Rhode Island

Rhode Island
State of Rhode Island
Nickname(s)
The Ocean State
Little Rhody[1]
Motto
Hope
Anthem: "Rhode Island's It for Me"
Map of the United States with Rhode Island highlighted
Map of the United States with Rhode Island highlighted
CountryUnited States
Before statehoodColony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Admitted to the UnionMay 29, 1790 (13th)
Capital
(and largest city)
Providence
Largest county or equivalentProvidence
Largest metro and urban areasGreater Boston (combined)
Providence (metro and urban)
Government
 • GovernorDan McKee (D)
 • Lieutenant GovernorSabina Matos (D)
LegislatureRhode Island General Assembly
 • Upper houseSenate
 • Lower houseHouse of Representatives
JudiciaryRhode Island Supreme Court
U.S. senatorsJack Reed (D)
Sheldon Whitehouse (D)
U.S. House delegation1: Vacant
2: Seth Magaziner (D) (list)
Area
 • Total1,545[a][2] sq mi (4,001 km2)
 • Land1,055 sq mi (2,707 km2)
 • Water169 sq mi (438 km2)  13.9%
 • Rank50th
Dimensions
 • Length48 mi (77 km)
 • Width37 mi (60 km)
Elevation
200 ft (60 m)
Highest elevation812 ft (247 m)
Lowest elevation
(Atlantic Ocean[3])
0 ft (0 m)
Population
 (2020 Census Results)
 • Total1,098,163[4]
 • Rank45th
 • Density1,006/sq mi (388/km2)
  • Rank2nd
 • Median household income
$63,870[5]
 • Income rank
15th
DemonymRhode Islander
Language
 • Official languageDe jure: None
De facto: English
Time zoneUTC– 05:00 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC– 04:00 (EDT)
USPS abbreviation
RI
ISO 3166 codeUS-RI
Traditional abbreviationR.I.
Latitude41° 09′ N to 42° 01′ N
Longitude71° 07′ W to 71° 53′ W
Websitewww.ri.gov
Rhode Island State Capitol
Rhode Island state symbols
Living insignia
BirdRhode Island Red chicken
Gallus gallus domesticus
FishStriped bass
FlowerViolet
Viola sororia
InsectAmerican burying beetle
Nicroforus americanus
MammalMorgan horse
ReptilePainted turtle
TreeRed Maple
Acer rubrum
Inanimate insignia
BeverageCoffee milk
ColorsWhite and Blue
MineralBowenite
RockCumberlandite
ShipCourageous, USS Providence
SloganUnwind
TartanRhode Island State Tartan
OtherFruit: Rhode Island Greening
State route marker
Rhode Island state route marker
State quarter
Rhode Island quarter dollar coin
Released in 2001
Lists of United States state symbols

Rhode Island is the smallest state in the United States by area. The capital and largest city is Providence. It is called the "Ocean state" because of its bays and waterways. It was founded by Roger Williams for religious freedom. The Narragansett people lived there before Europeans came, but people like Roger Williams didn't respect them and used the land for their own reasons. The colonists fought a war against the native people and many of them were killed or ran away from the colonists.[6]

Rhode Island was one of the original Thirteen Colonies. It became very important to the economy because of the slave trade, and more slaves were taken to the thirteen colonies through Rhode Island than any of the others in the 18th century. Slavers would send ships from Newport to buy slaves from Africa and make money by trading goods with others involved in slavery.[7] Rhode Island became a state (the last of the thirteen to agree to the new United States Constitution) in 1790. But despite it joined the United States in 1790, it was founded in 1776.

Rhode Island is bordered on the north and east by Massachusetts, on the west by Connecticut, and on the south by Rhode Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. It shares a water border with New York. It is named for a large island in Rhode Island Sound, Rhode Island. Some thought the island looked liked Rhodes, an island in Greece.

An executive order was signed by Governor Gina Raimondo on June 22, 2020 to remove "Providence Plantations" from the official state name due to its ties to slavery. [8] Raimondo stated the change would go into effect "as soon as practicable." [9] In November 2020, the official name was voted to be changed to "State of Rhode Island".

  1. "Rhode Island Government: Government". RI.gov. Archived from the original on July 1, 2010. Retrieved July 31, 2010.
  2. "State Area Measurements and Internal Point Coordinates".
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Elevations and Distances in the United States". United States Geological Survey. 2001. Archived from the original on October 15, 2011. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
  4. Bureau, US Census (2021-04-26). "2020 Census Apportionment Results". The United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved 2021-04-27. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  5. "Median Annual Household Income". The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  6. "Native Americans - Rhode Island - Nellie M. Gorbea". www.sos.ri.gov. Retrieved 2020-10-25.
  7. Clark-Pujara, Christy (30 August 2016). Dark Work: The Business of Slavery in Rhode Island. NYU Press. ISBN 9781479809943.
  8. Rhode Island moves to change its official name due to slavery ties
  9. Rhode Island moves to change official name over slavery ties


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