What Rhode Island is known for

Rhode Island is one of the original thirteen colonies of the United States of America. Rhode Island is also the smallest state in the U.S., being 48 miles from north to south and 37 miles from east to west. Rhode Island is known for making fine jewelry and silverware.[1] In Rhode Island, there are many historical landmarks, some of which are The Breakers in Newport, Arcade in Providence, Fort Adams in Newport, Brick Market, Newport, the Aldrich House in Providence, and the Gilbert Stuart Birthplace in Saunderstown.[8]

Rhode Island is home to an assortment of different activities, including the WaterFire Providence, the International Tennis Hall of Fame, the Roger Williams Park Zoo, and the Newport Cliffs.[4] People come from around the United States along with other parts of the world to visit the state. In 2019, Rhode Island got 26.2 million visitors. Through the travelers, Rhode Island gained around $7.0 billion, and approximately 87,852 jobs were supported. The travel economy supports a total of 13.4% of all jobs in the state.[9]

Rhode Island’s state flag is gold, white, and blue. The flag has an anchor on it, along with thirteen stars that surround it. The anchor represents hope, while the thirteen stars represent the original thirteen colonies of the United States of America. They also symbolize Rhode Island’s role as one of the thirteen colonies—specifically the thirteenth one—to ratify the Constitution. Located beneath the anchor on the flag is a ribbon with the word “hope” on it. The term “hope” is the state’s motto. The anchor and stars on the flag are gold, while the ribbon is blue, and the word “hope” is also gold. Occasionally, the flag is decorated with a gold fringe around the edges. The flag was first adopted on November 1, 1897.[7]

Geography

Rhode Island, one of the fifty states that make up the United States of America, is located on the northeast side of the country. The surrounding landscape is mostly flat with small hills, trees, forests, lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water. Rhode Island is right next to the states of Massachusetts and Connecticut, and a portion of the state is right against the North Atlantic Ocean. Cities within the state consist of Providence, Newport, Pawtucket, Cranston, Warwick, and Narragansett, among others. 

Animals that live inside of Rhode Island include things such as squirrels, chipmunks, white-tailed deer, groundhogs, common raccoons, coyotes, muskrats, American minks, grey seals, harbor seals, red foxes, striped skunks, mice, Virginia opossums, American beavers, bobcats, North American river otters, rats, bats, common bottlenose dolphins, and orcas. Plants that thrive in Rhode Island are American pokeweeds, rugosa roses, ghost pipes, sensitive ferns, poison ivy, eastern white pines, wild carrots, tansies, cinnamon ferns, chicories, red maples, Norway maples, white clovers, autumn olives, and sweetfern.[5] 

Abrupt changes in temperature and precipitation are expected within Rhode Island. Summers are usually hot and humid, with around eight to ten days reaching temperatures over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The more interior areas sometimes get temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coasts are usually a few degrees cooler. Winter temperatures average to be from 15 degrees Fahrenheit to 20 degrees Fahrenheit in most of the state. The coastal regions are slightly warmer, averaging to be around 25 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter. Night temperatures in the winter drop below 0 degrees Fahrenheit for six to eight days in the island areas, but dropping below zero degrees is rare in the coastal regions. The spring and autumn months are often mild to cold with moderate precipitation. The annual rainfall of Rhode Island is 42” to 46” with mostly even distribution throughout the year. Early spring and late fall tend to get the most rain.[6]

History

Before Rhode Island was first colonized, Native Americans occupied most of the area. Some of the tribes included the Wampanoag, Niantic, and Narragansett tribes. Diseases killed many inhabitants of the area.[3] Rhode Island was first colonized when Roger Williams was exiled from Massachusetts Bay because the Puritans disagreed with Roger’s religious views. After he was exiled, he named the new settlement Providence. He claimed that "providence" was what brought him to the area. Williams was followed by other exiles who ended up founding Pocasset, which is now Portsmouth, along with Newport, which was founded in 1639.[2]

Despite the setbacks in King Philip’s War, Rhode Island grew. The settlement of Providence was attacked twice during the fighting. King Philip was killed near what is now Bristol. During that time, Rhode Island was the first state to outlaw slavery; however, weak enforcement of this law made Rhode Island the largest slaveholding state in New England.[2]

During the Industrial Revolution, the first textile mill, called Samual Slater’s Mill, was created in Rhode Island. A rebellion rose up because of the industrial improvement, and the revolutions were held to allow non-property owners to be able to vote. As a result of the uprising, non-property owners were allowed to vote with a $1 poll tax. The state reached its most prominent point of industrialization after the Civil War. Many families who gained a lot of the money during the time period made Rhode Island their summer home, and many mansions and houses were built in Newport.[2]

After WWII, Providence hit a significant slump, and about a third of the population was lost. There were major issues with crime, the city was rundown, and most of the crimes in the town were organized crimes. Since the 1970s, Rhode Island has refurbished much of its buildings and cultural sites, increasing the number of tourists that come each year.[2]