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Joined the Dutch East India Company as a commander
1609, Henry Hudson embarked on a third voyage funded by the Dutch East India Company that took him to the New World and the river to get his name -
Dutch explorer went to the island
Dutch explorer Adriaen Block visited Block Island- he changed the name of Aquidneck changed to “the Isle of Rhodes, or Rhode Island” -
First Rhode Island settler
William Blackstone was an early English settler in New England and the first European settler of Boston and Rhode Island -
Providence was founded as a Rhode Island settlement by Roger Williams
Roger Williams founded the first permanent white settlement in Rhode Island at Providence in 1636 on land purchased from the Narragansett Indians -
The Portsmouth compact was signed
The Newport Compact- The Portsmouth Compact was a document signed on March 7, 1638 established the settlement of Portsmouth, which is now a town in the state of Rhode Island. It was the first document in American -
The Newport Compact
The Portsmouth Compact of 1638 probably was signed at Codington’s home in Boston and probably was written by Clarke. -
Samuel Gorton founded Shawomet, Rhode Island's fourth settlement
Samuel Gorton, another refugee from Massachusetts, in 1638 came first to Portsmouth, and later to Providence, creating discord at both places -
First record of African slaves.
Black slaves were in Rhode Island in 1652, and by the end of that century Rhode Island had become the only New England colony to use slaves for both labor and trade. -
Seal of the Colony
The Rhode Island General adopted a seal for the colony which contained an anchor with the word "Hope" above the seal -
King Philip's War
King Philip's war was fought between the English colonists of New England and a group of Native American tribes. -
The Albany Congress opened
New York colonial Gov. called for a meeting to discuss better relations with Indian tribes and common defensive measures against the French. The attendees included representatives from Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island -
The Seven Years War
The Seven Years War due to disputes over land is won by Great Britain. France gives England all French territory east of the Mississippi River, except New Orleans -
Ann Franklin first female editor
Ann Franklin was the first female editor of an american newspaper in Newport, Rhode Island the newspaper was called “Mercury’’ -
Rhode Islanders smuggled
The British passed the sugar act which put a tax on molasses, sugar, wine. And other goods. So the Rhode Islanders started to smuggle these goods. -
Brown University was founded
Brown University traces its origins to 1764 with the granting of the Charter by the Rhode Island General Assembly. The founding was promoted by Reverend Morgan Edwards, moderator of the Philadelphia Baptist Association -
The American Revolution
The American Revolution creates the United States of America. George Washington led the American victory over Great Britain. -
The colonies became the United States of America
Rhode Island was the the first colony to declare its independence from Great Britain. At the end of the war the colonies became the United States of America. -
Samuel Slater snuck out
A man named Samuel Slater sneaked out of great Britain disguised as a farmer. He went to Pawtucket and made a spinning machine from memory for brown. -
Constitution
Rhode Island was the first to approve the new constitution. Rhode island people wanted to be sure their individual rights would be heard. They did not approve the constitution until the ten amendments were added it was called the Bill of Rights -
Nehemiah Dodge invented metal
Nehemiah Dodge invented metal planting, witch was a way to apply precious metals as a covering for cheap metals. Rhode Island became the center for manufacturing of jewelry and silver-plated eating utensils -
The Louisiana Purchase
United States bought the Louisiana Territory from France. The U.S. Secretary of State, James Madison paid 15 million dollars for the land -
A mill that uses water power
David Wilkinson built a mill that uses water power to make metal tools and equipment. Also, with fishing and whaling these industries brought wealth to Rhode Islanders. -
Rhode Island refused to participate in the War of 1812.
When the United States declared war against Britain in June 1812, the vote on the declaration of war in the Congress was close -
Rhode Island's lawyer Thomas Wilson Dorr
Lawyer Thomas Wilson founded a People's Party to liberalize the Rhode Island charter of 1663. He submitted a new, liberal constitution to extend suffrage in the state -
Civil War began
25,236 Rhode Islanders fought in Civil War; 1,685 died -
Civil War ended
25,236 Rhode Islanders fought in Civil War; 1,685 died -
The Spanish American War Began
The Spanish-American War was a conflict between the United States and Spain that ended Spanish rule in the Americas and resulted in U.S. acquisition of territories in the western Pacific and Latin America -
The Spanish American War ended
The Spanish-American War was a conflict between the United States and Spain that ended Spanish rule in the Americas and resulted in U.S. acquisition of territories in the western Pacific and Latin America -
Hurricane Carol
In late August 1954, Hurricane Carol would become the most powerful storm to strike Southern New England since the Great New England Hurricane of 1938. -
Blizzard of 78
Rhode Islanders headed off to work or school on the morning of February 6th, 1978. As the snow fell harder and harder in the afternoon, many people were stranded on roadways with snow piling up around them. The massive storm had winds up to 70 miles per hour, and it snowed a record 33 hours straight. In the end, more than 40 inches of snow had fallen in some parts of Rhode Island. -
Nightclub fire
A fire occurred on the night of Feb. 20, 2003, in The Station nightclub a band that was performing that night used pyrotechnics that ignited polyurethane foam insulation lining the walls and ceiling of the stage platform. The fire spread quickly along the ceiling area.
