island of Rhodes, a part of modern day Greece.
What do Rhode Islanders call themselves?
People who live in Rhode Island are called Rhode Islanders and Rhodians.
What percent of RI is black?
Rhode Island Demographics White: 79.00% Black or African American: 6.54% Other race: 5.58%
Is Rhode Island mostly water?
Rhode Island covers a total area of 3,999 km² (1,544 sq mi), a third of which is water (1,324 km² or 511 square miles). This feature might be the reason for its official nickname "The Ocean State," the other one is 'Little Rhody.
What is a Rhode Island accent?
It's a hybrid of Northern and Southern New England English, a Boston-meets-Brooklyn sound with a dash of Italian and Portuguese slang mixed in. Some say you can talk Rhode Island by using a Boston accent mixed with Italian slang.
Does everyone in Rhode Island know each other?
If you're from Rhode Island you must know my second cousin, Jake Something. I can't remember the name of the town, but do you know him? Some people assume that because the state is so small, we all know each other. While sometimes this feels like it's true, we don't actually know everyone that has ever lived here.
Why is Rhode Island so special?
Rhode Island is the smallest state in size in the United States. It covers an area of 1,214 square miles. Its distances North to South are 48 miles and East to West 37 miles. Rhode Island was the last of the original thirteen colonies to become a state.
What food is native to Rhode Island?
Famous Rhode Island FoodsRhode Island-Style Calamari. If you thought fried calamari was already addictive, you haven't tried it Rhode Island-style. ... Clam Cakes. ... Stuffies. ... Rhode Island Clam Chowder. ... Hot Wieners. ... Coffee Milk. ... Pizza Strips. ... Johnnycakes.
What does the name Narragansett mean?
(The Native American word "Narragansett" translates roughly into English as "people of the small point".)
What race lives in Rhode Island?
TablePopulationNative Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent(a) 0.2%Two or More Races, percent 3.0%Hispanic or Latino, percent(b) 17.1%White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent 70.4%54 more rows
Does RI have the most coastline?
Of all the states in the US, Rhode Island has the longest ratio of coastline to overall area. Despite being only 37 miles (60 kilometers) wide and 48 miles (77 kilometers) long, Rhode Island has a total coastline of 400 miles (644 kilometers).
How much of Rhode Island is beach?
Despite its tiny size, the state is home to 40 miles of coastline that offer something for every kind of beach lover: big surf, small surf, peace and quiet, entertainment for the kids, celebrity cachet, and/or all the requisite New England summer food staples (clam cakes, doughboys, Del's frozen lemonade).
Which state has the most coastline of water?
The Top Ten: States with Longest CoastlinesAlaska. Pacific/Arctic. 6,640.Florida. Atlantic/Gulf. 1,350.California. Pacific. 840.Hawaii. Pacific. 750.Louisiana. Gulf. 397.Texas. Gulf. 367.North Carolina. Atlantic. 301.Oregon. Pacific. 296.More items...
What state has the most coastline?
These states are Alaska (33,904 miles), Florida (8,436 miles), Louisiana (7,721 miles), Maine (3,478 miles), California, North Carolina (3,375 miles), Texas (3,359 miles), Virginia (3,315 miles), Michigan (3,224 miles), and Maryland (3,190 miles).
How did Rhode Island get its name?
It is unclear how the island came to be named Rhode Island, but two historical events may have been of influence: 1 Explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano noted the presence of an island near the mouth of Narragansett Bay in 1524 which he likened to the island of Rhodes off the coast of Greece. Subsequent European explorers were unable to precisely identify the island Verrazzano described, but the colonists who settled the area assumed it was this island. 2 Adriaen Block passed by the island during his expeditions in the 1610s, and he described it in a 1625 account of his travels as "an island of reddish appearance," which was " een rodlich Eylande " in 17th-century Dutch, meaning a red or reddish island, supposedly evolving into the designation Rhode Island. Historians have theorized this "reddish appearance" resulted from either red autumn foliage or red clay on portions of the shore.
When did Rhode Island become a state?
It was formerly named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations since its accession to the Union in 1790; voters in the state approved an amendment in November 2020 to the state constitution, renaming itself the State of Rhode Island.
What was the first English settlement in Rhode Island?
The first English settlement in Rhode Island was the town of Providence, which the Narragansett granted to Roger Williams in 1636. At that time, Williams obtained no permission from the English crown, as he believed the English had no legitimate claim on Narragansett and Wampanoag territory. However, in 1643, he petitioned Charles I of England to grant Providence and neighboring towns a colonial patent, due to threats of invasion from the colonies of Boston and Plymouth. He used the name "Providence Plantations" in his petition, plantation being the English term for a colony. "Providence Plantations" was therefore the official name of the colony from 1643 to 1663, when a new charter was issued. In 1790, following the American Revolution, the new state incorporated both "Rhode Island" and "Providence Plantations", becoming known as the "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations". However, as matter of convenience, the state came to be commonly known as simply "Rhode Island".
