{{USState
|name=Rhode Island
|flag=Rhode_Island_State_FlagFlag of Rhode Island.gifpng
|motto="Hope"
|nick=The Ocean State
|capital=Providence
|language=None
|governor=Gina RaimondoDan McKee
|gparty=Democrat
|senator1=Jack Reed
|senator2=Sheldon Whitehouse
|s2party=Democrat
|s2phone=(202) 224-2921
|s2email=http://whitehouse.senate.gov/contact/ Contact
|population=1,060,000 (2020)
|date=May 29, 1790 (13th)
}}
[[ImageFile:Rhodeislandstatecap.JPG|thumb|370px|Rhode Island Capitol building.]]
'''Rhode Island''' is the smallest U.S. state in land area (48 miles long by 37 miles wide<ref>http://www.visitrhodeisland.com/regions/index.aspx</ref>) and one of the original thirteen colonies. Its area is 1,214 square miles, less than one-seventh the size of [[New Jersey]].
Its official name is actually "The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations."<ref>http://www.sec.state.ri.us/library/riinfo/riinfo/knowrhode</ref> So, even though it is the smallest state in the [[United States]], it has the longest name.
'''[[Providence]]''', the capital of Rhode Island , was founded by [[Roger Williams]]. It was the first government in the world to be founded on the principles of religious liberty, and separation of church and state. This was very different from the situation in Boston, which was ruled by the [[Puritan]] [[theocracy]]. [[Quaker]]s, for example, were welcome in Rhode Island but not permitted in [[Boston]]. For a while the Quakers controlled the colony of Rhode Island, and took an active part in [[King Phillips War]].
The state Constitution of Rhode Island, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says::''We, the people of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing upon our endeavors to secure and to transmit the same, unimpaired, to succeeding generations, do ordain and establish this Constitution of government.'' == Elected Officials officials==Rhode Island [[Democrat]] Sen. [[Sheldon Whitehouse]] is a [[systemic racism|systemic racist]] who is a member of an [[white supremacy|all-white]] beach club in which his wife is a major shareholder.<ref>https://therightscoop.com/democrat-gets-cornered-over-being-a-member-of-all-white-private-elite-club/</ref><ref>https://twitchy.com/brettt-3136/2021/06/21/sen-sheldon-whitehouses-office-says-beach-club-has-had-members-of-color-doesnt-explain-why-he-said-theyre-still-working-on-it/</ref> Whitehouse called membership in the club "a long tradition in Rhode Island."<ref>DePaolo, Joe (June 21, 2021). [https://www.mediaite.com/news/watch-dem-senator-squirms-quickly-flees-when-confronted-about-his-membership-in-a-private-all-white-beach-club/ WATCH: Democratic Senator Squirms, Quickly Flees When Confronted About His Membership in a Private Beach Club (UPDATE)]. ''Mediaite''. Retrieved September 22, 2021.</ref>
===Federal===
*Sen. [[Jack ReedsReed]] (D)
*Sen. [[Sheldon Whitehouse]] (D)
*Rep. [[David Cicilline]] [D, RI-01RI–01]*Rep. [[James Langevin]] [D, RI-02RI–02]
===Statewide===
*Governor [[Lincoln Chafee]] Gina Raimondo (ID) *Lt. Governor [[Elizabeth Roberts]] Daniel McKee (D)*Secretary of State [[Ralph Mollis]] Nellie Gorbea (D)*Attorney General [[Peter Kilmartin]] Neronha (D)*State Treasurer [[Gina Raimondo]] Seth Magaziner (D) == Interesting facts about Rhode Island ==
==Interesting facts about Rhode Island==
* Rhode Island did not send any delegates to the [[Constitutional Convention]], which drafted the [[U.S. Constitution]]
* Shortly after the [[American Revolution]] , Rhode Island imposed high taxes in interstate commerce and required its residents to use paper money
* Rhode Island is the only state that still celebrates Victory Day (victory over Japan).<ref>http://www.sec.state.ri.us/library/riinfo/riinfo/knowrhode</ref>
* Rhode Island was the first of the original thirteen colonies to declare its independence from [[Great Britain]]
* Rhode Island was the last of the original 13 states to ratify the [[Constitution]], and only ratified it after [[George Washington]] was president
* Rhode Island merchants controlled between 60% and 90% of the African slave trade to America after the [[American Revolution]]<ref>http://www.slavenorth.com/rhodeisland.htm</ref>
* The first [[Baptist]] Church in [[America]] was founded in 1671 [[Providence]], Rhode Island.
* The two state capitals in the United States that are the closest to each other are [[Providence]], Rhode Island and [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]] (42 miles(68 km); 50 miles (80 km) by highway).
* According to a report by the Communications Workers of America, Rhode Island has the fastest average broadband speed of any state.<ref>http://www.projo.com/business/content/bz_rhode_island_internet_speeds_07-06-07_NF6765T.2677fa3.html</ref>
==Notable Rhode Islanders==
[[File:Thomas A. Jenckes.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Picture of [[Thomas Jenckes]].]]
*[[Thomas A. Jenckes]], Republican U.S. representative from the 1st district who pushed for [[civil service system|civil service reform]]
*[[Nathanael Greene]]
*[[Esek Hopkins]]
*[[Gilbert Stuart]]
*[[Roger Williams]]
*[[Aimé J. Forand]], Democrat U.S. representative who was part of the [[Cox Committee]]
== See also ==
*[[State Governors]]
== References ==<references/>{{reflist}}
{{USstates}}
[[Category:New England]]
[[Category:Colonial America]]
[[Category:Blue States]]