State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations - RI

The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (commonly known as Rhode Island) is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is the smallest state by area, and it is also the state with the longest official name. Rhode (pronounced "Road") Island was the first of the thirteen original American colonies to declare independence from British rule, signaling the start of the American Revolution.

The state's common name, Rhode Island, actually refers to the largest island in Narragansett Bay, also known as Aquidneck Island, on which the city of Newport is located. Aquidneck Island is also locally referred to as Newport. Some historians think the name owes its origins to Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, upon discovering nearby (present-day) Block Island named it Rhode Island because of its similarity in shape to the Greek island of Rhodes.[citation needed] Later settlers, mistaking which island Verrazzano was referring to, gave the name to Aquidneck Island instead. Other historians believe that the name is derived from Roodt Eylandt, old Dutch for "red island," given to the island by Dutch explorer Adriaen Block due to the red clay on the island's shore.[citation needed]

Despite most of the state being part of the mainland, the name Rhode Island leads some out-of-staters to mistakenly believe that the entire state is an island, sometimes confusing it with Long Island.[citation needed] Rhode Island is nicknamed "Little Rhody" traditionally but the state officially adopted the nickname "The Ocean State".

Geography
Bluffs-Block island, Rhode IslandFurther information: List of Rhode Island counties
Rhode Island covers an area of approximately 1,214 square miles (3,144 km²) 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 water border with New York. The mean elevation of the state is 200 feet (60 m). Located within the New England province of the Appalachian Region, Rhode Island has two distinct natural regions. Eastern Rhode Island contains the lowlands of the Narragansett Bay, while Western Rhode Island forms part of the New England Upland. Narragansett Bay is a major feature of the state's topography. Block Island lies approximately 12 miles (19 km) off the southern coast of the mainland. Within the Bay, there are over 30 islands. The largest is Aquidneck Island, shared by the municipalities of Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth. Among the other islands in the Bay are Hope and Prudence.

Nicknamed the Ocean State, Rhode Island has the most oceanfront per capita as well as per land area of any United States state[verification needed], and is home to a number of oceanfront beaches

Rhode Island is mostly flat with no real mountains. Rhode Island's highest natural point is Jerimoth Hill, only 812 feet (247 m) above sea level.

Climate
Rhode Island is an example of a warm summer humid continental climate with hot rainy summers and cold snowy winters. The highest temperature recorded in Rhode Island was 105F (40°C), recorded on August 2, 1975 at Providence. The lowest temperature in Rhode Island, -13 °F (-25 °C), was recorded on February 6, 1996 at Greene. Monthly average temperatures range from a high of 82 °F (28 °C) to a low of 20 °F (-7 °C).[1] Average yearly precipitation for Rhode Island, from 1961 to 1991, is shown on [4] from Oregon State University.

History
Main article: History of Rhode Island

Colonial Era
In 1614, the Dutch explorer Adriaen Block visited the island that is now called Block Island. Native American inhabitants included the Narragansett tribe, occupying most of the area, and the closely related Niantic tribe. Most of the Native Americans were decimated by introduced diseases, intertribal warfare, and the disastrous King Philip's War, but remnants of the Niantic merged into the Narragansett tribe, where they remain on a federally recognized reservation.

In 1636, Roger Williams, after being banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his religious views, settled at the tip of Narragansett Bay. He called the site Providence and declared it a place of religious freedom. This is the article of agreement Roger Williams and others made, and every person who decided to live in Providence had to sign it: “We, whose names are hereunder written, being desirous to inhabit the town of Providence, do promise to submit ourselves, in active or passive obedience, to all such orders or agreements as shall be made for public good by the body in an orderly way by the major consent of the inhabitance, masters of families, incorporated together into a township, and such others as they shall admit into the same only in civil things.” Rhode Island was a charter colony, Roger Williams received a charter to build the colony.

In 1637, Anne Hutchinson was banished from Massachusetts for expressing her beliefs that people could talk to God by themselves, not necessarily through a minister. She and some others, including William Coddington and John Clarke, founded the town of Portsmouth on Aquidneck Island. In 1639, Coddington left Portsmouth and founded Newport on Aquidneck Island.

In that same year a formal government was established for the island. William Coddington was the first governor and Philip Sherman was the first Secretary. In 1643, Samuel Gorton founded Shawomet, which is now called Warwick. In 1644, the name of Aquidneck Island was changed to Rhode Island.

