Welcome to Rhode Island
"Live Life Your Way" in the Ocean State.
Founder
Rhode Island was originally founded by Roger Williams. He believed that people should have religious freedom so he moved south to Rhode Island to start a new colony where people can practice their religion freely.
Geography
Rhode Island is covered in low hills and forests. There are long, cold winters and short, warm summers. The soil is thin and rocky, which doesn't make for good farming. But wait, there's more. There are rich fishing grounds all along the coast which supply plenty of fish.
Economics
Rhode Island is on the ocean so fishing, whaling, trapping, ship building, and logging were important to the economy. Shippers became wealthy by buying slaves from West Africa in return for rum and selling them to the West Indies for molasses.
Religion
Most of Rhode Island's colonists are puritans, who came over from England. They came over to Practice their religion, Christianity, freely and they led very strict lives.
Government
There is no king to govern the New England colonies, so it is all up to the people who live in the colony. That means it is a representative government.
Rodger Williams
Rodger Williams wanted religious freedom so he moved south to Rhode Island and founded a colony.
Anne Hutchinson
Anne Hutchinson was kicked out of Massachusetts because of her religious beliefs. She came to Rhode Island with her children and met with Roger Williams to help set up a colony.
Rhode Island Flag
The thirteen stars represent the thirteen colonies, the word "HOPE" is the state motto, and the anchor stands for the ocean because Rhode Island is the ocean state.