Valentine Community Schools (ID # 16-0006-000) is a school district headquartered in Valentine, Nebraska .
119-1117: The district has over 6,000 square miles (16,000 km) of area. Rhode Island has an area that would be within the Valentine school district boundary. Most of the district is in Cherry County , where it includes Valentine, Crookston , and Wood Lake . A small portion of the district is in Brown County . It was established in 2006 as the merger of Valentine City Schools and various rural districts, namely Ballard Marsh Public School, Boardman Creek Public School, Carver Public School, Crookston Public School, Cutcomb Lake Public School, District 45 Cherry County, District 83 Cherry County, Elsmere Public School , Evergreen Public School, Goose Creek Public School, Hart Lake Public School, Kewanee Public School, Merriman Public School, Simeon Public School, Sparks Public School, Willow Valley Public School, and Wood Lake Public School. Jamie Isom served as superintendent until her retirement, scheduled for June 30, 2020. In 2019
238-622: A diplomatic correspondence to James Monroe that, "It will be said there is no money in the treasury. There never will be money in the treasury till the Confederacy shows its teeth." Furthermore, the 1786 Jay–Gardoqui Treaty with Spain also showed weakness in foreign policy. In this treaty, which was never ratified, the United States was to give up rights to use the Mississippi River for 25 years, which would have economically strangled
357-544: A humid continental climate , with warm summers and cold winters. The state's southern coastal portions are the broad transition zone into subtropical climates, with hot summers and cool winters with a mix of rain and snow. Block Island has an oceanic climate . The highest temperature recorded in Rhode Island was 104 °F (40 °C), recorded on August 2, 1975, in Providence. The lowest recorded temperature in Rhode Island
476-648: A quorum so that it could be ratified. Afterward, the problem only got worse as Congress had no power to enforce attendance. Rarely did more than half of the roughly sixty delegates attend a session of Congress at the time, causing difficulties in raising a quorum . The resulting paralysis embarrassed and frustrated many American nationalists, including George Washington. Many of the most prominent national leaders, such as Washington, John Adams , John Hancock , and Benjamin Franklin , retired from public life, served as foreign delegates, or held office in state governments; and for
595-645: A draft of the Declaration of Independence , the Second Continental Congress resolved to appoint a committee of 13 with one representative from each colony to prepare a draft of a constitution for a union of the states. The committee was made up of the following individuals: The committee met frequently, and chairman John Dickinson presented their results to the Congress on July 12, 1776. Afterward, there were long debates on such issues as state sovereignty ,
714-462: A failure; Historian Bruce Chadwick wrote: George Washington had been one of the very first proponents of a strong federal government. The army had nearly disbanded on several occasions during the winters of the war because of the weaknesses of the Continental Congress. ... The delegates could not draft soldiers and had to send requests for regular troops and militia to the states. Congress had
833-440: A military code and negotiated with foreign governments. To transform themselves from outlaws into a legitimate nation, the colonists needed international recognition for their cause and foreign allies to support it. In early 1776, Thomas Paine argued in the closing pages of the first edition of Common Sense that the "custom of nations" demanded a formal declaration of American independence if any European power were to mediate
952-501: A peace between the Americans and Great Britain. The monarchies of France and Spain, in particular, could not be expected to aid those they considered rebels against another legitimate monarch. Foreign courts needed to have American grievances laid before them persuasively in a "manifesto" which could also reassure them that the Americans would be reliable trading partners. Without such a declaration, Paine concluded, "[t]he custom of all courts
1071-513: A permanent confederation but granted to the Congress—the only federal institution—little power to finance itself or to ensure that its resolutions were enforced. There was no president, no executive agencies, no judiciary, and no tax base. The absence of a tax base meant that there was no way to pay off state and national debts from the war years except by requesting money from the states, which seldom arrived. Although historians generally agree that
