Rhode Island

Rhode Island(/ˌroʊd-/, pronounced "road")is astatein theNew Englandregion of theNortheasternUnited States. It bordersConnecticutto its west;Massachusettsto its north and east; and theAtlantic Oceanto its south viaRhode Island SoundandBlock Island Sound; and shares a smallmaritime borderwithNew York, east ofLong Island.Rhode Island is thesmallest U.S. state by areaand theseventh-least populous, with slightly more than 1.1 million residents as of 2024.The state's population, however, has continually recorded growth in everydecennial censussince 1790, and it is thesecond-most densely populated stateafterNew Jersey. The state takes its name fromthe eponymous island, though nearly all its land area is on the mainland.Providenceis its capital and most populous city.
Native Americanslived aroundNarragansett BaybeforeEnglishsettlers began arriving in the early 17th century.Rhode Island was unique among theThirteen British Coloniesin having been founded by a refugee,Roger Williams, who fledreligious persecutionin theMassachusetts Bay Colonyto establish a haven for religious liberty. He founded Providence in 1636 on land purchased from local tribes, creating the first settlement in North America with an explicitly secular government.TheColony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantationssubsequently became a destination for religious and political dissenters and social outcasts, earning it the moniker "Rogue's Island".
Rhode Island was the first colony to call for aContinental Congress, in 1774, and the first to renounce its allegiance to the BritishCrown, on May 4, 1776.After theAmerican Revolution, during which it was heavily occupied and contested, Rhode Island became the fourth state to ratify theArticles of Confederation, on February 9, 1778.Because its citizens favored a weaker central government, it boycotted the1787 conventionthat had drafted theUnited States Constitution,which it initially refused to ratify;it finally ratified it on May 29, 1790, the last of the original 13 states to do so.
The state was officially named theState of Rhode Island and Providence Plantationssince the colonial era but came to be commonly known as "Rhode Island". On November 3, 2020, the state's votersapproved an amendmentto thestate constitutionformally dropping "and Providence Plantations" from its full name.Its official nickname, found on itswelcome sign, is the "Ocean State", a reference to its 400 mi (640 km) of coastline and the large bays and inlets that make up about 14% of its area.
Despite its name, most of Rhode Island is on the U.S. mainland. Its official name wasState of Rhode Island and Providence Plantationsfrom its beginning in 1636 until 2020, and it is referred to in that manner in theUnited States Constitution.This name was derived from the merger of Colonial settlements around Narragansett Bay, and outside the jurisdiction of Plymouth colony. The settlements of Rhode Island (NewportandPortsmouth) were on Rhode Island, also known asAquidneck Island.Providence Plantationsreferred to settlements on the mainland of Providence andWarwick.
It is unclear how the island came to be namedRhode Island, but two historical events may have been influential:
The earliest documented use of the name "Rhode Island" for Aquidneck was in 1637 by Roger Williams. The name was officially applied to the island in 1644 with these words: "Aquethneck shall be henceforth called the Isle of Rodes or Rhode-Island." The name "Isle of Rodes" is used in a legal document as late as 1646.Dutch maps as early as 1659 call the island "Red Island" (Roodt Eylandt).
The first English settlement in Rhode Island was the town of Providence, which theNarragansettgranted to Roger Williams in 1636.At that time, Williams obtained no permission from the English crown, as he believed the English had no legitimate claim on Narragansett andWampanoagterritory.Williams traveled to London in 1643, during the English Civil War, to obtain legal recognition of the new settlements. APatentwas granted to "the incorporation of Providence Plantations in Narragansett Bay in New England" by the Parliamentary committee onForeign Plantations.After the English Civil war, a Royal Charter was granted in 1663, giving the colony an official name of the "Governor and Company of the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England, in America."Following theAmerican Revolution, in 1790 the new state incorporated as the "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations". However, as matter of convenience, the state came to be commonly known as simply "Rhode Island".
The wordplantationin the state's name became a contested issue during the 20th century and the increased awareness of slavery and its role in early Rhode Island history. The General Assembly voted in 2009 to hold a referendum in November 2010 on removing "and Providence Plantations" from the official name. Advocates for excisingplantationargued that the word symbolized a legacy of disenfranchisement for many Rhode Islanders, as well as the proliferation of slavery in the colonies and in the post-colonial United States. Advocates for retaining the name argued thatplantationwas simply an archaic synonym forcolonyand bore no relation to slavery. The people voted overwhelmingly (78% to 22%) to retain the entire original name.
In June 2020, State SenatorHarold Mettsintroduced a resolution for another ballot referendum on the subject, saying, "Whatever the meaning of the term 'plantations' in the context of Rhode Island's history, it carries a horrific connotation when considering the tragic and racist history of our nation."GovernorGina Raimondoissued an executive order to remove the phrase from a range of official documents and state websites.In July, amidst theGeorge Floyd protestsand nationwide calls to address systemic racism, the resolution referring the question to the voters was passed by both houses of theRhode Island General Assembly: 69–1 in theHouse of Representatives,and 35–0 in theSenate.The change was then approved by voters 52.8% to 47.2% as part of the2020 United States elections, taking effect in November 2020 upon certification of the results.
At the onset of European colonization what is now Rhode Island was inhabited mainly by five Native American tribes - by far most of the state's territory was inhabited by theNarragansett, eastern borderlands were occupied by theWampanoag, south-western coast by theNiantic, western borderlands by thePequotand northern borderlands by theNipmuc.In 1636,Roger Williamswas banished from theMassachusetts Bay Colonyfor his religious views, and he settled at the top of Narragansett Bay on land sold or given to him by Narragansett sachemCanonicus. He named the site Providence, "having a sense of God's merciful providence unto me in my distress",and it became a place of religious freedom where all were welcome.
In 1638 (after conferring with Williams),Anne Hutchinson,William Coddington,John Clarke,Philip Sherman, and other religious dissenters were allowed to settle onAquidneck Island(also known as Rhode Island), by the Narragansett SachemsCanonicusandMiantonomi. They were given a few items in reciprocity for their generosity. However, as Roger Williams made clear in a letter to John Winthrop in June 1638: "Sir, concerning the islands Prudence and…Aquedenick…neither of them were sold properly, for a thousand fathom would not have bought either, by strangers. The truth is, not a penny was demanded for either, and what was paid was only gratuity, though I chose, for better assurance and form, to call it sale."This settlement was first called Pocasset and then changed in 1639 toPortsmouth. The town was governed by thePortsmouth Compact. The island's southern part became the separate settlement ofNewportafter disagreements among the founders.
