After being at war with the British empire for about a year, the people of Rhode Island decide that any hope of reuniting with their mother country is useless and the only viable solution left is to declare independence.

26 minutes | 1775 - 1776

Hear About:

📜The initial confrontations between the British Navy and the towns around Narragansett Bay. 

📜Why Rhode Island was NOT the first colony to declare independence but why their act of defiance on May 4th 1776 was still an important part of the American Revolution. 

📜The celebrations that took place in Newport when the Declaration of Independence was ratified in Rhode Island.

Stephen Hopkins House | Providence, RI

Along with being the on and off Governor of Rhode Island, Stephen Hopkins also authored one of the most important pamphlets during the early years of the American Revolution (see episode 3) and was a signed of the Declaration of Independence.  As if he needed to add anything else to his resume, his house also acted as General George Washington's headquarters for a few days in 1776.  That house still stands in Providence today.

Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Stephen_Hopkins_House_2.jpg

The Old State House | Providence, RI

One of the biggest myths of our state's history is that on May 4th 1776 Rhode Island became the first colony to declare independence.  Unfortunately, that is not accurate.  Although they did renounce their allegiance to King George III on that date they were still loyal to Parliament, meaning that they had yet to completely break ties with the British empire.  Either way, the act was still a daring move to make and once again put Rhode Island at the vanguard of the American Revolution.

Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_State_House_(Providence,_Rhode_Island)#/media/File:Old_State_House_RI.jpg