A GUIDE TO RHODE ISLAND GOVERNMENT & HISTORY Nellie M. Gorbea Secretary of State OUR STATE What city or town do you live in? ___________________________ Can you identify each city and town on the map? Barrington Exeter New Shoreham (Block Island) Smithfield Bristol Foster Newport South Kingstown Burrillville Glocester North Kingstown Tiverton Central Falls Hopkinton North Providence Warren Charlestown Jamestown North Smithfield Warwick Coventry Johnston Pawtucket West Greenwich Cranston Lincoln Portsmouth West Warwick Cumberland Little Compton Providence Westerly East Greenwich Middletown Richmond Woonsocket East Providence Narragansett Scituate Rhode Island Department of State As Secretary of State, I want all Rhode Islanders to know about our amazing state and to understand how our Rhode Island State House government works. This book has information about Rhode 82 Smith Street Island, our State House, and our government. I know you Providence, RI 02903 will enjoy learning about our state’s rich history and its important contributions to the growth and prosperity of the United States of America. [email protected] I encourage you to visit our magnificent State House where www.sos.ri.gov you can see the treasures described in this book, and learn even more about how our state government works. Visit (401) 222-3983 the rooms where laws are made and learn more about how you can have a voice in decisions that affect you. We Follow us on Twitter offer free guided tours every weekday, except holidays. @RISecState To schedule a tour call us at (401) 222-3983 or email us at Like us on Facebook [email protected]. RI Department of State You can also learn more about Rhode Island and our State Follow us on Instagram House by visiting our website at sos.ri.gov. There you will myrihistory find lots of historic documents, virtual exhibits, and other information, all available 24 hours a day. Nellie M. Gorbea Secretary of State I hope you will love learning about our state and its [email protected] fascinating history as much as I do. It makes me proud to (401) 222-2357 call Rhode Island my home. SOURCES www.discoveryeducation.com Rhode Island State Library Rhode Island State Archives Sincerely, Smithfield Special thanks to Tim Howe from South Kingstown Tolman High School, and his students, Tiverton Charlize Lopez and Kaela Stefanik, for proposing incorporating math Warren problems into this book. Warwick Nellie M. Gorbea West Greenwich Secretary of State West Warwick Westerly Woonsocket Nellie M. Gorbea - Secretary of State 1 ALL ABOUT RHODE ISLAND official document that united the towns Providence, Portsmouth, and Newport. England’s Commission on Foreign Plantations granted RHODE ISLAND the patent and named the towns: HISTORY OF ITS NAME “the Incorporation of Providence Plantations in Narragansett Bay Rhode Island was originally called The first use of “Rhode Island” or in New England.” At that time, the State of Rhode Island and any of its variations in connection plantations were places where Providence Plantations. This with Narragansett Bay, is in a letter colonists established farms and long name – the longest of any from Italian explorer Giovanni da grew crops. The 1663 Royal state in America – was its official Verrazzano dated July 8, 1524. In the Charter united the two earlier name from 1663 until 2020, when letter he refers to an island near the descriptive names, officially naming Rhode Islanders voted to remove mouth of Narragansett Bay, noting the territory the Colony of Rhode “and Providence Plantations” its similarity to the Isle of Rhodes Island and Providence Plantations. from the state’s name. Today the in the Aegean Sea. The phrase To learn more about the 2020 name is State of Rhode Island. “Providence Plantations” came from decision to change the state name, a 1643 Parliamentary Patent, the first please turn to page 10. FunFact! THE FIRST When Roger Williams RHODE ISLANDERS arrived in New England, he learned the language of Rhode Island’s earliest inhabitants the indigenous people. In were members of the Narragansett, 1643, he wrote A Key into Wampanoag, Nipmuc, and Pequot the Language of America tribes. For thousands of years, they which includes translations fished, hunted, and grew crops of Native American words throughout the land we call Rhode to English. Island. They lived in extended family groups and did not establish permanent settlements, moving Indigenous people continue to live throughout inland from the coast during the Rhode Island, and we use many of their words in our colder months, never exhausting the everyday life. Here are three words with their original land or its resources. meanings: Beginning in 1620, colonial settlers Narragansett Wampanoag Aquidneck from Plymouth and Massachusetts People of the small People of the At the island. Bay colonies came to the region to point of land. first light. trade with the indigenous people. In 1635, William Blackstone became the first European settler to build Do any of these words look familiar? a