Samuel Gortonpurchased lands atShawometin 1642 from the Narragansetts, precipitating a dispute with the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In 1644, Providence, Portsmouth, and Newport united for their common independence as theColony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, governed by an elected council and "president". Gorton received a separate charter for his settlement in 1648 which he namedWarwickafter his patron.
Metacometwas theWampanoagtribe's war leader, whom the colonists called King Philip. They invaded and burned down several of the towns in the area duringKing Philip's War(1675–1676), including Providence which was attacked twice.A force of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Plymouth militia under GeneralJosiah Winslowinvaded and destroyed the fortified Narragansett Indian village in theGreat SwampinSouth Kingstown, Rhode Islandon December 19, 1675.In one of the final actions of the war, an Indian associated withBenjamin Churchkilled King Philip inBristol, Rhode Island.
The colony was amalgamated into theDominion of New Englandin 1686, asKing James IIattempted to enforce royal authority over the autonomous colonies inBritish North America, but the colony regained its independence under the Royal Charter after theGlorious Revolutionof 1688. Slaves were introduced in Rhode Island at this time, although there is no record of any law legalizing slave-holding. The colony later prospered under the slave trade, distilling rum to sell in Africa as part of a profitabletriangular tradein slaves and sugar with the Caribbean.Rhode Island's legislative body passed an act in 1652 abolishing the holding of slaves (the first British colony to do so), but this edict was never enforced and Rhode Island continued to be heavily involved in theslave tradeduring the post-revolution era.In 1774, the slave population of Rhode Island was 6.3% of the total (nearly twice the ratio of otherNew Englandcolonies).
Brown Universitywas founded in 1764 as the College in the British Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. It was one of nineColonial collegesgranted charters before the American Revolution and was the first college in America to accept students regardless of religious affiliation.
Rhode Island's tradition of independence and dissent gave it a prominent role in theAmerican Revolution. At approximately 2 a.m. on June 10, 1772, a band of Providence residentsattackedthe grounded revenue schoonerHMS Gaspée, burning it to the waterline for enforcingunpopular trade regulationswithin Narragansett Bay.Rhode Island was the first of the thirteen colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown on May 4, 1776.It was also the last of the thirteen colonies to ratify theUnited States Constitutionon May 29, 1790, and only under threat of heavy trade tariffs from the other former colonies and after assurances were made that aBill of Rightswould become part of the Constitution.
During the Revolution, the British occupied Newport in December 1776. A combined Franco-American force fought to drive them off Aquidneck Island. Portsmouth was the site of the first African-American military unit, the1st Rhode Island Regiment, to fight for the U.S. in the unsuccessfulBattle of Rhode Islandof August 29, 1778.A month earlier, the appearance of a French fleet off Newport caused the British to scuttle some of their own ships in an attempt to block the harbor. The British abandoned Newport in October 1779, concentrating their forces in New York City. Anexpedition of 5,500 French troopsunderCount Rochambeauarrived in Newport by sea on July 10, 1780.Thecelebrated marchtoYorktown, Virginia, in 1781 ended with the defeat of the British at theSiege of Yorktownand theBattle of the Chesapeake.
Rhode Island was also heavily involved in theIndustrial Revolution, which began in America in 1787 whenThomas Somersreproduced textile machine plans which he imported from England. He helped to produce theBeverly Cotton Manufactory, in whichMoses Brownof Providence took an interest. Moses Brown teamed up withSamuel Slaterand helped to create the second cotton mill in America, a water-powered textile mill. TheIndustrial Revolutionmoved large numbers of workers into the cities. With the 1663colonial charterstill in effect, voting was restricted to landowners holding at least $134 in property. At the time of the revolution, 80% of White men in Rhode Island could vote; by 1840, only 40% were still eligible.The charter apportioned legislative seats equally among the state's towns, over-representing rural areas and under-representing the growing industrial centers. Additionally, the charter disallowed landless citizens from filing civil suits without endorsement from a landowner.Bills were periodically introduced in the legislature to expand suffrage, but they were invariably defeated.
In 1841, activists led byThomas W. Dorrorganized an extralegal convention to draft a state constitution,arguing the charter government violated theGuarantee Clausein Article Four, Section Four of theUnited States Constitution. In 1842, the charter government and Dorr's supporters held separate elections, and two rival governments claimed sovereignty over the state. Dorr's supporters led an armedrebellionagainst the charter government, and Dorr was arrested and imprisoned for treason against the state.
In response, the legislature drafted a state constitution which replaced property requirements for American-born citizens with a $1poll tax, equivalent to $32 in 2023. In a heavily boycotted election in November 1842, voters approved the constitution.Voters also declined to limit the change to "white" men, thus re-enfranchising Black men—Black men meeting the property requirements had been able to vote in Rhode Island until 1822. The constitution also ended slavery. Immigrants remained subject to the property requirement, effectively disenfranchising many Irish-Americans and maintaining urban under-representation.In 1849, inLuther v. Borden, the US Supreme Court declined to rule on the constitutional question raised in Dorr's rebellion, holding that it was a political question outside its jurisdiction.
In the early 19th century, Rhode Island was subject to a tuberculosis outbreak which led topublic hysteria about vampirism.
During theAmerican Civil War, Rhode Island was the first Union state to send troops in response toPresident Lincoln's request for help from the states. Rhode Island furnished 23,700 fighting men, of whom 1,685 died.On the home front, Rhode Island and the other northern states used their industrial capacity to supply the Union Army with the materials it needed to win the war. TheUnited States Naval Academymoved to Rhode Island temporarily during the war.
In 1866, Rhode Island abolished racial segregation in the public schools throughout the state.
The 50 years following the Civil War were a time of prosperity and affluence that author William G. McLoughlin calls "Rhode Island's halcyon era". Rhode Island was a center of theGilded Ageand provided a home or summer home to many of the country's most prominent industrialists. This was a time of growth in textile mills and manufacturing and brought an influx of immigrants to fill those jobs, bringing population growth and urbanization. InNewport, New York's wealthiest industrialists created a summer haven to socialize and buildgrand mansions. Thousands of French-Canadian, Italian, Irish, and Portuguese immigrants arrived to fill jobs in the textile and manufacturing mills in Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Woonsocket.
During World War I, Rhode Island furnished 28,817 soldiers, of whom 612 died. After the war, the state was hit hard by theSpanish Influenza.