John Clarke was granted a Charter in 1663 for Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, which effectively united the two colonies into one. Under the terms of the charter, only landowners could vote. Before the Industrial Revolution, when most people were employed as farmers, this was considered democratic. The original charter was used as the state constitution until 1842.

In 1664, the seal of the colony was adopted. It pictured an anchor and the word HOPE.

The relationship between the New Englanders and the Native Americans was at first strained, but did not result in much bloodshed. The largest tribes that lived near Rhode island were the Wampanoag, Pequots, Narragansett, and Nipmuck. One native named Squanto, from the Wampanoag tribe, stayed with the pilgrims and taught them many valuable skills needed to survive in the area. He also helped greatly with the eventual peace between the colonists and the natives.

Roger Williams had won the respect of his colonial neighbors for his skill in keeping the powerful Narragansett on friendly terms with local white settlers. In 1637, the Narragansett were even persuaded to form an alliance with the English in carrying out an attack that nearly extinguished the warlike Pequots. However, this peace did not last long. By 1670 even the friendly tribes who had greeted Williams and the Pilgrims became estranged from the colonists, and smell of war began to cover the New England countryside.

The most important and traumatic event in 17th century Rhode Island was King Philip's War, which occurred during 1675–1676. King Philip (his British nickname, his real name was Metacomet) was the chief of the Wampanoag Indians. The settlers of Portsmouth had purchased their land from his father, Massasoit. King Philip rebelled against the English. The first attacks were around Narrangansett Bay but spread throughout New England.

Revolution and Industrialization: 1770-1860
Rhode Island's tradition of independence and dissent gave it a prominent role in the American Revolution. In 1772, the first bloodshed of the American Revolution took place in Rhode Island when a band of Providence residents attacked a grounded British ship for enforcing unpopular British trade regulations in the incident which would be come to known as the Gaspee Affair. Keeping with its culture of defiance, Rhode Island was the first of the original thirteen colonies to declare its independence from England (May 4, 1776,[2]) and the last to ratify the Constitution (which replaced the Articles of Confedration)(May 29, 1790)—doing the latter only after being threatened with having its exports taxed as a foreign nation.

As the Industrial Revolution moved large numbers of workers into the cities, a permanently landless, and therefore voteless, class developed. By 1829, 60% of the state's free white males were ineligible to vote.

Several attempts had been made to address this problem, but none passed. In 1842, Thomas Dorr drafted a liberal constitution which was passed by popular referendum. However, the conservative sitting governor, Samuel Ward King, opposed the people's wishes, leading to the Dorr Rebellion. Although this collapsed, a modified version of the constitution was passed in November, which allowed any white male to vote that he owned land or could pay a US $1 poll tax.

In addition to industrialization, Rhode Island was heavily involved in the slave trade during the post-revolution era. Slavery was extant in RI as early as 1652, and by 1774, the slave population of RI was 6.3%, nearly twice as high as any other New England Colony. In the late Eighteenth century, several Rhode Island merchant families began actively engaging in the triangle slave trade. Notable among these was the Brown family, for whom Brown University is named, although some important Browns became prominent abolitionists. In the years after the Revolution, Rhode Island merchants controlled between 60 and 90% of the American trade in African slaves.[3][4]

Civil War to Progressive Era: 1860-1929
During the Civil War, Rhode Island was one of the Union states. Rhode Island furnished 25,236 fighting men, of which 1,685 died. On the home front, Rhode Island, along with the other northern states, used its industrial capacity to supply the Union Army with the materials it needed to win the war. Rhode Island's continued growth and modernization led to the creation of an urban mass transit system, and improved health and sanitation programs. After the war, in 1866, Rhode Island abolished racial segregation throughout the state.[5] Post-war immigration increased the population. From the 1860s to the 1880s, most of the immigrants were from England, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, and Quebec. Towards the end of the century however, most immigrants were from South and Eastern Europe, and the Mediterranean.[6] At the turn of the century, Rhode Island had a booming economy, which fed the demand for immigration. In the years that lead up to World War I, Rhode Island's constitution remained reactionary, in contrast to the more progressive reforms that were occurring in the rest of the country. The state never ratified the 18th Amendment establishing national Prohibition of alcohol. [7] During World War I, Rhode Island furnished 28,817 troops, of whom 612 died. After the war, the state was hit hard by the Spanish Influenza.[8]

