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The history of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations began in 1636, when Roger Williams, exiled from the Province of Massachusetts Bay, purchased land from the Narragansett and founded Providence at the head of Narragansett Bay.[1] He secured a parliamentary patent in 1644 for Providence Plantation, bordering Plymouth Colony to the east, Massachusetts Bay Colony to the north, and the land of the Pequot to the west. In 1663 it was granted a self-governing corporate charter and renamed the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Along with the other Thirteen Colonies, it declared independence in 1776, and it was the final colony to ratify the Constitution of the United States, becoming the 13th state.
The colony's borders remained generally the same throughout its history, with alterations to the northeast corner, expansion across Narragansett Bay, and gaining Block Island. A notable exception is the 41-year border dispute with Connecticut Colony, which led at one point to the southern half of Rhode Island Colony being placed under direct royal jurisdiction. From 1686 to 1689, the colony was part of the Dominion of New England. Since becoming a state in 1790, its external borders have changed only once, exchanging land with Massachusetts.
This list includes not only changes to Rhode Island's borders but also those immediately around it, to supply historical context.
- March 14, 1644
The charter for Providence Plantation was granted to Roger Williams,[2] who had founded the colony in 1636.[3] It consisted of most of the mainland portion of the current state of Rhode Island west of Narragansett Bay, as well as the islands of the bay. The Province of Massachusetts Bay was to the north, and Plymouth Colony was to the east, across the bay. The western border was generally undefined. The settlement of Pawtuxet, founded in 1638, had been under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts Bay since 1642 due to a request from disgruntled settlers.[4]
- May 26, 1658
The settlement of Pawtuxet rejoined Providence Plantation.[5]
- April 23, 1662
The Colony of Connecticut was chartered, claiming an eastern boundary at Narragansett Bay, overlapping Providence Plantation's charter.[6] The disputed portion was called Narragansett Country.[7]
- July 8, 1663
Providence Plantation was granted a new charter as a self-governing corporate county, and was renamed the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. The charter granted it Block Island and some mainland area from Plymouth Colony on the east side of the bay, as well as filling out its northeastern corner with land from the Province of Massachusetts Bay.[8]
- May 9, 1664
Plymouth's borders were surveyed, gaining land from Massachusetts Bay and Rhode Island.[9]
- February 27, 1665
The eastern border of Rhode Island was clarified; Plymouth retook the area east of Narragansett Bay, and the notch in the northeast of Rhode Island was returned to Massachusetts Bay.[10] (verify notch)
- April 8, 1665
Narragansett Country was placed under direct royal jurisdiction and renamed King's Province, under Rhode Island's administration.[11][12][13]
- May 17, 1686
The Dominion of New England was created, uniting King's Province and the Provinces of Maine, Massachusetts Bay, and New Hampshire.[14]
- May 28, 1686
The Dominion of New England created a provisional government in King's Province, and prohibited Connecticut and Rhode Island from exercising authority there.[15]
- December 30, 1686
Rhode Island was incorporated into the Dominion of New England.[16]
- April 18, 1689
Following the Glorious Revolution, the Dominion of New England was dissolved.[17]
- May 1, 1689
Rhode Island reinstated its former government and began exercising authority over King's Province, which Connecticut challenged.[18]
- October 7, 1691
The Province of Massachusetts Bay is chartered, incorporating Plymouth Colony.[19]
- May 12, 1703
Rhode Island and Connecticut came to a border agreement, ending the dispute over King's Province in Rhode Island's favor. The decision was confirmed in London on February 20, 1726.[20]
- June 22, 1703
The colony created its first two counties: Providence Plantations, consisting of the mainland; and Rhode Island, consisting of the islands.[21]
- June 16, 1729
Providence Plantations County was renamed Providence County, and Rhode Island County was renamed Newport County. Kings County was created from the southern third of Providence County.[22]
(apostrophe, King's?)