In the 1920s and 1930s, rural Rhode Island saw a surge inKu Klux Klanmembership, largely in reaction to large waves ofimmigrantsmoving to the state. The Klan is believed to be responsible for burning theWatchman Industrial SchoolinScituate, which was a school for African-American children.
Since theGreat Depression, theRhode Island Democratic Partyhas dominated local politics. Rhode Island has comprehensive health insurance for low-income children and a largesocial safety net. However, many urban areas still have a high rate of child poverty. Due to an influx of residents fromBoston, increasing housing costs have resulted in more homelessness in Rhode Island.
The 350th Anniversary of the founding of Rhode Island was celebrated with a free concert held on the tarmac of the Quonset State Airport on August 31, 1986. Performers includedChuck Berry,Tommy James, and headlinerBob Hope.
Rhode Island covers an area of 1,034 square miles (2,678 km)within the New England region of theNortheastern United Statesand is bordered on the north and east by Massachusetts, on the west by Connecticut, and on the south byRhode Island Soundand the Atlantic Ocean.It shares a narrow maritime border with New York State between Block Island andLong Island. The state's mean elevation is 200 feet (61 m). It is only 37 miles (60 km) wide and 48 miles (77 km) long, yet the state has a tidal shoreline onNarragansett Bayand the Atlantic Ocean of 384 miles (618 km).
Rhode Island is nicknamed the Ocean State and has a number of oceanfrontbeaches. It is mostly flat with no real mountains, and the state's highest natural point isJerimoth Hill, 812 feet (247 m) above sea level.The state has two distinct natural regions. Eastern Rhode Island contains the lowlands of the Narragansett Bay, while Western Rhode Island forms part of the New England upland. Rhode Island's forests are part of theNortheastern coastal forestsecoregion.
Narragansett Bay is a major feature of the state's topography. There are more than 30 islands within the bay; the largest isAquidneck Island, which holds the municipalities of Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth. The second-largest island isConanicut, and the third isPrudence.Block Islandlies about 12 miles (19 km) off the southern coast of the mainland and separatesBlock Island Soundand the Atlantic Ocean proper.
A rare type of rock calledCumberlanditecan be found inCumberland(the only place within the United States in which it can be found) and is the state rock. There were initially two known deposits of the mineral, but it is an ore of iron, and one of the deposits was extensively mined for its ferrous content.
Most of Rhode Island has ahumid continental climate, with warm summers and cold winters. The state's southern coastal portions are the broad transition zone into subtropical climates, with hot summers and cool winters with a mix of rain and snow.Block Islandhas anoceanic climate. The highest temperature recorded in Rhode Island was 104 °F (40 °C), recorded on August 2, 1975, in Providence.The lowest recorded temperature in Rhode Island was −23 °F (−31 °C) on February 5, 1996, inGreene.Monthly average temperatures range from a high of 83 °F (28 °C) to a low of 20 °F (−7 °C).
Rhode Island is vulnerable to tropical storms and hurricanes due to its location in New England, catching the brunt of many storms that blow up the eastern seaboard. Hurricanes that have done significant damage in the state include the1938 New England hurricane,Hurricane Carol(1954),Hurricane Donna(1960), andHurricane Bob(1991).
Due to the relatively flat nature of Rhode Island's seashore, the state is vulnerable to storm surge and coastal erosion, especially as sea levels rise.
Rhode Island is divided intofive countiesbut it has no county governments. The entire state is divided into 39 municipalities, which handle all local government affairs.
There are 8 cities and 31 towns in Rhode Island. Major population centers today result from historical factors; development took place predominantly along theBlackstone,Seekonk, andProvidence Riverswith the advent of the water-powered mill. Providence is the base of a large metropolitan area.
The state's 19 largest municipalities ranked by population are:
Some of Rhode Island's cities and towns are further partitioned into villages, in common with many other New England states. Notable villages includeKingstonin the town of South Kingstown, which houses the University of Rhode Island;Wickfordin the town of North Kingstown, the site of an annual international art festival; andWakefieldwhere the Town Hall is for the Town of South Kingstown.
Thestate capitol buildingis made of white Georgian marble. On top is the world's fourth largest self-supported marble dome.It houses the Rhode Island Charter granted byKing Charles IIin 1663, the Brown University charter, and other state treasures.
TheFirst Baptist Church of Providenceis the oldestBaptist churchin the Americas, founded byRoger Williamsin 1638.
The first fully automated post office in the country is in Providence. There are many historic mansions in the seaside city of Newport, includingThe Breakers,Marble House, andBelcourt Castle. Also there is theTouro Synagogue, dedicated on December 2, 1763, considered by locals to be the first synagogue within the United States (see below for information on New York City's claim), and still serving. The synagogue showcases the religious freedoms established by Roger Williams, as well as impressive architecture in a mix of the classic colonial and Sephardic style. TheNewport Casinois aNational Historic Landmarkbuilding complex that houses theInternational Tennis Hall of Fameand features an active grass-court tennis club.
Scenic Route 1A(known locally as Ocean Road) is inNarragansett. "The Towers" is also in Narragansett featuring a large stone arch. It was once the entrance to a famous Narragansett casino that burned down in 1900. The Towers now serve as an event venue and host the local Chamber of Commerce, which operates a tourist information center.
TheNewport Towerhas been hypothesized to be ofVikingorigin, although most experts believe it was a Colonial-era windmill.
On May 29, 2014, Governor Lincoln D. Chafee announced that Rhode Island was one of eight states to release a collaborative Action Plan to put 3.3 million zero-emission vehicles on its roads by 2025. The plan's purpose is to reducegreenhouse gasand smog-causing emissions. The plan promoteszero-emissions vehiclesand investments in the infrastructure to support them.
In 2014, Rhode Island received grants of $2,711,685 from theEnvironmental Protection Agencyto clean upBrownfield sitesin eight locations. The grants provided communities with funding to assess, clean up, and redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies, and leverage jobs while protecting public health and the environment.
In 2013, the "Lots of Hope" program was established in the City of Providence to focus on increasing the city's green space and local food production, improve urban neighborhoods, promote healthy lifestyles and improve environmental sustainability. Supported by a $100,000 grant, the program will partner with the City of Providence, the Southside Community Land Trust, and the Rhode Island Foundation to convert city-owned vacant lots into productive urban farms.
In 2012, Rhode Island passed bill S2277/H7412, "An act relating to Health and Safety – Environmental Cleanup Objectives for Schools", informally known as the School Siting Bill. Sponsored by SenatorJuan Pichardoand RepresentativeScott Slater, and signed into law by the governor, it made Rhode Island the first US State to prohibit school construction on Brownfield sites where toxic vapors can potentially affect indoor air quality. It also creates a public participation process whenever a city or town considers building a school on any other kind of contaminated site.