Great Depression to Present: 1929-
Since the Great Depression, the Rhode Island Democratic Party has dominated local politics. For years, the Speaker of the House, always a Democrat, has been one of the most powerful figures in government. The Republican Party has been restricted to the rural and suburban parts of the state, and occasional "good government" reform candidates, who criticize the state's high taxes and the excesses of Democratic domination. Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey, Governor Donald Carcieri of East Greenwich, and former Mayor Vincent A. "Buddy" Cianci of Providence ran as Republican reform candidates.

Law and government
Main article: Government of Rhode Island
The capital of Rhode Island is Providence and its current governor is Donald Carcieri (R). Its two U.S. Senators are John "Jack" Reed (D) and Lincoln Chafee (R). Its two U.S. Congressmen are Patrick J. Kennedy (D-1) and Jim Langevin (D-2).

Further information: List of Rhode Island Governors
The state legislature is the Rhode Island General Assembly, consisting of the 75-member state House of Representatives and the 38-member Senate. Both houses of the bicameral body are currently dominated by the Democratic Party.

Federally, Rhode Island is one of the most reliably Democratic states during presidential elections, regularly giving the Democratic nominees one of their best showings. In 1980, Rhode Island was one of only 6 states to vote against Ronald Reagan. In the 1984 Reagan landslide, Rhode Island provided Walter Mondale with his 3rd best performance. Rhode Island was the Democrats' best state in 1988 and 2000 and 2nd best in 1996 and 2004. The state was devoted to Republicans until 1908, but has only strayed from the Democrats 7 times in the 24 elections that followed. In 2004, Rhode Island gave John Kerry a greater than 20 percentage point margin of victory (the third highest of any state) with 59.4% of its vote. All but two of Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns voted for the Democratic candidate. The only exceptions were East and West Greenwich.

Economy
Main article: Economy of Rhode Island
Rhode Island is known as the "birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution". It was in Pawtucket, Rhode Island that Samuel Slater set up his first mill in 1790, using the waterpower of the Blackstone River to power his mill. For a while, Rhode Island was one of the leaders in textiles. However, with the Great Depression, most textile factories relocated to the American South. Textiles still constitute a part of the Rhode Island economy, but does not have the same power that it once had. An interesting by-product of the textile industry is the amount of abandoned factories - many of them now are used for low-income or elderly housing or have been converted into offices. In Pawtucket, these abandoned mills are used as housing for artists.

Rhode Island's 2000 total gross state product was $33 billion, placing it 45th in the nation. Its 2000 per capita Personal Income was $29,685, 16th in the nation.

Health services is Rhode Islands largest industry. Second is tourism, supporting 39,000 jobs, with tourism related sales at $3.26 billion in the year 2000. The third largest industry is manufacturing. Its industrial outputs are fashion jewelry, fabricated metal products, electric equipment, machinery, shipbuilding and boatbuilding. Rhode Island's agricultural outputs are nursery stock, vegetables, dairy products, and eggs.

Demographics
Historical populations
Census
year Population

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1790 68,825
1800 69,122
1810 76,931
1820 83,059
1830 97,199
1840 108,830
1850 147,545
1860 174,620
1870 217,353
1880 276,531
1890 345,506
1900 428,556
1910 542,610
1920 604,397
1930 687,497
1940 713,346
1950 791,896
1960 859,488
1970 946,725
1980 947,154
1990 1,003,464
2000 1,048,319
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2005, Rhode Island has an estimated population of 1,076,189, which is a decrease of 3,727, or 0.3%, from the prior year and an increase of 27,870, or 2.7%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 15,220 people (that is 66,973 births minus 51,753 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 14,001 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 18,965 people, and migration within the country produced a net decrease of 4,964 people.