permanent home in present-day Sakonnet Pawtucket Metacom Rhode Island. It was on the banks Touisset Ninigret Quonset of a river now named after him, the Kickemuit Massasoit Wamsutta Blackstone River, in Cumberland. Can you add to this list? ___________________________________________ 2 A GUIDE TO RHODE ISLAND GOVERNMENT & HISTORY - Rhode Island Department of State ALL ABOUT RHODE ISLAND COLONIAL HISTORY Roger Williams founded the first permanent colonial settlement in Rhode Island in 1636, on land granted to him by Narragansett chiefs Canonicus and Miantonomi. He named the settlement Providence. Banished from Massachusetts for speaking out about religious tolerance, Williams established a policy of religious who was also known as Philip, were a significant portion of the freedom in Providence. Other lasted only 14 months, but it population in the urban seaports leaders advocating freedom permanently changed Rhode of Newport, Providence, and of worship soon established Island. Thousands of indigenous Bristol, and on the working farms similar communities around people were killed. Survivors fled of western Rhode Island. or were captured and sold into Narragansett Bay. The colonial period came to an slavery. Over the next few decades, end in 1776. Rhode Island was thousands of settlers came In the 1700s, Rhode Island the first colony to renounce its to Rhode Island. In 1675, became a major participant in allegiance to the king on May 4th the tension created by their the trans-Atlantic maritime trade of that year. The Declaration of growing need for land led to which included the enslavement Independence followed exactly war. King Philip’s War, named for of Africans. African heritage two months later. Wampanoag leader Metacomet people, both enslaved and free, ROYAL CHARTER The Royal Charter of 1663 guaranteed Rhode Island settlers freedom of religion and the freedom to govern their own colony. Rhode Island was the first colony FunFact in New England to be granted these The Charter is freedoms by King Charles II of England. written on sheep The Charter is in the care of the Secretary or goat skin that of State, who has been the keeper of needs to expand records since the colonial period. It is and contract, just on display in the Royal Charter Museum like your own skin. located in the Rhode Island State House. Alongside the Charter are other documents and artifacts that tell the story of Rhode Island’s colonial settlement and represent its important place in history. Nellie M. Gorbea - Secretary of State 3 ALL ABOUT RHODE ISLAND HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS 1636 1640 Narragansett chiefs Newport establishes Canonicus and a Common Burying Miantonomi grant Roger Ground for all residents Williams the land which regardless of race or becomes Providence. 1638 religion. 1663 Anne Hutchinson is expelled from The Royal Charter guarantees Rhode 1600 Massachusetts and helps found Islanders the right to freedom of religion Pocasset (Portsmouth). and to govern themselves. 1774 1778 Providence citizens are The 1st Rhode Island the first to propose the Regiment, comprised of idea of a Continental African American and Native Congress at their town American men, participates meeting. in the Battle of Rhode Island. 1700 1772 1776 In the first armed act of rebellion against Rhode Island is the first colony to England, Rhode Islanders attack and burn repeal its allegiance to the British the British ship Gaspee. Crown. 1853 Rhode Island firm Brown & Sharpe standardizes measurement tools, 1841-1842 revolutionizing mass The Dorr Rebellion leads to the expansion production. 1885 1800 Reverend Mahlon van Horne is the first of voting rights to citizens who don’t own African American man to be elected to the land. General Assembly. 1936 Rhode Island is the first state in the nation to use voting machines in 1917 every voting district in 1994 Rhode Island is the first New England the state. The first WaterFire lighting is made possible by a 1900 state to allow women to vote for complete redesign of Providence which includes Presidential Electors. uncovering long buried rivers. 2020 Rhode Islanders vote How will you to remove “Providence contribute to Plantations” from the 2016 Rhode Island’s America’s first offshore state’s name. windfarm is built off the future? 2000 coast of Block Island. 4 A GUIDE TO RHODE ISLAND GOVERNMENT & HISTORY - Rhode Island Department of State ALL ABOUT RHODE ISLAND WOMEN IN OUR HISTORY Elizabeth Buffum Chace Christiana Carteaux FAMOUS Memorial (1806–1899) Bannister Elizabeth Buffum Chace Memorial (1822–1902) FIRST fought to end slavery and Cristiana Carteaux Newport was a co-founder of the Bannister was an resident Ann Rhode Island Women’s entrepreneur, equal rights Smith Franklin, Suffrage Association. She activist, and supporter of also believed in the value the arts. She founded the Benjamin of education, helping to Home for Aged Colored Franklin’s sister- create a state school for Women which is known as in-law, became homeless children.