How wide is Rhode Island?
It is only 37 miles (60 km) wide and 48 miles (77 km) long, yet the state has a tidal shoreline on Narragansett Bay and the Atlantic Ocean of 384 miles (618 km). Rhode Island is nicknamed the Ocean State and has a number of oceanfront beaches.
How many counties are there in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island is divided into five counties but it has no county governments. The entire state is divided into municipalities, which handle all local government affairs.
What is the capital of Rhode Island?
Providence is the state capital and most populous city in Rhode Island. On May 4, 1776, the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was the first of the Thirteen Colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown, and it was the fourth state to ratify the Articles of Confederation, doing so on February 9, 1778.
What is the name of the colony founded by Roger Williams?
The settlements of Newport and Portsmouth were situated on what is commonly called Aquidneck Island today but was called Rhode Island in Colonial times. Providence Plantation was the name of the colony founded by Roger Williams in the state's capital of Providence.
What is the ocean state of Rhode Island?
Despite its small area, Rhode Island, known as the “Ocean State,” boasts over 400 miles of coastline. Rhode Island was founded by Roger Williams in 1636, who had been banished from the Massachusetts colony for his advocacy of religious tolerance and the separation of church and state.During the colonial period, ...
When did Rhode Island become independent?
On May 4, 1776, Rhode Island became the first colony to renounce allegiance to King George III of England. In 1908, the General Assembly established May 4th as “Rhode Island Independence Day.”.
Who was the first white colonist to establish a permanent settlement in Rhode Island?
Banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his radical views, Roger Williams purchased land from the Narragansett Indians and founded the first permanent white settlement in Providence in 1636. His firm belief in religious freedom, tolerance and the separation between church and state governed the colony of Rhode Island and inspired the future founders of the United States.
Which state refused to participate in the creation of the Constitution?
Preferring the Articles of Confederation, Rhode Island refused to participate in creating the U.S. Constitution, and was the last of the original 13 states to ratify it.
Overview
The State of Rhode Island is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous, with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020, but it is the second-most densely populated after New Jersey. It takes its name from the eponymous island, though most of its land area is on the mainland. Rhode Isla…
Name
Despite its name, most of Rhode Island is on the mainland of the United States. Prior to 2020, its official name was State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, derived from the merger of four Colonial settlements. The settlements of Rhode Island (Newport and Portsmouth) were on what is commonly called Aquidneck Island today but was called Rhode Island in Colonial times. Providence Plantation was the name of the colony founded by Roger Williams in the state's capita…
History
In 1636, Roger Williams was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his religious views, and he settled at the top of Narragansett Bay on land sold or given to him by Narragansett sachem Canonicus. He named the site Providence, "having a sense of God's merciful providence unto me in my distress", and it became a place of religious freedom where all were welcome. In 1638 (after c…
Geography
Rhode Island covers an area of 1,214 square miles (3,144 km ) within the New England region of the Northeastern United States and is bordered on the north and east by Massachusetts, on the west by Connecticut, and on the south by Rhode Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. It shares a narrow maritime border with New York State between Block Island and Long Island. The state's mean e…
Landmarks
The state capitol building is made of white Georgian marble. On top is the world's fourth largest self-supported marble dome. It houses the Rhode Island Charter granted by King Charles II in 1663, the Brown University charter, and other state treasures.
The First Baptist Church of Providence is the oldest Baptist church in the Americ…
Environment
On May 29, 2014, Governor Lincoln D. Chafee announced that Rhode Island was one of eight states to release a collaborative Action Plan to put 3.3 million zero-emission vehicles on its roads by 2025. The plan's purpose is to reduce greenhouse gas and smog-causing emissions. The plan promotes zero-emissions vehicles and investments in the infrastructure to support them.
Demographics
The United States Census Bureau estimated Rhode Island's population was 1,059,361 on July 1, 2019, a 0.65% increase since the 2010 United States census. At the 2020 U.S. census, its population was 1,097,379. The center of population of Rhode Island is in Providence County, in the city of Cranston. A corridor of population can be seen from the Providence area, stretching northwest followi…
Economy
The Rhode Island economy had a colonial base in fishing.
The Blackstone River Valley was a major contributor to the American Industrial Revolution. It was in Pawtucket that Samuel Slater set up Slater Mill in 1793, using the waterpower of the Blackstone River to power his cotton mill. For a while, Rhode Island was one of the leaders in textiles. However, with the Great Depre…