Rhode Island Population Density MapDemographics of Rhode Island (csv)
By race White Black AIAN Asian NHPI
AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native - NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
2000 (total population) 90.96% 6.45% 1.07% 2.74% 0.19%
2000 (hispanic only) 7.14% 1.42% 0.18% 0.08% 0.07%
2005 (total population) 90.16% 7.07% 1.09% 3.07% 0.21%
2005 (hispanic only) 9.12% 1.49% 0.22% 0.08% 0.08%
Growth 2000-2005 (total population) 1.76% 12.52% 4.91% 15.09% 9.93%
Growth 2000-2005 (non-hispanic only) -0.75% 13.80% 1.03% 15.44% 8.90%
Growth 2000-2005 (hispanic only) 31.21% 7.98% 24.03% 3.78% 11.64%

The five largest ancestry groups in Rhode Island are: Italian (19%), Irish (18.4%), French-Canadian (17.3%),[9] English (12%), Portuguese (8.7%).

6.1% of Rhode Island's population were reported as under 5, 23.6% under 18, and 14.5% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 52% of the population.

Rhode Island has a higher percentage of Italian-Americans (concentrated in the city of Providence) and a higher percentage of Americans of Portuguese ancestry (who dominate Bristol county) than any other state in the nation. French Canadians form a large part of Northern Providence county whereas Irish-Americans have a strong presence in Newport and Kent counties. Yankees of English ancestry still have a presence in the state as well, especially in Washington county, and are often referred to as "Swamp Yankees."

Religion
[citation needed]

The religious affiliations of the people of Rhode Island are:

Christian – 81%
Roman Catholic – 56%
Protestant – 28%
Episcopal – 8%
Baptist – 6%
Other Protestant – 10%
Other Christian – 1%
Jewish – 2%
Other Religions – 1%
Non-Religious – 16%
Rhode Island is home to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence and the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island.

Rhode Island has the highest percentage of Catholics in the nation mainly due to large Irish, Italian and French Canadian immigration and to a lesser extent Portuguese, Puerto Rican, and Cape Verdean communities in the state.

Culture
Rhode Island has a unique and fascinating culture that distinguishes its people not only from other regions, but also from neighboring New England states.

Rhode Islanders speak with a distinct accent that many compare to a "Brooklyn" or a cross between a New York and Boston accent. The residents of this state also speak with a unique vernacular that many have dubbed "Rhode Islandese" or "Rhode Islander". The letter 'r' is often dropped at the end of a word, ("water" becomes "wata"). The letter 'r' is also added in to the ending of words ("soda" becomes "soder", "idea" becomes "idear"). Utilization of the word "wicked" is also very common among Rhode Islanders, especially young ones, to provide greater emphasis on something (e.g., "That's wicked funny" is a relatively common phrase).

It is a fairly common stereotype that Rhode Islanders are very superstitious, although this has not been scrutinized statistically. However, the belief in vampires, especially in the rural parts of the state, was widespread up until the late 19th century. There are several well-documented cases in which families disenterred deceased relatives, then removed and burned their hearts in the belief that the deceased was a vampire who was responsible for illness and misfortune that the family had been suffering. The most famous of these cases is that of 19-year-old Mercy Brown who died in Exeter, Rhode Island in 1892. It is believed that this widely-reported event inspired much of Bram Stoker's novel Dracula.

The Fox show Family Guy takes place in a fictional town in Rhode Island named Quahog.

The state was notorious for organized crime activity from the 1950s into the 1990s when the Patriarca crime family held sway over most of New England from their Providence headquarters. Although the power of organized crime has greatly diminished in Rhode Island over the last 20 years, its residents are still stigmatized by popular perceptions of rampant graft and corruption that have haunted the state for decades.

Rhode Islanders developed a unique style of architecture in the 17th century, called the stone-ender.

Food
Rhode Island is known for being one of the largest coffee-drinking states. According to a Providence Journal article, Providence features the highest number of coffee/donut shops per capita in the country. It is common belief that more coffee ice cream is sold here per-capita than any other state. The Official State Drink of Rhode Island is coffee milk,[10] a beverage created by mixing milk with coffee syrup. This unique syrup was invented in the state and is bottled and sold in most Rhode Island supermarkets. Frozen lemonade, a mixture of ice-slush, lemons and sugar is also immensely popular in the summer, especially Del's Frozen Lemonade, a company based in Cranston.