On April 14, 2021, the 2021 Act on Climate  a very significant climate legislation, was signed.
TheInvasive Plant Atlas of New Englandmonitorsinvasive weedsthroughout New England.
At the2020 U.S. census, Rhode Island's population was 1,097,379. Thecenter of populationof Rhode Island is inProvidence County, in the city ofCranston.A corridor of population can be seen from the Providence area, stretching northwest following theBlackstone RivertoWoonsocket, where 19th-century mills drove industry and development.
According toHUD's 2022Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 1,577homelesspeople in Rhode Island.
According to the 2020 census, 71.3% of the population was White (68.7%non-Hispanic white), 5.7% was Black or African American, 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.6% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander, 9.4% from some other race, and 9.3% from two or more races. 16.6% of the total population was ofHispanicor Latino origin (they may be of any race).
Of the people residing in Rhode Island, 58.7% were born in Rhode Island, 26.6% were born in a different state, 2.0% were born in Puerto Rico, U.S. Island areas or born abroad to American parent(s), and 12.6% were foreign born.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2015, Rhode Island had an estimated population of 1,056,298, which is an increase of 1,125, or 0.10%, from the prior year and an increase of 3,731, or 0.35%, since the year 2010. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 15,220 people (that is 66,973 births minus 51,753 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 14,001 people into the state.Immigrationfrom outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 18,965 people, and migration within the country produced a net decrease of 4,964 people. In 2018, The top countries of origin for Rhode Island's immigrants were theDominican Republic,Guatemala,Portugal,Cape VerdeandIndia.
Hispanicsin the state make up 12.8% of the population, predominantly Dominican, Puerto Rican, and Guatemalan populations.Rhode Island has the highest percentage ofDominican Americansin the country at 5.1% according to latest estimates, putting the state at sixth largest Dominican community in the country.
According to the2000 U.S. census, 84% of the population aged 5 and older spoke onlyAmerican English, while 8.07% spoke Spanish at home, 3.80% Portuguese, 1.96% French, 1.39% Italian and 0.78% speak other languages at home accordingly.
The state's most populous ethnic group, non-Hispanic white, has declined from 96.1% in 1970 to 76.5% in 2011.In 2011, 40.3% of Rhode Island's children under the age of one belonged to racial or ethnic minority groups, meaning they had at least one parent who was not non-Hispanic white.
6.1% of Rhode Island's population were reported as under 5, 23.6% under 18, and 14.5% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 52% of the population.
According to the 2010–2015American Community Survey, the largest ancestry groups wereIrish(18.3%),Italian(18.0%),English(10.5%),French(10.4%), andPortuguese(9.3%).Rhode Island has some of the highest percentages of Irish Americans and Italian Americans.Italian Americans make up a plurality in central and southern Providence County andFrench-Canadian Americansform a large part of northern Providence County. Irish Americans have a strong presence in Newport and Kent counties. Americans of English ancestry still have a presence in the state as well, especially inWashington County, and are often referred to as "Swamp Yankees".
Rhode Island has a notable Lusophone community, having a higher percentage of Americans of Portuguese ancestry than any other state, includingPortuguese AmericansandCape Verdean Americans. Additionally, the state also has the highest percentage ofLiberianimmigrants, with more than 15,000 residing in the state.African immigrants, including those from Cape Verde and Liberia, form significant and growing communities in Rhode Island. Rhode Island is one of the few states where Black people of recent foreign origin outnumber Black people of multigenerational American origin (African Americans).Rhode Island also has a sizable Asian community. There is onefederally recognizedtribe in Rhode Island, the Narragansett Indian Tribe.
Although Rhode Island has the smallest land area of all 50 states, it has thesecond highest population density, second to that of New Jersey.
A Pew survey of Rhode Island residents' religious self-identification in 2014 showed the following distribution of affiliations:Catholic42%,Protestant30%,Jewish1%,Jehovah's Witnesses2%,Buddhism1%,Mormonism1%,Hinduism1%, andNon-religious20%.The largest Christian denominations as of 2010 were theCatholic Churchwith 456,598 adherents, theEpiscopal Churchwith 19,377, theAmerican Baptist Churches USAwith 15,220, and theUnited Methodist Churchwith 6,901 adherents.
Rhode Island has had the highest proportion of Catholic residents of any state according to a study in 2000,mainly due to large Irish, Italian, and French-Canadian immigration in the past; recently, significant Portuguese and various Hispanic or Latino communities have also been established in the state. Though it has the highest overall Catholic percentage of any state, none of Rhode Island's individual counties ranks among the 10 most Catholic in the United States, as Catholics are evenly spread throughout the state.
According to thePublic Religion Research Institute(PRRI) in 2020, 67% of the population were Christian, spread amongevangelicalandmainline Protestantism, and Roman Catholicism.In 2022, the Public Religion Research Institute revealed 72% of the population were Christian.
Rhode Island's Jewish community, centered in the Providence area, emerged during a wave of Jewish immigration predominantly from Eastern Europeansshtetlsbetween 1880 and 1920. The presence of theTouro Synagoguein Newport, the oldest existing synagogue in the United States, emphasizes that these second-wave immigrants did not create Rhode Island's first Jewish community; a comparatively smaller wave ofSpanish and Portuguese Jewsimmigrated to Newport during the colonial era. In 2022, they made up 2% of the state's population.
The religiously unaffiliated since 2014 were 20% of the population, though the separate study by the Public Religion Research Institute determined the irreligious increased to 29% of the adult population.In 2022, the religiously unaffiliated declined to 24% of the population.
Today, many inhabitants of Rhode Island identify as being Native American alone (6,058 people in 2010 census and 7,385 in 2020) or Native American in combination with one or more other races (8,336 people in 2010 census and 15,972 in 2020).Many inhabitants of Rhode Island also reported belonging to tribes in 2010 census, the largest of which were the Narragansett (2,820 people), the Cherokee (987), the Wampanoag (559) and the Pequot (424). Other tribes included the Iroquois (278), theMicmac(101), theAbenaki(100), the Nipmuc (99) and more.
The Rhode Island economy had a colonial base in fishing.
