Rhode
Island
Rhode Island is sometimes called Little Rhody.
That’s because it’s the smallest state in the United States. But don’t be
fooled by its size. Tiny Rhode Island is rich in beauty, history, and great
places to visit.
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Facts About Rhode Island
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Capital
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Providence
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Population
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1,060,000
people
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Rank
among states in population
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43rd
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Major
cities
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Providence,
Warwick, Cranston
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Area
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1,550
square miles
4,000 square kilometers |
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Rank
among states in area
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50th
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Statehood
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May 29,
1790, the 13th state
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State
nickname
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The
Ocean State
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Name
for residents
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Rhode
Islanders
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State
bird
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Wood
Violet
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State
flower
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Rhode
Island Red
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State
tree
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Red
Maple
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Abbreviation
|
RI
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THE SMALLEST STATE
Rhode Island covers 1,044 square miles (2,703
square kilometers) of land. The greatest distance from east to west is 40 miles
(64 kilometers). It’s a bit more from north to south.
THE OCEAN STATE
Rhode Island’s official nickname is the Ocean State. The
Atlantic Ocean borders its southern side. Sandy beaches lie along its Atlantic
coast. An inlet of the Atlantic called Narragansett Bay reaches deep into Rhode
Island. Saltwater marshes are on the edges of the bay.
There are more than 30 islands in Narragansett
Bay. The biggest is itself called Rhode Island. But most of the state of Rhode
Island is part of the United States mainland. The state’s official name—Rhode
Island and Providence Plantations—relates to this.
The Providence Plantations were a group of settlements
on the mainland that united in 1644. In 1663, the colony changed its name to
Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. It kept the full name when it became a
state. But people usually shorten it to Rhode Island.
PROVIDENCE
Providence is the capital and largest city of Rhode
Island. It sits at the north end of Narragansett Bay. The four next-biggest
cities in the state are all located within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of
Providence. Well over half the state’s people live in this large urban area.
Providence is a business and manufacturing center.
It’s also a major seaport. The city has many old and historic homes. You can
visit many of these houses.
SEASIDE VACATION SPOTS
Block Island is the southernmost part of Rhode
Island. It’s a favorite summer resort, especially for people who enjoy fishing.
There are splendid views of the ocean from its rocky cliffs.
Newport is another seaside resort in Rhode Island.
It’s famous for mansions and yachts—luxury sailboats used for pleasure cruises
and racing. For many years, the America’s Cup Race, an international yacht
race, was held at Newport. Every two years, there’s a big yacht race from
Newport to the island of Bermuda, 635 miles (1,020 kilometers) away.
Wealthy Americans built lavish mansions in Newport in
the late 1800s and early 1900s. The most famous house is The Breakers. It was
built in 1895 for millionaire Cornelius Vanderbilt II. The Breakers has 70
rooms. People who owned mansions in Newport called these houses “summer
cottages.” You can tour a number of these mansions in Newport.
Many music lovers come to Newport in summer. That’s
when the city hosts the Newport Jazz Festival and the Newport Folk Festival.
HOW RHODE ISLAND GOT ITS START
In 1636, a minister named Roger Williams
angered the religious and political leaders of Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Williams was a strong believer in religious freedom. He also believed that the
leaders of Massachusetts were wrong to take land from Native Americans. He
thought they should pay for it. The leaders of Massachusetts sent Williams
away.
Williams went to what is now Rhode Island. He
bought land from the Narragansett Indians who lived there. He started a
settlement and called it Providence. Eventually, he joined it to other
settlements in the area, and they became the Providence Plantations.
Rhode Island became a haven for colonists whose
religious beliefs were unpopular elsewhere. Williams founded the first Baptist
Church in America. Quakers and Jews also came to the colony. Jewish settlers
built a synagogue for worship in Newport. It was finished in 1763. Now called
Touro Synagogue, it is the oldest synagogue in the United States. Later, many
Roman Catholics came to Rhode Island.
REVOLUTION AND STATEHOOD
Rhode Island was the first colony to break its
ties to Britain during the American Revolution (1775-1783). It broke off allegiance
(loyalty) to Britain’s king George III in May 1776, two months before the
Declaration of Independence was signed.
However, Rhode Island was the last of the original 13
colonies to join the United States. On May 29, 1790, Rhode Island became the
13th state.
TEXTILES AND SILVERWARE
Rhode Island pioneered the factory system in the United
States. In the late 1700s, Americans made most goods at home by hand. Samuel
Slater built a cotton mill in Pawtucket in 1793. It was the first factory for
making textiles (cloth) in the United States. The factory used
waterpower to run its spinning machines.
You can visit the Slater Mill in Pawtucket. It
houses a museum that shows the history of making textiles.
Many mills sprang up after Slater’s mill
opened. Making textiles quickly became a big Rhode Island industry. Today,
other important products made in Rhode Island include jewelry and silverware.
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