Wein-O-Rama is a popular Cranston restaurant which serves weiners.Several foods and dishes are unique to Rhode Island. "Wieners," which are sometimes called "gaggers", "dynamites" or "weenies" are smaller than a standard hot dog but are covered in a meat sauce, chopped onions, mustard, and celery salt. The most common way the word is spelt on menus is "weiner." Submarine sandwiches are referred to as "grinders" in Rhode Island with a popular version being the Italian grinder, which is made with Italian cold cuts (usually ham, prosciutto, capicola, salami, and Provolone cheese). Chouriço (a spicy Portuguese sausage) and peppers, eaten with hearty bread, is also popular among the state's large Portuguese community.

The Ocean State's tradition of seafood is one of the most celebrated in the country. Shellfish is extremely popular, with clams being used in multiple ways. The Quahog (whose shell is Rhode Island's state shell) is a large clam which is mixed with stuffing and spicy minced sausage and then baked in the shell to form a "Stuffie." Steamed clams are also a very popular dish. Fried squid, or "calamari," are fried squid rings and are most popular in Italian restaurants.

Rhode Island, like the rest of New England, has a long tradition of clam chowder. While both the White "New England" variety and the Red "Manhattan" variety are popular, Rhode Island makes a clear chowder, affectionately known as "Rhode Island Clam Chowder."

Perhaps the most peculiar culinary tradition in Rhode Island is the "clamcake." The clamcake is a deep fried ball of buttery dough with chopped bits of clam inside of it. They are sold in most seafood restaurants around the state, and usually come by the half-dozen or dozen. The quintessential summer meal in Rhode Island is "chowder and clam cakes."

It is also said that clams casino originated in Rhode Island after being "invented" by Julius Keller, the maitre d' in the original Casino next to the seaside Towers in Narragansett. Clams Casino resemble the beloved stuffed quahog but are generally made with the smaller littleneck or cherrystone clam and are unique in their use of bacon as a topping.

Cities and towns
There are 39 cities and towns in Rhode Island.

The cities are Providence, East Providence, Newport, Warwick, Cranston, Central Falls, Pawtucket and Woonsocket.

The towns are Barrington, Bristol, Burrillville, Charlestown, Coventry, Cumberland, East Greenwich, Exeter, Foster, Glocester, Hopkinton, Jamestown, Johnston, Lincoln, Little Compton, Middletown, Narragansett, New Shoreham (Block Island), North Kingstown, North Providence, North Smithfield, Portsmouth, Richmond, Scituate, Smithfield, South Kingstown, Tiverton, Warren, West Greenwich, West Warwick, and Westerly.

Rhode Island locations by per capita income

[edit] Education

Primary and secondary schools
Further information: Rhode Island schools

Colleges and universities
Rhode Island has several colleges and universities:

Brown University
Bryant University
Gibbs College
Johnson & Wales University
Naval War College
New England Institute of Technology
Community College of Rhode Island
Providence College
Rhode Island College
Rhode Island School of Design
Roger Williams University
Salve Regina University
University of Rhode Island
Zion Bible Institute

Professional sports teams
Pawtucket Red Sox, AAA (minor league baseball) affiliate of the Boston Red Sox
Providence Bruins, AHL (minor league hockey) affiliate of the Boston Bruins
Newport Gulls, NECBL (New England Collegiate Baseball League)
The Providence Grays won the first World Championship in baseball history in 1884. The team played their home games at the old Messer Street Field in Providence. The Grays played in the National League from 1878 to 1885. They defeated the New York Metropolitans of the American Association in a best of five game series at the Polo Grounds in New York. Providence won three straight games to become the first champions in major league baseball history.

Babe Ruth played for the minor league Providence Grays of 1914 and hit his only official minor league home run for that team before being recalled by the Grays parent club, the Boston Red Stockings.

Miscellaneous topics
State motto: Hope
State bird: Rhode Island Red (A breed of chicken)
State flower: Violet
State tree: Red Maple
State fish: Striped Bass
State fruit: Rhode Island greening (Apple)
State nicknames: The Ocean State, Little Rhody, The Littlest State, The Thirteenth State
State rock: Cumberlandite
State mineral: Bowenite (a variety of serpentine)
State shellfish: Quahog
State drink: Coffee milk

Local media

Newspaper
The Cranston Herald
Newport Daily News
The Pawtucket Times
Providence Journal
The Providence Phoenix
The Warwick Beacon
The Woonsocket Call
The Coventry Courier
The Westerly Sun
The South County Independent
The Narragansett times

Television
10/WJAR-Providence (NBC)
12/WPRI-TV-Providence (CBS)
36/WSBE-TV-Providence (PBS)
50/WRIW-LP-Providence (Telemundo)
64/WNAC-TV-Providence (FOX)
69/WPXQ-Block Island (i)
Other stations from Massachusetts are part of the Providence-New Bedford TV market. They are: 6/WLNE-TV-New Bedford (ABC) and 28/WLWC-New Bedford (UPN/WB, will be CW in September 2006.)

