History of Rhode Island

After the Puritan Roger Williams was banished (1635) from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, he purchased land from the Narragansett and founded a settlement on the site of present-day Providence. New settlers were attracted to the colony by the promise of religious freedom, and a commercial shipping economy flourished.

On May 29, 1790 Rhode Island became one of the Thirteen Colonies to renounce its allegiance to Great Britain, doing so after being threatened of having its exports taxed as a foreign nation. After the American Revolution, shipping declined, but Samuel Slater built (1790) the first successful cotton-textile mill in the U.S., and an abundance of water power led to the rapid development of manufacturing.

Rhode Island's political and economic life was dominated by mill owners until well into the 20th century, when competition from the South resulted in the decline of the state's textile industry. The growth of new high-technology industries such as electronics and the growth of the service sector, now the chief employer in the state, have helped to revitalize the economy.

The state's small agricultural sector is best known for its Rhode Island Red chickens; it also produces greenhouse and dairy products, potatoes, eggs, and other farm products. Rhode Island is intensively industrialized, and the jewelry business in Providence is one of the largest in the world. Other products include toys, machinery, textiles, silverware, and primary and fabricated metals. Narragansett Bay, which abounds in shellfish and flounder, supports a thriving fishing industry. Tourists are attracted to Rhode Island's beaches, the famous mansions of Newport, and Block Island.