The Blackstone River Valley was a major contributor to theAmericanIndustrial Revolution. It was inPawtucketthatSamuel Slaterset upSlater Millin 1793,using the waterpower of theBlackstone Riverto power hiscotton mill. For a while, Rhode Island was one of the leaders in textiles. However, with theGreat Depression, most textile factories relocated to southern U.S. states. The textile industry still constitutes a part of the Rhode Island economy but does not have the same power.
Other important industries in Rhode Island's past included toolmaking,costume jewelry, andsilverware. An interesting by-product of Rhode Island's industrial history is the number of abandoned factories, many of which are now condominiums, museums, offices, and low-income and elderly housing. Today, much of Rhode Island's economy is based on services, particularly healthcare and education, and still manufacturing to some extent.The state's nautical history continues in the 21st century in the form ofnuclear submarineconstruction.
Per the 2013 American Communities Survey, Rhode Island has the highest paid elementary school teachers in the country, with an average salary of $75,028 (adjusted to inflation).
The headquarters ofCitizens Financial Group, the 14th largest bank in the United States, is inProvidence.The Fortune 500 companiesCVS CaremarkandTextronare based inWoonsocketand Providence, respectively.FM Global,GTECH Corporation,Hasbro,American Power Conversion, Nortek, andAmica Mutual Insuranceare all Fortune 1000 companies based in Rhode Island.
Rhode Island's 2000 total gross state production was $46.18 billion (adjusted to inflation), placing it 45th in the nation. Its 2000per capitapersonal income was $41,484 (adjusted to inflation), 16th in the nation. Rhode Island has the lowest level of energy consumption per capita of any state.Additionally, Rhode Island is rated as the 5th most energy efficient state in the country.In December 2012, the state's unemployment rate was 10.2%.This has gradually reduced to 3.5% in November 2019, however, the coronavirus pandemic brought the unemployment rate to a high of 18.1% in April 2020. This has since reduced to 10.5% in September 2020 and is projected to further decrease to 7% in October 2020.
Health services are Rhode Island's largest industry. Second is tourism, supporting 39,000 jobs, with tourism-related sales at $4.56 billion (adjusted to inflation) in the year 2000. The third-largest industry is manufacturing.Its industrial outputs are submarine construction, shipbuilding, costume jewelry, fabricated metal products, electrical equipment, machinery, and boatbuilding. Rhode Island's agricultural outputs are nursery stock, vegetables, dairy products, and eggs. The largest single product ismilk, which in 2017 totaled $4,563,000 in sales.
Rhode Island's taxes were appreciably higher than those of neighboring states,because Rhode Island's income tax was based on 25% of the payer's federal income tax payment.FormerGovernor Donald Carciericlaimed the higher tax rate had an inhibitory effect on business growth in the state and called for reductions to increase the competitiveness of the state's business environment. In 2010, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed a new state income tax structure that Governor Carcieri signed into law on June 9, 2010.The income tax overhaul has made Rhode Island competitive with other New England states by lowering its maximum tax rate to 5.99% and reducing the number of tax brackets to three.The state's first income tax was enacted in 1971.
As of March 2011, Rhode Island's largest employers (excluding employees of municipalities) are:
TheRhode Island Public Transit Authority(RIPTA) operates statewide intra- and intercity bus transport from its hubs atKennedy Plazain Providence,Pawtucket, andNewport. RIPTA bus routes serve 38 of Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns. (New ShorehamonBlock Islandis not served). RIPTA operates 58 routes, including daytime trolley service (using trolley-style replica buses) in Providence and Newport.
From 2000 through 2008, RIPTA offered seasonal ferry service linking Providence and Newport (already connected by highway) funded by grant money from theUnited States Department of Transportation. Though the service was popular with residents and tourists, RIPTA was unable to continue after the federal funding ended. Service was discontinued as of 2010.The service resumed in 2016 and has been successful. The privately run Block Island FerrylinksBlock IslandwithNewportandNarragansettwith traditional and fast-ferry service, while the Prudence Island FerryconnectsBristolwithPrudence Island. Private ferry services also link several Rhode Island communities with ports inConnecticut,Massachusetts, and New York.
TheMBTA Commuter Rail'sProvidence/Stoughton Linelinks Providence andT. F. Green Airportwith Boston'sSouth Station, with an intermediate stop atPawtucket/Central Fallsand several stations in Massachusetts. The line was later extended southward toWickford Junction, with service beginning April 23, 2012. The state hopes to extend the MBTA line toKingstonandWesterly, as well as explore the possibility of extending Connecticut'sShore Line Eastto T.F. Green Airport.Amtrak'sAcela Expressstops atProvidence Station(the only Acela stop in Rhode Island), linking Providence to other cities in theNortheast Corridor. Amtrak'sNortheast Regionalservice makes stops atProvidence Station,Kingston, andWesterly.
Rhode Island is one of four states to have high-speedNortheast Corridortracks capable of 165 mph. This was due to the fact that in the 1990s, Amtrak upgraded the NEC north of New Haven, CT to get it ready for the high-speedAcela Expresstrains and to extend electrifiedNortheast Corridorservices to Boston.
Rhode Island's primary airport for passenger and cargo transport isT. F. Green AirportinWarwick, though Rhode Islanders who wish to travel internationally on direct flights and those who seek a greater availability of flights and destinations often fly throughLogan International Airportin Boston.
Interstate 95(I-95) runs southwest to northeast across the state, linking Rhode Island with other states along theEast Coast.I-295functions as a partialbeltwayencircling Providence to the west.I-195provides a limited-access highway connection from Providence (andConnecticutand New York via I-95) to Cape Cod. Initially built as the easternmost link in the (now cancelled) extension ofI-84fromHartford, Connecticut, a portion ofU.S. Route 6(US 6) through northern Rhode Island is limited-access and links I-295 with downtown Providence.
Several Rhode Island highways extend the state's limited-access highway network.Route 4is a major north–south freeway linking Providence andWarwick(via I-95) with suburban and beach communities alongNarragansett Bay.Route 10is an urbanconnectorlinking downtown Providence withCranstonandJohnston.Route 37is an important east–west freeway through Cranston and Warwick and links I-95 with I-295.Route 99linksWoonsocketwith Providence (viaRoute 146). Route 146 travels through theBlackstone Valley, linking Providence and I-95 withWorcester, Massachusettsand theMassachusetts Turnpike.Route 403links Route 4 withQuonset Point.
Several bridges crossNarragansett BayconnectingAquidneck IslandandConanicut Islandto the mainland, most notably theClaiborne Pell Newport Bridgeand theJamestown-Verrazano Bridge.
