Rhode Island

An island of Rhode Island at the entrance to Narragansett Bay. Settled by religious exiles from Massachusetts in 1638, it was renamed Rhode Island in 1644, probably after the isle of Rhodes.

A state of the northeast United States on the Atlantic Ocean. It was admitted as one of the original Thirteen Colonies in 1790. Rhode Island was settled by religious exiles from Massachusetts, including Roger Williams, who founded Providence in 1636. It was granted a royal charter in 1663 and after the American Revolution began the industrialization that is still a major part of the state's economy. Providence is the capital and the largest city. Population: 1,060,000.