Rhode Island

Rhode Island, state in New England, the northeastern region of the United States; bordered by Massachusetts to the north and east, the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and Connecticut to the west.

Land and climate

Rhode Island has two main land regions. The Coastal Lowlands cover roughly half of the state's mainland, plus the islands in Narragansett Bay and all the land to the east of the bay. Low inland hills slope downward toward the coast, which is lined by sandy beaches and salt ponds. The New England Upland, covering the northwestern third of the state, is a hilly area with higher elevations than along the coast. The Providence, Seekonk, and Sakonnet rivers are saltwater arms of Narragansett Bay. Major freshwater rivers are the Pawtuxet, Pettaquamscutt, Woonasqua-tucket, and Potowomut. Rhode Island has many lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. Forests cover about three-fifths of the state. Rhode Island's climate is kept mild by the ocean and the waters of Narragansett Bay. Principal cities are Providence and Warwick.

Economy

Rhode Island's most important economic activity is manufacturing, followed by tourism and service industries. Chief manufactured goods are jewelry, silverware, fabricated metal products, electrical equipment, machinery, and textiles. Agriculture, of minor importance to the state's economy, is led by greenhouse and nursery products and milk. Chief crops are potatoes, hay, and apples. Mining, also of little importance, is led by construction sand and gravel.

Government

Rhode Island's present constitution was adopted in 1843. The governor serves a 2-year term. The state's legislature, called the General Assembly, consists of 50 senators and 100 representatives; all serve 2-year terms. In the U.S. Congress, Rhode Island is represented by 2 senators and 2 representatives.

History

Algonquian peoples lived in the area before the first European explorers arrived in the early 1500s. In 1636, the first permanent white settlement was established at Providence by Roger Williams, a religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In following years, other seekers of religious or political freedom established settlements in the area. Relations between Indians and settlers were peaceful until the spread of settlements began forcing Indians from their lands, sparking an Indian uprising known as King Philip's War (1675–6). Rhode Island prospered in the early 1700s. Large plantations run by slave labor lined the fertile coastal plain, and trade with other colonies and nations was brisk. (Slave trade was abolished in Rhode Island in 1774.) On May 4, 1776, Rhode Island became the first of the 13 colonies to declare independence from Britain; Rhode Islanders supported the American side during the American Revolution. Rhode Island became the 13th state in 1790. From 1790, when the first water-powered spinning machines were built at Pawtucket, textile and other industries grew rapidly; urbanization also increased. During the Civil War, Rhode Island supported the Union. Industry continued to grow in Rhode Island; the state's shipyards and factories were of great importance during World Wars I and II. During the 1950s and 1960s, Rhode Island's textile industry suffered a decline as more textile manufacturers moved to the South. Rhode Island recovered somewhat in the 1980s with growth in tourism and U.S. government contracts for developing submarines.