History

Archive for the ‘History of Rhode Island’ Category

Learning about wars, governments, laws, migrations, and religious trends may help you unders tand political boundaries, family movements, and settlement patterns. These events may have led to the creation of records that your family was listed in, such as  land and military documents.

The following important events in the history of Rhode Island affected political boundaries, record keeping, and family movements:

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 Servic e for World War I, and over 4.7 million American men and women served during the war.

1930s -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.

1950s –1960s 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.