- February 17, 1747
Rhode Island gained from Massachusetts Bay, filling out Providence County's northeast corner and gaining land on the east side of Narragansett Bay. Bristol County is created from the northern portion of the area across the bay, the remainder being added to Newport County.[23]
- June 11, 1750
Kent County was created from the southern third of Providence County. [24] (look through this one for details)
- July 4, 1776
Connecticut, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, and ten other colonies declared independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Rhode Island notably did so earlier on May 4, but the United States Declaration of Independence was enacted by the Continental Congress on behalf of all the colonies.[citation needed]
- October 29, 1781
Kings County was renamed Washington County.[25]
- May 29, 1790
Rhode Island ratified the Constitution, becoming the 13th state admitted to the Union.[citation needed]
- March 1, 1862
The border with Massachusetts was adjusted, adding some land to Providence County, connecting Bristol County by land with the rest of the state, but losing some land from Newport County.[26]
- May 6, 1963
Washington County gained Block Island from Newport County.[27]
References[edit]
- ^ Bartlett, John Russell (1856). Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New England. Vol. 1. Providence, Rhode Island: A. Crawford Greene And Brother. p. 18. ISBN 9780543912589. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ Thorpe, Francis Newton (1909). The Federal and State Constitutions. Vol. 6. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office. pp. 3209â3211.
{{cite book}}: C1 control character in|pages=at position 6 (help) - ^ http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/RhodeIslandHistory/chapt2.html
- ^ Arnold p.111
- ^ Arnold p.267
- ^ "Charter of Connecticut - 1662". The Avalon Project at Yale Law School. Retrieved January, 8 2011.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ Potter p.62
- ^ "Charter of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations - July 15, 1663". The Avalon Project at Yale Law School. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ Bradford, William (1967). Of Plymouth Plantation, 1620-1647. Modern Library. p. 427. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ Field p.110
- ^ Wakelyn, Jon L. (2006). America's Founding Charters: Primary Documents of Colonial and Revolutionary Era Governance. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 160. ISBN 9780313331558. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ Lovejoy, David S. (April 1, 1987). The Glorious Revolution in America. Wesleyan University Press. ISBN 9780819561770. Retrieved January 9, 2011.
- ^ Project p.41
- ^ "Commission of Sir Edmund Andros for the Dominion of New England - April 7, 1688". The Avalon Project at Yale Law School. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Bartlett pp.197-198
- ^ Field p.144
- ^ Ayers, Edward L.; Gould, Lewis L.; Oshinsky, David M. (October 21, 2008). American Passages: A History of the United States. Cengage Learning. p. 73. ISBN 9780547166292. Retrieved January 9, 2011.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Project p.41
- ^ "Charter of Massachusetts Bay - 1691". The Avalon Project at Yale Law School. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ Potter pp.206-211
- ^ Bartlett pp.477-478
- ^ Bartlett, John Russell (1859). Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New England. Vol. IV. Providence, Rhode Island: A. Crawford Greene And Brother. p. 427. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ "The Encyclopedia Americana: A Library of Universal Knowledge". Encyclopedia Americana. Vol. IV. 1918. p. 336. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ Snow, Edwin M. (1867). Report Upon the Census of Rhode Island, 1865. Providence Press Company. p. xxv. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ Bartlett, John Russell (1864). Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New England. Vol. IX. State of Rhode Island. p. 484. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- ^ Van Zandt, Franklin K. (1976). Boundaries of the United States and the Several States. Government Printing Office. pp. 68–69. Retrieved January 10, 2011.
- ^ http://historical-county.newberry.org/website/Rhode_Island/documents/RI_Consolidated_Chronology.htm#Consolidated_Chronology
- Arnold, Samuel Greene (1859). History of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Vol. 1. New York City: D. Appleton and Company.
- Field, Edward (1902). State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the End of the Century: A History. Vol. 1. Mason Pub. Co. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
- Rhode Island: A Guide to the Smallest State. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 1937. p. 41. ISBN 9781603540384. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
- Potter, Elisha Reynolds (1835). The Early History of Narragansett. Vol. III. Providence, Rhode Island: Marshall, Brown and Company. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
- Bartlett, John Russell (1858). Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New England. Vol. 3. Providence, Rhode Island: Knowles, Anthony & Co. ISBN 9781402182488. Retrieved January 8, 2011.