1190-579: A prominent role in the American Revolution . At approximately 2 a.m. on June 10, 1772, a band of Providence residents attacked the grounded revenue schooner HMS Gaspée , burning it to the waterline for enforcing unpopular trade regulations within Narragansett Bay. Rhode Island was the first of the thirteen colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown on May 4, 1776. It was also
1309-754: A range of official documents and state websites. In July, amidst the George Floyd protests and nationwide calls to address systemic racism, the resolution referring the question to the voters was passed by both houses of the Rhode Island General Assembly : 69–1 in the House of Representatives , and 35–0 in the Senate . The change was then approved by voters 52.8% to 47.2% as part of the 2020 United States elections , taking effect in November 2020 upon certification of
SECTION 10
#17328554743581428-504: A referendum in November 2010 on removing "and Providence Plantations" from the official name. Advocates for excising plantation argued that the word symbolized a legacy of disenfranchisement for many Rhode Islanders, as well as the proliferation of slavery in the colonies and in the post-colonial United States. Advocates for retaining the name argued that plantation was simply an archaic synonym for colony and bore no relation to slavery. The people voted overwhelmingly (78% to 22%) to retain
1547-576: A refugee, Roger Williams , who fled religious persecution in the Massachusetts Bay Colony to establish a haven for religious liberty. He founded Providence in 1636 on land purchased from local tribes, creating the first settlement in North America with an explicitly secular government. The Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations subsequently became a destination for religious and political dissenters and social outcasts, earning it
1666-459: A sharp break from imperial colonization, as in Europe, and it established the precedent by which the national (later, federal) government would be sovereign and expand westward—as opposed to the existing states doing so under their sovereignty. The Land Ordinance of 1785 established both the general practices of land surveying in the west and northwest and the land ownership provisions used throughout
1785-606: A state constitution, arguing the charter government violated the Guarantee Clause in Article Four, Section Four of the United States Constitution . In 1842, the charter government and Dorr's supporters held separate elections, and two rival governments claimed sovereignty over the state. Dorr's supporters led an armed rebellion against the charter government, and Dorr was arrested and imprisoned for treason against
1904-532: A strong central government was necessary to avoid foreign intervention and allay the frustrations due to an ineffectual Congress. Hamilton led a group of like-minded nationalists, won Washington's endorsement, and convened the Annapolis Convention in 1786 to petition Congress to call a constitutional convention to meet in Philadelphia to remedy the long-term crisis. The Second Continental Congress approved
2023-543: A time of growth in textile mills and manufacturing and brought an influx of immigrants to fill those jobs, bringing population growth and urbanization. In Newport , New York's wealthiest industrialists created a summer haven to socialize and build grand mansions . Thousands of French-Canadian, Italian, Irish, and Portuguese immigrants arrived to fill jobs in the textile and manufacturing mills in Providence, Pawtucket, Central Falls, and Woonsocket. During World War I, Rhode Island furnished 28,817 soldiers, of whom 612 died. After
2142-508: A tourist information center. The Newport Tower has been hypothesized to be of Viking origin, although most experts believe it was a Colonial-era windmill. On May 29, 2014, Governor Lincoln D. Chafee announced that Rhode Island was one of eight states to release a collaborative Action Plan to put 3.3 million zero-emission vehicles on its roads by 2025. The plan's purpose is to reduce greenhouse gas and smog-causing emissions. The plan promotes zero-emissions vehicles and investments in
2261-688: A wagon load of money will scarcely purchase a wagon load of provisions." Mr. Jay and the Congress responded in May by requesting $ 45 million from the States. In an appeal to the States to comply, Jay wrote that the taxes were "the price of liberty, the peace, and the safety of yourselves and posterity." He argued that Americans should avoid having it said "that America had no sooner become independent than she became insolvent" or that "her infant glories and growing fame were obscured and tarnished by broken contracts and violated faith." The States did not respond with any of
2380-474: A weaker central government, it boycotted the 1787 convention that had drafted the United States Constitution , which it initially refused to ratify; it finally ratified it on May 29, 1790, the last of the original 13 states to do so. The state was officially named the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations since the colonial era but came to be commonly known as "Rhode Island". On November 3, 2020,