TheEast Bay Bike Pathstretches from Providence to Bristol along the eastern shore of Narragansett Bay, while theBlackstone River Bikewaywill eventually link Providence and Worcester. In 2011, Rhode Island completed work on a marked on-road bicycle path through Pawtucket and Providence, connecting the East Bay Bike Path with the Blackstone River Bikeway, completing a 33.5 miles (54 km) bicycle route through the eastern side of the state.TheWilliam C. O'Neill Bike Path(commonly known as the South County Bike Path) is an 8 mi (13 km) path through South Kingstown and Narragansett. The 19 mi (31 km)Washington Secondary Bike Pathstretches from Cranston to Coventry, and the 2 mi (3.2 km)Ten Mile River Greenwaypath runs through East Providence and Pawtucket.
In late 2019, theRhode Island Public Transit Authorityreleased a draft of the Rhode Island Transit Master Plan, documenting and describing a variety of proposed improvements and additions to be made to the state's public transit network by 2040. Several different proposals were offered and still under consideration as of December 2020,including implementation of abus rapid transitsystem, express bus routes, expansion of Amtrak and MBTA services throughout the state, and construction of a newlight railnetwork through downtown Providence.
Rhode Island has several colleges and universities:
Some Rhode Islanders speak with the distinctive,non-rhotic, traditionalRhode Island accentlinguists describe as a cross betweenNew York CityandBoston accents(e.g., "water" sounds like "watuh"[ˈwɔəɾə]).Many Rhode Islanders distinguish a strongawsound[ɔə](i.e., resist thecot–caught mergerof Boston) much like one might hear in New Jersey or New York City; for example, the wordcoffeeis pronounced[ˈkʰɔəfi].Rhode Islanders sometimes refer todrinking fountainsas "bubblers", milkshakes as "cabinets", and overstuffed foot-long sandwiches (of whatever kind) as "grinders".
Rhode Island, like the rest of New England, has a tradition ofclam chowder. Both the white New England and the red Manhattan varieties are popular, but there is also a unique clear-broth chowder known asRhode Island Clam Chowderavailable in many restaurants. A culinary tradition in Rhode Island is theclam cake(also known as a clam fritter outside of Rhode Island), a deep fried ball of buttery dough with chopped bits of clam inside. They are sold by the half-dozen or dozen in most seafood restaurants around the state, and the quintessential summer meal in Rhode Island is chowder and clam cakes.
Thequahogis a large local clam usually used in a chowder. It is also ground and mixed with stuffing or spicy minced sausage, and then baked in its shell to form astuffie.Calamari(squid) is sliced into rings and fried as an appetizer in most Italian restaurants, typically served Sicilian-style with sliced banana peppers and marinara sauce on the side. (In 2014, calamari became the official state appetizer.)Clams Casinooriginated in Rhode Island, invented by Julius Keller, themaître d'in the original Casino next to the seaside Towers in Narragansett.Clams Casino resemble the beloved stuffed quahog but are generally made with the smaller littleneck or cherrystone clam and are unique in their use of bacon as a topping.
The official state drink of Rhode Island iscoffee milk,a beverage created by mixing milk with coffee syrup. This unique syrup was invented in the state and is sold in almost all Rhode Island supermarkets, as well as its bordering states.Johnnycakeshave been a Rhode Island staple since Colonial times, made with corn meal and water then pan-fried much like pancakes.
Submarine sandwiches are calledgrindersthroughout Rhode Island, and the Italian grinder, made with cold cuts such as ham,prosciutto,capicola,salami, andProvolone cheese, is especially popular.Linguiçaorchouriçois a spicy Portuguese sausage often served with peppers and eaten with hearty bread.
TheFarrelly brothersandSeth MacFarlanedepict Rhode Island in popular culture, often making comedicparodiesof the state. MacFarlane's television seriesFamily Guyis based in a fictional Rhode Island city named Quahog, and notable local events and celebrities are regularly lampooned.Peter Griffinis seen working at the Pawtucketbrewery, and other state locations are mentioned.
The 1956 filmHigh Society(starringBing Crosby,Grace Kelly, andFrank Sinatra) was set in Newport, Rhode Island.
The1974 film adaptationofThe Great Gatsbywas also filmed in Newport.
Jacqueline BouvierandJohn F. Kennedywere married at St. Mary's church in Newport. Their reception took place atHammersmith Farm, the Bouvier summer home in Newport.
CartoonistDon Bousquet, a state icon, has made a career out of Rhode Island culture, drawing Rhode Island-themed gags inThe Providence JournalandYankeemagazine. These cartoons have been reprinted in theQuahogseries of paperbacks (I Brake for Quahogs,Beware of the Quahog, andThe Quahog Walks Among Us.) Bousquet has also collaborated with humorist andProvidence JournalcolumnistMark Patinkinon two books:The Rhode Island DictionaryandThe Rhode Island Handbook.
The 1998 filmMeet Joe Blackwas filmed atAldrich Mansionin the Warwick Neck area ofWarwick.
Brotherhoodis set in Rhode Island.
Body of Proof's first season was filmed entirely in Rhode Island.The show premiered on March 29, 2011.
The 2007Steve CarellandDane CookfilmDan in Real Lifewas filmed in various coastal towns in the state. The sunset scene with the entire family on the beach takes place atNapatree Point.
Jersey Shorestar Pauly D filmed part of his spin-offThe Pauly D Projectin his hometown of Johnston.
TheComedy Centralcable television seriesAnother Periodis set in Newport during theGilded Age.
Rhode Island has been the first in a number of initiatives. TheColony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantationsenacted the first law prohibiting slavery in America on May 18, 1652.
The first act of armed rebellion in America against the British Crown was the boarding and burning of the Revenue SchoonerHMS Gaspéein Narragansett Bay on June 10, 1772. The idea of aContinental Congresswas first proposed at a town meeting in Providence on May 17, 1774. Rhode Island elected the first delegates (Stephen HopkinsandSamuel Ward) to the Continental Congress on June 15, 1774. The Rhode Island General Assembly created the first standing army in the colonies (1,500 men) on April 22, 1775. On June 15, 1775, the first naval engagement took place in the American Revolution between an American sloop commanded by Capt.Abraham Whippleand an armed tender of the British FrigateRose. The tender was chased aground and captured. Later in June, the General Assembly created the American Navy when it commissioned the sloopsKatyandWashington, armed with 24 guns and commanded by Abraham Whipple who was promoted to Commodore. Rhode Island was the first Colony to declare independence from Britain on May 4, 1776.
