Rhode Island History

 Native American tribes, including Wampanoag, Narragansett, and Niantic, occupied most of the area we now call Rhode Island. Most were killed by European diseases passed on to their area.

During the Colonial Period, Roger Williams owned land and called it Providence. It declared a place of religious freedom. In 1636, after conferring with Roger Williams, the religious people settled at Aquidneck Island. It was owned by local natives who call it Pocasset. The southern part of the island began separate after the disagreement of the founders.   

The Native American were in peace until the Europeans disrupted their land. This led to invasion in the Rhode Island area. One tribe, burned several cities, but allowed the population to leave first. 

During the Revolutionary era, the British colony invaded Rhode Island. Captain James Wallace controlled Narragansett Bay for a long period of time. During that time period, many battles were fought.

During the American Civil War, Rhode Island was one the Union states. Rhode Island has send out 25,236 fighting men, of which 1,685 died. Rhode Island, and several other states, supplied the Union Army so they could win the war. After the war, Rhode Island wanted to end racial segregation throughout the state. Most immigrants came from England, Ireland, Germany, Sweden, and Quebec. During WW1, Rhode Island has send out 8,817 troops, of whom 612 died. After the war, they were hit hard by the Spanish flu. 

american indians

colonial period

revolutionary era

american civil war