Rhode Island History

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Brief History
The following important events in the history of Rhode Island affected political jurisdictions, family movements, and record keeping.


 * 1636: Religious dissenters from Massachusetts founded Providence. Settlements soon followed at Portsmouth, Newport, and Warwick. Each town kept deed, probate, and vital records.
 * 1663: A royal charter created the United Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
 * 1747: Rhode Island gained the towns of Bristol, Little Compton, Tiverton, and Warren from Massachusetts.
 * 1790: Rhode Island was the last of the original thirteen colonies to ratify the Constitution and become a state.
 * 1830s-1840s: As the factory system developed, thousands of foreign laborers began moving into Rhode Island.
 * 1861-1865: During the Civil War, 25,000 men from Rhode Island served in the Union armed forces.
 * 1862: Rhode Island gained the town of East Providence and part of the town of Pawtucket from Massachusetts. Massachusetts received Fall River, which earlier had been the northern part of Tiverton.
 * 1898: Over 300,000 men were involved in the Spanish-American War which was fought mainly in Cuba and the Philippines.
 * 1917–1918: More than 26 million men from the United States ages 18 through 45 registered with the Selective Service.  World War I over 4.7 million American men and women served during the war.
 * 1930's:  The Great Depression closed many factories and mills. Many small farms were abandoned, and many families moved to cities.
 * 1940–1945:  Over 50.6 million men ages 18 to 65 registered with the Selective Service. Over 16.3 million American men and women served in the armed forces during World War II.
 * 1950–1953:  Over 5.7 million American men and women served in the Korean War.
 * 1950's–1960's  The building of interstate highways made it easier for people to move long distances.
 * 1964–1972:  Over 8.7 million American men and women served in the Vietnam War.

Historical Content
Histories are great sources of genealogical information. Many contain biographical information about individuals who lived in the area, including:

Local Histories
Some of the most valuable sources for family history research are local histories. Published histories of towns, counties, and states usually contain accounts of families. They describe the settlement of the area and the founding of churches, schools, and businesses. You can also find lists of pioneers, soldiers, and civil officials. Even if your ancestor is not listed, information on other relatives may be included that will provide important clues for locating your ancestor. A local history may also suggest other records to search. Local histories are extensively collected by the Family History Library, public and university libraries, and state and local historical societies. The United States Research "History" page cites nationwide bibliographies of local histories which include histories Rhode Island.


 * Rhode Island: A Bibliography of Its History is a bibliography of local histories for Rhode Island.


 * A Bibliography of American County Histories


 * United States Local Histories in the Library of Congress

State Histories Useful to Genealogists
Good genealogists strive to understand the life and times of their ancestors. In this sense, any history is useful. But certain kinds of state, county, and local histories, especially older histories published between 1845 and 1945, often include biographical sketches of prominent individuals. The sketches usually tend toward the laudatory, but may include some genealogical details. If these histories are indexed or alphabetical, check for an ancestor's name. Some examples for the State of Rhode Island are:


 * State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations at the End of the Century

United States History
The following are only a few of the many sources that are available:


 * The Almanac of American History, This provides brief historical essays and chronological descriptions of thousands of key events in United States history.


 * Dictionary of American History, Revised ed This includes historical sketches on various topics in U.S. history, such as wars, people, laws, and organizations. A snippet view is available at Google books.


 * Webster's Guide to American History: A Chronological, Geographical, and Biographical Survey and Compendium  This includes a history, some maps, tables, and other historical information.


 * Writings on American History Has the full text available at Google Books

To find more books and articles about Rhode Island 's history use the Internet Google search for phases like "Rhode Island history." Family History Library Catalog Surname Search lists many more histories under topics like:
 * RHODE ISLAND - HISTORY
 * RHODE ISLAND, [COUNTY] - HISTORY
 * RHODE ISLAND, [COUNTY], [TOWN] - HISTORY
 * RHODE ISLAND, BIBLIOGRAPHY

Web Sites

 * History of Rhode Island -Wikipedia
 * American History and Genealogy Project