Radio
550/WDDZ Pawtucket: Radio Disney
630/WPRO-AM Providence: (NewsTalk 630 WPRO): News/Talk
790/WSKO-AM Providence: (SportsRadio The Score): Sports
920/WHJJ Providence: (TalkRadio 920 WHJJ): News/Talk
990/WALE-Greenville: Spanish
1110/WPMZ East Providence: (Poder 1110): Spanish (Daytime only)
1180/WCNX Hope Valley: News
1220/WRIB Providence: Brokered Religion/Spanish
1230/WXNI Westerly: simulcast of WRNI-Providence
1240/WOON Woonsocket: Full service
1290/WRNI Providence: National Public Radio
1380/WNRI Woonsocket: News/Talk
1450/WLKW West Warwick: Adult Standards
1540/WADK Newport: Full service
1590/WARV Warwick: Religion
88.1/WELH Providence: Spanish, Classic Soul, Student radio (Wheeler School/Brown University)
88.3/WQRI Bristol: Rock (Roger Williams University)
88.7/WJMF Smithfield: College (Bryant University)
90.3/WRIU Kingston: College (Univ. of RI)
90.7/WXIN Providence: College (RI College)
90.7/WJHD Portsmouth: High school (Portsmouth Abbey)
91.3/WDOM Providence: College (Providence College)
91.5/WCVY Coventry: High school (Coventry H.S.). On air M-F 1400-2200 only.
92.3/WPRO-FM Providence: (92ProFM): Top 40
93.3/WSNE Taunton-Providence: (Coast933): Hot AC
94.1/WHJY Providence: (94-HJY): Rock
95.5/WBRU Providence: Alternative/Modern Rock
95.9/WCRI Block Island: Classical
96.5/W243AI Newport: translator for WMVY Martha's Vineyard, Ma.
96.9/WBLQ-LP Ashaway: Varied
98.1/WCTK New Bedford-Providence: (Cat Country 98.1): Country
99.3/WJZS Block Island: Swing/Jazz
99.7/WSKO-FM Wakefield-Peacedale: (SportsRadio The Score): Sports
100.3/WKKB Middletown: (Latina 100.3): Spanish
101.5/WWBB Providence: (Big Hits B101): Oldies
102.7/WAKX Narragansett Pier: Jazz
103.7/WEEI-FM Westerly: (Simulcasts WEEI-AM: Boston): Sports
105.1/WWLI Providence: (LiteRock105): Adult Contemporary
105.9/WXHQ-LP Newport: Jazz
106.3/WWKX Woonsocket-Providence: (Hot106) Rhythmic Top 40/Hip-Hop
Other radio stations from Connecticut & Massachusetts can be heard in parts of or all of Rhode Island. These include, but not limited to: 980/WSUB, 1320/WARL, 1350/WINY, 1400/WHTB, 1480/WSAR, 91.1/WSMU, 97.3/WJFD-FM, 99.1/WPLM-FM, 101.9/WCIB, 102.3/WXLM, 102.5/WCRB, 105.7/WROR, 107.1/WFHN, 107.3 WAAF & 107.7/WWRX.

Landmarks
The state capitol building is made of white Georgian marble. On top is the world's fourth largest self-supported marble dome.[11] It houses the Rhode Island Charter of 1663 and other state treasures.

Providence is home to the First Baptist Church in America, the oldest Baptist church in the Americas, which was founded by Roger Williams in 1638.

The seaside city of Newport is home to many famous mansions, including The Breakers, Marble House and Belcourt Castle. It is also home to the Touro Synagogue, the oldest lasting synagogue within the United States. The synagogue showcases the religious freedoms that were established by Roger Williams as well as impressive architecture in a mix of the classic colonial and Sephardic style. The Newport Casino is a National Historic Landmark building complex that presently houses the International Tennis Hall of Fame and features an active grass-court tennis club.

