Gina Raimondo signed an executive order Monday that could change the state's official name to exclude a portion that has ties to slavery.. PROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS, RHODE ISLAND ANDPROVIDENCE PLANTATIONS, RHODE ISLAND AND. Rhode Island (nicknamed: Little Rhody, Ocean State, Plantation State) has 5 counties. Just Rhode Island. State Sen. Harold Metts, D-Providence, a Black lawmaker of Cape Verdean descent who led the push to purge the state’s name of “Plantations,” called it “a hurtful term to so many of us.” Unfortunately, after … It was founded by Roger Williams. It is thought that the Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazano may have compared another island, Block Island, off the southern tip of the current state, to the Mediterranean island of Rhodes. Rhode Island will now be officially known as…Rhode Island. “Rhode Island and Providence Plantations” has been the official full name of the state since the colonial era, created by the unification of the original “four towns,” which in order of their dates of founding were Providence (1636), Pocasset/Portsmouth (1638), Newport (1639), and Shawomet/Warwick (1642). A similar ballot question was defeated a decade ago, but […] Rhode Island is so small because it was established by ‘dissidents’ exiled from other colonies in New England (mostly Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth colonies) in small pieces. Gov. The city of Warwick, R.I., is named for him. Facts about Rhode Island. Rhode Island voters this fall have the chance to strike the last part -- "and Providence Plantations" -- from the state's full name. Officially, Rhode Island was incorporated as The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations when it declared statehood in 1790. State Sen. Harold Metts, D-Providence, a Black lawmaker of Cape Verdean descent who led the push to purge the state’s name of “Plantations,” called it “a hurtful term to so many of us.” Raimondo announced that she plans on removing the phrase, "Providence Plantations… Two days ago, Rhode Island's first female governor made the announcement at a news conference. The smallest state in the country will no longer have the distinction of also having the longest official name after voters approved a statewide referendum to strip the words “and Providence Plantations”from Rhode Island’s formal name. PROVIDENCE — It’s called Rhode Island now. Newport, Portsmouth, and Providence united in 1644 to form the Rhode Island and Providence Plantations ("plantation" is a British English word for "colony") with the aim of fighting for their independence. Officially, Rhode Island was incorporated as The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations when it declared statehood in 1790. The Providence Plantations were the first white settlements in Rhode Island. Rhode Island was the previous name of a former colony which was an island itself (today it is known as Aquidneck Island). Rhode Island has the longest official name of any state, the “State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.” In 2009, a referendum proposed eradicating the latter half of the name. Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo signed an executive order on Monday taking the 'first steps' to change the state's full name: 'The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.' This name is derived from the state's official name, "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations." …commission, which in 1644 incorporated Providence Plantations, afterward Rhode Island. The state known as Rhode Island official name is The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. The coronavirus pandemic was far and away Rhode Island's top story of 2020, and as the year drew to a close, the state briefly led the nation in virus cases per capita. On May 4th, 1776, Rhode Island was the first colony to renounce allegiance to the Great Britain and declare its independence. The Rhode Island Senate unanimously called for a statewide vote on the name change last week after the bill was introduced in part by the state's only Black senator, Harold Metts. Land of Roger Williams: Roger Williams founded Providence Plantation in 1636. In this office he attempted to secure a guarantee of religious liberty in the colonies. Thank you for the A2A. Just Rhode Island. Providence Plantation and Samuel Gorton’s town of Warwick joined in 1652 to pass America’s first anti-slavery ordinance. PROVIDENCE, R.I. — It’s called Rhode Island now. Now officials there are looking to make a change. Rhode Island is the smallest of the 50 states in area. Riding a national wave of awareness about racial injustice, Rhode Island voters on Tuesday approved shortening the state’s official name and lopping off the centuries-old phrase – “and Providence Plantations” – that supporters said held connotations of slavery. Variations include "Little Rhodie," "L'il Rhody," and "Little Rhode." The state’s capital is Providence. Williams bought a large tract of land from … The state's official name is "the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations," and the "Providence Plantations" portion has come under scrutiny in the aftermath of protests following the death of George Floyd. Just Rhode Island. In 1643/1644, the towns were combined under their current name […] The clergyman Roger Williams, banished by the General Court of Massachusetts Bay for propagating "new and dangerous opinions," founded the Providence Plantations in June 1636. The Plantation State: This nickname originates from the state's complete name, "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations." Rhode Island will now be officially known as ... Rhode Island. 1. Read More Rhode Island & Providence Plantations Background Rhode Island was founded by refugees from Massachusetts, who went there in search of religious and political freedom. In what is now mainland Rhode Island was called Providence. A traditional nickname for Rhode Island, obviously in reference to the state's small size. Officially, Rhode Island was incorporated as The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations when it declared statehood in 1790. Providence Plantations was the first permanent European American settlement in Rhode Island.It was established by a group of colonists led by Roger Williams and Dr. John Clarke who left Massachusetts Bay Colony in order to establish a colony with greater religious freedom. Answer: Rhode Island is an island within what is now the state of Rhode Island. Question: Why is Rhode Island called Rhode Island, even though it’s not an island? Rhode Island Gov. Officially, Rhode Island was incorporated as […] The Smallest State: This is another nickname referencing Rhode Island's size. It was named Rhode Island after the Native American's who had lived there. The Plantation State. Rhode Island and Providence Plantations has everything to do with slavery. An online petition aims to ask the state to shorten the name to just Rhode Island, a nonbinding campaign intended to generate momentum toward an … Providence Plantations was the name of the colony founded by Roger Williams in the area now known as the City of Providence. FILE - This Jan. 21, 2000, file photo shows the seal bearing the official name 'State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations' on the floor of the Statehouse rotunda in Providence, R.I. Vote YES! PROVIDENCE, R.I. – It’s called Rhode Island now. The first settlements were made at Providence by Roger Williams (q.v.) The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations was one of the original Thirteen Colonies established on the east coast of America, bordering the Atlantic Ocean. The name "Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations" was adopted in the Royal Charter granted by King Charles I of England in 1633 (the complete name appears on Rhode Island's state seal; "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations"). The seal bearing the official name "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations" on the floor of the Statehouse rotunda in Providence, R.I., is shown. Rhode Island was the area now known as Aquidneck Island, which now comprises the city of Newport and the towns of Middletown and Portsmouth, the largest of several islands in Narragansett Bay. The smallest U.S. state has the longest name, and it's not sitting well with some in the George Floyd era. 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