Slater Mill in Pawtucket was the first commercially successful cotton-spinning mill with a fully mechanized power system in America and was the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution in the US.The oldest Fourth of July parade in the country is still held annually inBristol, Rhode Island. The first Baptist church in America was founded in Providence in 1638.Ann Smith Franklinof the NewportMercurywas the first female newspaper editor in America (August 22, 1762).Touro Synagogueis the oldest synagogue in America, founded in Newport in 1763.
Pelham Street in Newport was the first in America to be illuminated by gaslight in 1806.The first strike in the United States in which women participated occurred in Pawtucket in 1824.Watch Hillhas the nation's oldest flying horsescarouselthat has been in continuous operation since 1850.The motion picture machine was patented in Providence on April 23, 1867.The first lunch wagon in America was introduced in Providence in 1872.The first nine-hole golf course in America was completed in Newport in 1890.The first state health laboratory was established in Providence on September 1, 1894.TheRhode Island State Housewas the first building with an all-marble dome to be built in the United States (1895–1901).The first automobile race on a track was held in Cranston on September 7, 1896.The first automobile parade was held in Newport on September 7, 1899, on the grounds of Belcourt Castle.
Rhode Island is nicknamed "The Ocean State", and the nautical nature of Rhode Island's geography pervades its culture. Newport Harbor, in particular, holds many pleasure boats. In the lobby ofT. F. Green, the state's main airport, is a large life-sized sailboat,and the state's license plates depict an ocean wave or a sailboat.
The large number of beaches inWashington Countylures many Rhode Islanders south for summer vacation.
The state constitution protects shore access, including swimming and gathering of seaweed.The 1982 Rhode Island Supreme Court decision inState v. Ibbisondefines the end of private land as the mean high tide line, which is difficult to determine in day-to-day activities, and has resulted in beach access conflicts.Underfunding of theRhode Island Coastal Resources Management Councilhas resulted in lax enforcement against encroachment on public access and building of illegal structures.
The state was notorious for organized crime activity from the 1950s into the 1990s when thePatriarca crime familyheld sway over most of New England from its Providence headquarters.
Rhode Islanders developed a unique style of architecture in the 17th century called thestone-ender.
Rhode Island is the only state to still celebrateVictory over Japan Day, which is officially named "Victory Day" but is sometimes referred to as "VJ Day".It is celebrated on the second Monday in August.
Nibbles Woodaway, more commonly referred to as "The Big Blue Bug", is a 58-foot-long termite mascot for a Providence extermination business. Since its construction in 1980, it has been featured in several movies and television shows, and has come to be recognized as a cultural landmark by many locals.In more recent times, the Big Blue Bug has been given a mask to remind locals and visitors to mask-up during theCOVID-19 pandemic.
On September 2, 1977, music iconsThe Beach Boysperformed a concert atNarragansett ParkinPawtucket, Rhode Islandattended by 40,000 people, the largest concert audience in Rhode Island history. In 2017, music historiansAl Gomesand Connie Watrous of Big Noise were successful in getting the street where the concert stage stood (510 Narragansett Park Drive in Pawtucket, RI) officially renamed as "Beach Boys Way".
In April of 1986, the music charityBandwagonwas established in Rhode Island. On May 11, 1986, a 150-person celebrity chorus consisting of musicians, journalists (including MTV Networks executive producer Bill Flanagan), TV broadcasters, politicians (including members of the United States Congress), and the heads of human service agencies joined together at the recording studio Normandy Sound in Warren, RI to record the charity single “A Piece of Our Hearts.” Bandwagon’s goal was to raise money for American agencies that aid the hungry and homeless and elevate awareness of the plight of the poor in America. Because of its efforts, the project received national recognition when Bandwagon went on to win the coveted Jefferson Award from the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Foundation for Outstanding Public Service, joining fellow recipients Oprah Winfrey,President Jimmy Carter, Paul Newman, andHarry Belafonte.
Rhode Island is currently home to two professional minor league teams, one being theProvidence Bruinsice hockeyteam of theAmerican Hockey League, who are a top-level minor league affiliate of theBoston Bruins. They play in theAmica Mutual Pavilionin Providence and won the AHL'sCalder Cupduring the1998–99 AHL season. The other isRhode Island FC, asoccerteam that began competing in the second tierUSL Championshipin 2024 atBeirne Stadiumlocated withinBryant University, awaiting the completion of thesoccer-specificTidewater Landing Stadiumin Pawtucket in time for the 2025 season.
ThePawtucket Red Soxbaseball team was aTriple-AInternational Leagueaffiliate of theBoston Red Soxfrom 1973 to 2020. They played atMcCoy StadiuminPawtucketand had won four league titles, theGovernors' Cup, in 1973, 1984, 2012, and 2014. McCoy Stadium also has the distinction of being home to thelongest professional baseball gameever played – 33 innings.
TheProvidence Redswere a hockey team that played in theCanadian-American Hockey League(CAHL) from 1926 to 1936, and theAmerican Hockey League(AHL) from 1936 to 1977, the last season of which they played as the Rhode Island Reds. The team won the Calder Cup in 1938, 1940, 1949, and 1956. The Reds played at the Rhode Island Auditorium, on North Main Street in Providence, Rhode Island from 1926 through 1972, when the team affiliated with the New York Rangers and moved into the newly built Providence Civic Center. The team name came from the state bird, a rooster known as the Rhode Island Red. They moved to New York in 1977, then toConnecticutin 1997, and are now called theHartford Wolf Pack.
The Reds are the oldest continuously operating minor-league hockey franchise in North America, having fielded a team in one form or another since 1926 in the CAHL. It is also the only AHL franchise to have never missed a season. The AHL returned to Providence in 1992 in the form of the Providence Bruins.
Before the great expansion of athletic teams all over the country, Providence and Rhode Island in general played a great role in supporting teams. TheProvidence Grayswon the first World Championship in baseball history in 1884. The team played their home games at the old Messer Street Field in Providence. The Grays played in the National League from 1878 to 1885. They defeated the New York Metropolitans of the American Association in a best of five-game series at the Polo Grounds in New York. Providence won three straight games to become the first champions in major league baseball history.Babe Ruthplayed for the minor league Providence Grays of 1914 and hit his only official minor league home run for them before the Grays' parent club, theBoston Red Stockings, recalled him.
