Rhode Island
by Kai Chouinard
Introduction
History of Rhode Island
Euorpeans Arrive
The first record visit by a European in 1526 when Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano arrived. He met with some of the loacal tribes and mapped out portions of the coastline. Dutch explorer Block arrived around 90 years later in 1614. He further mapped out the coastline including Narragansett Bay and Block Island, which was named after him.
Colonization
The first permanent European settlement was established by Roger Williams in 1636. Williams moved to Rhode Island after being kicked out of Massachusetts for his religious beliefs. Williams called the settlement Providence and declared that it would be a place of religious freedom. Today Providence is the capital of Rhode Island and Williams is known as the "Father of Rhode Island."