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Free Traveling Guides » States » Rhode Island History of Rhode Island
Rhode Island, situated in the New England region of the United States, was first inhabited by Native American tribes, including the Narragansett tribe and the related Niantic tribe. Most of the Native American population was annihilated by inter-tribal warfare, catastrophic King Philip’s War, and fatal diseases like small pox. The Europeans first arrived in the region in the 1500s. Italian voyager Giovanni de Verrazzano explored the mid-Atlantic Coast of North America and discovered areas, which later came to be known as the Newport Harbor, Block Island, and the New York harbor. Other European travelers who explored the region in the colonial era include the Dutch explorer Adriane Block, who visited the Block Island in 1614; Roger Williams, Anne Hutchinson, William Codington, and John Clark. The first formal government was established for the Island in 1639, with Philip Sherman as the first Secretary and William Codington as the first Governor. Formerly known as Aquidneck Island, the Rhode Island was given its current name in 1644. The original Charter granted by John Clarke in 1663, for Rhode Island and Province Plantations, served as the state constitution until 1842. A major event in the history of Rhode Island was the Battle of Great Swamp, in which nearly 350 Native Americans were massacred by the colonist militia from Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Plymouth, on December 19, 1675. Another traumatic event that took place in the 17th century was the King Philip’s War. Although Rhode Island was not a part of the Philadelphia Convention, it played an integral role in the American Revolution. It declared its independence from Great Britain on May 4, 1776, and was the first of the thirteen colonies to do so. The post-revolution era in Rhode Island observed increased industrialization and slave trade. The determining journey of the state from the Civil War to the Progressive era (1860-1929) is also historically significant. Rhode Island was the first U.S. State to send its troops in response to President Abraham Lincoln’s request, during the Civil War. Post-war immigration led to the growth and modernization of the state. The decline in industry during the Great Depression in the 20th century devastated a number of urban areas. Since this period, the local politics has always been dominated by the Rhode Island Democratic Party. |
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