2499-484: Is against us, and will be so, until, by an independence, we take rank with other nations." Beyond improving their existing association , the records of the Second Continental Congress show that the need for a declaration of independence was intimately linked with the demands of international relations. On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee introduced a resolution before the Continental Congress declaring
SECTION 20
#17328554743582618-530: Is nicknamed the Ocean State and has a number of oceanfront beaches . It is mostly flat with no real mountains, and the state's highest natural point is Jerimoth Hill , 812 feet (247 m) above sea level. The state has two distinct natural regions. Eastern Rhode Island contains the lowlands of the Narragansett Bay, while Western Rhode Island forms part of the New England upland. Rhode Island's forests are part of
2737-528: Is no record of any law legalizing slave-holding. The colony later prospered under the slave trade, distilling rum to sell in Africa as part of a profitable triangular trade in slaves and sugar with the Caribbean. Rhode Island's legislative body passed an act in 1652 abolishing the holding of slaves (the first British colony to do so), but this edict was never enforced and Rhode Island continued to be heavily involved in
2856-422: Is referred to in that manner in the United States Constitution . This name was derived from the merger of Colonial settlements around Narragansett Bay, and outside the jurisdiction of Plymouth colony. The settlements of Rhode Island ( Newport and Portsmouth ) were on Rhode Island, also known as Aquidneck Island . Providence Plantations referred to settlements on the mainland of Providence and Warwick . It
2975-500: Is the second-most densely populated state , after New Jersey . The state takes its name from the eponymous island , though nearly all its land area is on the mainland. Providence is its capital and most populous city. Native Americans lived around Narragansett Bay before English settlers began arriving in the early 17th century. Rhode Island was unique among the Thirteen British Colonies in having been founded by
3094-512: Is unclear how the island came to be named Rhode Island , but two historical events may have been influential: The earliest documented use of the name "Rhode Island" for Aquidneck was in 1637 by Roger Williams. The name was officially applied to the island in 1644 with these words: "Aquethneck shall be henceforth called the Isle of Rodes or Rhode-Island." The name "Isle of Rodes" is used in a legal document as late as 1646. Dutch maps as early as 1659 call
3213-446: The 1938 New England hurricane , Hurricane Carol (1954), Hurricane Donna (1960), and Hurricane Bob (1991). Rhode Island is divided into five counties but it has no county governments. The entire state is divided into 39 municipalities, which handle all local government affairs. There are 8 cities and 31 towns in Rhode Island. Major population centers today result from historical factors; development took place predominantly along
3332-566: The American Civil War , Rhode Island was the first Union state to send troops in response to President Lincoln 's request for help from the states. Rhode Island furnished 25,236 fighting men, of whom 1,685 died. On the home front, Rhode Island and the other northern states used their industrial capacity to supply the Union Army with the materials it needed to win the war. The United States Naval Academy moved to Rhode Island temporarily during
3451-436: The American Revolution , in 1790 the new state incorporated as the "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations". However, as matter of convenience, the state came to be commonly known as simply "Rhode Island". The word plantation in the state's name became a contested issue during the 20th century and the increased awareness of slavery and its role in early Rhode Island history. The General Assembly voted in 2009 to hold
3570-519: The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was completed on November 15, 1777. Consensus was achieved by including language guaranteeing that each state retained its sovereignty, leaving the matter of western land claims in the hands of the individual states, including language stating that votes in Congress would be en bloc by state, and establishing a unicameral legislature with limited and clearly delineated powers. The Articles of Confederation
3689-477: The Blackstone , Seekonk , and Providence Rivers with the advent of the water-powered mill. Providence is the base of a large metropolitan area. The state's 19 largest municipalities ranked by population are: Some of Rhode Island's cities and towns are further partitioned into villages, in common with many other New England states. Notable villages include Kingston in the town of South Kingstown, which houses
