Claim: Rhode Island was one of the original colonies.
Evidence: On May 4 , 1776 , the Colony of Rhode Island became the first of the Thirteen Colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown , and was the fourth among the newly sovereign states to ratify the Articles of Confederation on February 9 , 1778.
The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was one of the original Thirteen Colonies established on the east coast of North America , bordering the Atlantic Ocean.