Rhode Island is home to the famous roadside attraction Nibbles Woodaway, the Big Blue Bug, the world's largest termite.

Fort Adams, on Narragansett Bay, was the setting for the finish of Eco-Challenge 1995.

Famous Rhode Islanders
Robert Aldrich, film director, born in Cranston
Harry Anderson, comedian, born in Newport
Rocco Baldelli, baseball player, born in Cumberland
Donnie Bennett, Professional Realtor, Radio Host and Executive Producer with X-MIX, Inc., born in Cranston
Bryan Berard, Professional Hockey Player, Woonsocket
Ambrose Burnside, general and governor but not a native
Ruth Buzzi, actress in 1960s TV program Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, born in Westerly
John Cafferty, lead singer of John Caffery And The Beaver Brown Band, Narragansett
Keith E. Carney, Professional Hockey player, Pawtucket
Charles V. Chapin, pioneering epidemiologist and a forefather of the public health movement, Providence
Vincent "Buddy" Cianci, Jr., convicted former mayor of Providence
Mike Cloud, running back for the 3-time Super Bowl champions the New England Patriots, Portsmouth
George M. Cohan, dramatist, born in Providence
Nicholas Colasanto, actor who played Coach Ernie Pantusso on Cheers, Westerly
Bill Conti, film composer (Rocky, The Right Stuff)
Jill Craybas, professional women's tennis player, born in Providence
Vin Di Bona, creator of America's Funniest Home Videos, born in Central Falls
Nelson Eddy, entertainer, born in Providence
Eileen Farrell, opera singer, grew up in Woonsocket
Bobby Farrelly, writer, director born in Cumberland
Peter Farrelly, writer, director born in Cumberland
Brad Faxon, professional golfer, raised in Barrington
Claire Waters Ferguson, first woman president of the United States Figure Skating Association
Billy Gilman, Country singer, born in Hope Valley
Spalding Gray, writer, actor born in Barrington
Nathanael Greene, Revolutionary War general, second in command to Washington, born in Potowomut, Warwick
Seth Mcfarlene, Creator of "Family Guy" and "American Dad" attended RISD
Shephard Fairey, Famous urban artist most known for his OBEY the GIANT works. Attended RISD
Bobby Hackett, trumpet player, born in Providence
Jeff Jillson, Professional Hockey player, North Smithfield
David Hartman, television newscaster, born in Pawtucket
Gabby Hartnett, professional baseball player, Woonsocket
David Hedison, actor in film, television and theater, born in Providence
Kristin Hersh, with half-sister Tanya Donelly and Rogers High School schoolmate David Narcizo: founding members of the band Throwing Muses
Raymond Mathewson Hood, Architect of Rockefeller Center, born in Pawtucket
Ruth Hussey, actress, born in Providence
Richard Jenkins, actor, although born in Illinois, resided in Rhode Island for years as director of the state's Trinity Repertory Theater.
Van Johnson, entertainer, born in Newport
Paul Konerko, baseball player, born in Cranston
Napoleon Lajoie, baseball player, born in Woonsocket
Irving R. Levine, journalist and foreign correspondent, born in Pawtucket
Davey Lopes, baseball player, born in East Providence
H. P. Lovecraft, author, born in Providence
Peter Manfredo JR, TV series The Contender 2nd place finalist, Federal Hill, Providence
Debra Messing, actress, raised in East Greenwich
Edwin O'Connor, Pulitzer Prize novelist, grew up in the state.
Oliver Hazard Perry, naval officer, born in South Kingstown
Gilbert Stuart, painter, born in Saunderstown
Mena Suvari, actress, born in Newport
Meredith Vieira, television personality, born in East Providence
Abraham Whipple, prominent naval commander during the American Revolution
Roger Williams (theologian), co-founder of colony and early proponent of religious freedom and separation of church and state
James Woods, film actor, Warwick