Rhode Island has deep history with the sport of soccer where the sport was played as early as 1886 when the state's first organized league would be founded, known as the Rhode Island Football Association (RIFA). One of their teams, the Pawtucket Free Wanderers, would establish themselves as a regional power and win theAmerican Cupin 1893. The first championship game of theU.S. Open Cupwas also held in 1914 in Pawtucket's Coates Field to a crowd of 10,000. Later, a team known as Pawtucket Rangers F.C. would win the1941 editionof the U.S. Open Cup (then National Challenge Cup). TheRhode Island Oceaneerswould later be founded, and went on to win the1974 American Soccer Leaguechampionship. Other former semiprofessional soccer teams of the modern era include theRhode Island Stingraysof theUSL Premier Development League, and theRhode Island Redsof theNational Premier Soccer League, with both leagues regarded as the fourth tier of American soccer.
The now-defunct professional football team known as theProvidence Steamrollerswon the 1928 NFL title. They played in a 10,000 person stadium called the Cycledrome.An unrelated basketball team also known as theProvidence Steamrollersplayed in theBasketball Association of America, which would become theNational Basketball Association.
Rhode Island's onlyrugby leagueteam was theRhode Island Rebellion, a semi-professional team that was a founding member of theUSA Rugby League, which was at the time the top competition in the United States for the sport of rugby league.The Rebellion played their home games atClassical High Schoolin Providence.
There are fourNCAADivision I schools in Rhode Island. All four schools compete in different conferences. TheBrown University Bearscompete in theIvy League, theBryant University Bulldogscompete in theAmerica East Conference, theProvidence College Friarscompete in theBig East Conference, and theUniversity of Rhode Island Ramscompete in theAtlantic 10 Conference. Three of the schools' football teams compete in theFootball Championship Subdivision, the second-highest level ofcollege footballin the United States. Brown plays FCS football in theIvy League, Bryant plays FCS football in theBig South Conferencebefore that league merges its football operations with those of theOhio Valley Conferencein 2023, and Rhode Island plays FCS football in CAA Football, the technically separate football league of theColonial Athletic Association. All four Division I schools in the state compete in an intrastate all-sports competition known as theOcean State Cup, with Bryant winning the most recent cup in 2011–12 academic year.
From 1930 to 1983,America's Cupraces were sailed off Newport, and the extreme-sportX GamesandGravity Gameswere founded and hosted in the state's capital city.
TheInternational Tennis Hall of Fameis in Newport at the Newport Casino, site of the first U.S. National Championships in 1881. The Hall of Fame and Museum were established in 1954 byJimmy Van Alenas "a shrine to the ideals of the game".
Rhode Island is also home to the headquarters of the governing body for youth rugby league in the United States, the American Youth Rugby League Association or AYRLA. The AYRLA has started the first-ever Rugby League youth competition in Providence Middle Schools, a program at the RI Training School, in addition to starting the first High School Competition in the US in Providence Public High School.
The capital of Rhode Island is Providence. The state's governor isDaniel McKee(D), and the lieutenant governor isSabina Matos(D).Gina Raimondobecame Rhode Island's first female governor with a plurality of the vote in the November 2014 state elections.Its United States senators areJack Reed(D) andSheldon Whitehouse(D). Rhode Island's two United States representatives areGabe Amo(D-1) andSeth Magaziner(D-2).Seecongressional districts map.Rhode Island is one of a few states that do not have an official governor's residence.SeeList of Rhode Island Governors.
The state legislature is theRhode Island General Assembly, consisting of the 75-memberHouse of Representativesand the 38-memberSenate. The Democratic Party dominates both houses of the bicameral body; the Republican Party's presence is minor in the state government, with Republicans holding a handful of seats in both the Senate and House of Representatives.
Rhode Island's population barely crosses the threshold beyond the minimum of three for additional votes in both the federalHouse of RepresentativesandElectoral College; it is well represented relative to its population, with theeighth-highestnumber of electoral votes andsecond-highestnumber of House Representatives per resident. Based on its area, Rhode Island has the highest density of electoral votes of any state.
Federally, Rhode Island is a reliably Democratic state during presidential elections, usually supporting the Democratic presidential nominee. The state voted for the Republican presidential candidate until1908. Since then, it has voted for the Republican nominee for president seven times, and the Democratic nominee 17 times. The last 16 presidential elections in Rhode Island have resulted in the Democratic Party winning the Ocean State's Electoral College votes 12 times. In the1980 presidential election, Rhode Island was one of six states to vote againstRepublicanRonald Reagan. Reagan was the last Republican to win any of the state's counties in a Presidential election until Donald Trump won Kent County in 2016. In 1988,George H. W. Bushwon over 40% of the state's popular vote, something no Republican has done since.
Rhode Island was the Democrats' leading state in 1960, 1964, 1968, 1988 and 2000, and second-best in 1968, 1972, 1996, and 2004. Rhode Island's most one-sided Presidential election result was in 1964, with over 80% of Rhode Island's votes going forLyndon B. Johnson. In 2004, Rhode Island gaveJohn Kerrymore than a 20-percentage-point margin of victory (the third-highest of any state), with 59.4% of its vote. All but three of Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns voted for the Democratic candidate. The exceptions were East Greenwich, West Greenwich, and Scituate.In 2008, Rhode Island gaveBarack Obamaa 28-percentage-point margin of victory (the third-highest of any state), with 63% of its vote. All but one of Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns voted for the Democratic candidate (the exception being Scituate).
In a 2020 study, Rhode Island was ranked as the 19th easiest state for citizens to vote in.
Rhode Island is one of 21 states that have abolished capital punishment; it was second do so, just afterMichigan, and carried out its last execution in the 1840s. Rhode Island was the second to last state to make prostitution illegal. Until November 2009 Rhode Island lawmade prostitution legalprovided it took place indoors.In a 2009 study Rhode Island was listed as the 9th safest state in the country.
In 2011, Rhode Island became the third state in the United States to pass legislation to allow the use of medical marijuana. On May 25, 2022, Rhode Island fully legalized recreational use of marijuana, becoming the nineteenth state to do so.Additionally, the Rhode Island General Assembly passed legislation that allowed civil unions which GovernorLincoln Chafeesigned into law on July 2, 2011. Rhode Island became the eighth state to fully recognize either same-sex marriage or civil unions.Same-sex marriage became legal on May 2, 2013, and took effect August 1.
Rhode Island has some of the highest taxes in the country, particularly its property taxes, ranking seventh in local and state taxes, and sixth in real estate taxes.
41°42′N71°30′W﻿ / ﻿41.7°N 71.5°W﻿ /41.7; -71.5﻿ (State of Rhode Island)