3. Colony of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations

Colony of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations

The areas around present-day Rhode Island were dominated by three Indian tribes; the Narragansett, the Wampanoag and the Niantic. The first European to contact at least some of these peoples was Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, who, when sailing the Atlantic coast of America for King Francis I of France, took note of an island (probably Block Island) which he likened to the Greek island of Rhodes in the Mediterranean and recorded some basic notes of its inhabitants. For many years, the area was ignored as exploration was focused elsewhere and consequently, it was not until 1614 when we hear of the next noted voyages to the area undertaken by English explorer John Smith and Dutch privateer Adriaen Block. Both of these traveled to the area in the same year, the latter exploring the Narragansett bay area, naming Block island after himself as well as referencing the nearby Aquidneck Island (Indian-derived name) as being 'roodt eylandt' whose 17th century Dutch translates as 'island of a reddish appearance' in reference to its natural clay deposits. Overall, the origins of Rhode Island as a name remain unclear, though it seems that it could be attributed to either Verrazzano or Block in light of the evidence. 

Records of the first to establish settlements in the area are sketchy to say the least, though most accounts acknowledge that there was at least some form of Dutch colonisation in the 1620's after the voyage of Adriaen Block. However the first detailed account of Dutch settlement describes the construction of a trading post by the Dutch India Trading Company on the aptly named Dutch island in 1636 which set up rudimentary trading links with the Narragansett Indians of the area where Dutch goods were exchanged for furs and food. 

The creation of this trading post coincides with the establishment of Providence Plantation (later shortened to Providence), the first permanent settlement in the area and the present-day State capital founded by English settler Roger Williams. Williams was a theologian and Puritan who arrived from London in 1631 to the Massachusetts area, which, by this time was a relatively developed Puritan colony of around 4000 people. Although originally working well with the conservative churches of the region, Williams, especially through his contact with the native Indians of the area, began to question both  the Puritan church, and the integrity of the colonial charters which granted land to the settlers without them having to purchase it from the Indians. This prompted Williams to write a tract that condemned King James I and his colonial charters in December 1632 that caused significant controversy and resulted in his being summoned to court in Boston where, although a solution was originally found, his repeated interjections landed him in court multiple times until he was finally banished for heresy and the spreading of 'dangerous opinions' in the winter of 1635. Moving south, Williams and his followers initially lived amicably with local Indians of the Wampanoag tribe until settling in the Rhode Island area, finally founding the settlement of Providence. Initially, relations with the local Indians were good, with Chief Massasoit of the Wampanoag's gifting Williams further land to be settled and trading with the settlers from New England. 

One of these gifts, Aquidneck Island, was soon inhabited by other religious dissidents from the Boston/Salem area including Anne Hutchinson, who, with her family and a small number of followers, formed the settlement of Pocasset (present-day Portsmouth) in 1638. As similar groups descended from New England, the number of small settlements around Narragansett Bay increased however, as their settlements relied on Indian land deeds, their independence was consistently threatened form the Northern New England colonies, causing the settlements to seek union and royal protection. In 1644, the settlements united to form colonial Rhode Island and Providence Plantation, with a protective royal charter from Charles II in 1663. 

Due to their origins as fugitives from the Puritan regime of New England, Rhode Island, and specifically the town of Providence, was founded on the ideology of (relative) religious freedom and a belief in the separation of religion and state. These beliefs were reflected in the royal charter granted to them in 1663 which for its time, was radical in its liberty; recognising it's religious freedom and partial self-governing status. Arguably, this set a precedent for the future development and union of American colonies who became increasingly progressive until eventually uniting to form a nation in their own vision and freeing themselves from British rule.