Popular culture
The Showtime series Brotherhood is set in Providence, Rhode Island.
The animated sitcom Family Guy (1999 – 2002; 2005 – present) is set in the fictional town of Quahog, Rhode Island.
Also in Family Guy, the naming of "Rhode Island" is portrayed as the colonists deciding its name over a coin toss: heads - "Rhode Island;" tails - "Caccapeepeepoopooshire."
Outside Providence (Movie, 1999), Directed by Michael Corrente, starring Alec Baldwin.
There's Something About Mary (Movie 1998), Directed by the Farrelly brothers, starring Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller, romantic comedy partially set in Providence, Cumberland and Barrington
Providence (A TV Series originally seen on the NBC network)
Dumb and Dumber (Movie)
Me, Myself and Irene (Movie, 2000), Directed by the Farrelly brothers, starring Jim Carrey who plays a Rhode Island State Trooper with multiple personalities.
Doctor Doctor (TV-Series set in Providence, 1989-1991)
The Last Shot (Movie, 2004) , starring Alec Baldwin and Mathew Broderick
Getting Out of Rhode Island (Movie, 2003)
Federal Hill (Movie, 1994)
The Witches of Eastwick (Movie, 1987) Directed by George Miller, starring Jack Nicholson, Cher, Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer. Set in the fictional town of Eastwick, Rhode Island.
On FOX's popular X-Files (1993 – 2001) TV series, character Fox Mulder's family lives in Chepachet, a small town in the Northern area of the state.
The massively multiplayer online game City of Heroes is set in the fictional city of Paragon City, Rhode Island.
The upcoming CBS midseason show Waterfront starring Joe Pantoliano as a corrupt mayor was filmed and set in Providence.
The popular videogame Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem Is focused around the happenings in a mansion in Rhode Island.
In the movie "The Cat in the Hat", The Cat mentions that you never see Rhode Island license plates.

The size of Rhode Island
Scouting in Rhode Island
Benedict Arnold
WaterFire Providence
Convergence art festival
First Night Providence
Trinity Repertory Company
Newport Jazz Festival
Fort Thunder
Terrastock 2006
List of Governors of Rhode Island

Notes
^ Average Temperature Range, RSSWeather.com
^ Know Rhode Island, RI Secretary of State. Accessed October 17, 2006.
^ Slavery in Rhode Island, from Slavery in the North. Accessed October 17, 2006
^ Slavery, the Brown Family of Providence, and Brown University, Brown News Bureau. Accessed October 17, 2006
^ http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/studteaguide/RhodeIslandHistory/chapt5.html Accessed 3/28/06
^ http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/studteaguide/RhodeIslandHistory/chapt6.html Accessed 3/28/06
^ [1]
^ http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/studteaguide/RhodeIslandHistory/chapt7.html Accessed 3/28/06
^ [2]
^ RI Government Facts and History
^ [3]

References

Primary sources
Dwight, Timothy. Travels Through New England and New York (circa 1800) 4 vol. (1969) Online at: vol 1; vol 2; vol 3; vol 4
McPhetres, S. A. A political manual for the campaign of 1868, for use in the New England states, containing the population and latest election returns of every town (1868)
Rhode Island’s Geography and Climate

Secondary sources
Adams, James Truslow. The Founding of New England (1921)
Adams, James Truslow. Revolutionary New England, 1691-1776 (1923)
Adams, James Truslow. New England in the Republic, 1776-1850 (1926)
Andrews, Charles M. The Fathers of New England: A Chronicle of the Puritan Commonwealths (1919). short survey by leading scholar.
Axtell, James, ed. The American People in Colonial New England (1973), new social history
Brewer, Daniel Chauncey. Conquest of New England by the Immigrant (1926).
Coleman, Peter J. The Transformation of Rhode Island, 1790-1860 (1963)
Conforti, Joseph A. Imagining New England: Explorations of Regional Identity from the Pilgrims to the Mid-Twentieth Century (2001)
Dennison, George M. The Dorr War: Republicanism on Trial, 1831-1861 (1976)
Hall, Donald, ed. Encyclopedia of New England (2005)
Karlsen, Carol F. The Devil in the Shape of a Woman: Witchcraft in Colonial New England (1998)
Lovejoy, David S. Rhode Island Politics and the American Revolution, 1760- 1776 (1969)]
McLaughlin, William. Rhode Island: A Bicentennial History (1976)
Palfrey, John Gorham. History of New England (5 vol 1859-90)
Slavery in the North - Slavery in Rhode Island [5]
Sletcher, Michael. New England. (2004).
Stephenson, Nathaniel Wright. Nelson W. Aldrich, a Leader in American Politics (1930).
WPA. Guide to Rhode Island (1939).
Zimmerman, Joseph F. The New England Town Meeting: Democracy in Action (1999)

 

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