Valentine Community Schools - Misplaced Pages Continue
3808-600: The Congress of the Confederation ; but most Americans continued to call it the Continental Congress, since its organization remained the same. As the Confederation Congress attempted to govern the continually growing U.S. states, its delegates discovered that the limitations placed upon the central government (such as in assembling delegates, raising funds, and regulating commerce) rendered it ineffective at doing so. As
3927-523: The Constitution . The new Constitution provided for a much stronger federal government by establishing a chief executive (the president ), courts , and taxing powers . The political push to increase cooperation among the then-loyal colonies began with the Albany Congress in 1754 and Benjamin Franklin 's proposed Albany Plan , an inter-colonial collaboration to help solve mutual local problems. Over
4046-581: The International Tennis Hall of Fame and features an active grass-court tennis club. Scenic Route 1A (known locally as Ocean Road) is in Narragansett . " The Towers " is also in Narragansett featuring a large stone arch. It was once the entrance to a famous Narragansett casino that burned down in 1900. The Towers now serve as an event venue and host the local Chamber of Commerce, which operates
4165-552: The Maryland General Assembly became satisfied that the various states would follow through, and voted to ratify. During this time, Congress observed the Articles as its de facto frame of government. Maryland finally ratified the Articles on February 2, 1781. Congress was informed of Maryland's assent on March 1, and officially proclaimed the Articles of Confederation to be the law of the land. The several states ratified
4284-582: The Newburgh conspiracy , but riots by unpaid Pennsylvania veterans forced Congress to leave Philadelphia temporarily. The Congress from time to time during the Revolutionary War requisitioned troops from the states. Any contributions were voluntary, and in the debates of 1788, the Federalists (who supported the proposed new Constitution) claimed that state politicians acted unilaterally, and contributed when
4403-608: The Northeastern United States . It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Island Sound ; and shares a small maritime border with New York , east of Long Island . Rhode Island is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous , with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020 ; but it has grown at every decennial count since 1790 and
4522-463: The Northeastern coastal forests ecoregion. Narragansett Bay is a major feature of the state's topography. There are more than 30 islands within the bay; the largest is Aquidneck Island , which holds the municipalities of Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth. The second-largest island is Conanicut , and the third is Prudence . Block Island lies about 12 miles (19 km) off the southern coast of
4641-487: The Rhode Island Democratic Party has dominated local politics. Rhode Island has comprehensive health insurance for low-income children and a large social safety net . However, many urban areas still have a high rate of child poverty. Due to an influx of residents from Boston , increasing housing costs have resulted in more homelessness in Rhode Island. The 350th Anniversary of the founding of Rhode Island
4760-589: The Spanish Empire ). Then, when the Homestead Act was enacted in 1867, the quarter section became the basic unit of land that was granted to new settler-farmers. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 noted the agreement of the original states to give up northwestern land claims , organized the Northwest Territory and laid the groundwork for the eventual creation of new states. Although it did not happen under
4879-506: The Touro Synagogue , dedicated on December 2, 1763, considered by locals to be the first synagogue within the United States (see below for information on New York City's claim), and still serving. The synagogue showcases the religious freedoms established by Roger Williams, as well as impressive architecture in a mix of the classic colonial and Sephardic style. The Newport Casino is a National Historic Landmark building complex that houses
Valentine Community Schools - Misplaced Pages Continue
4998-763: The slave trade during the post-revolution era. In 1774, the slave population of Rhode Island was 6.3% of the total (nearly twice the ratio of other New England colonies). Brown University was founded in 1764 as the College in the British Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. It was one of nine Colonial colleges granted charters before the American Revolution and was the first college in America to accept students regardless of religious affiliation. Rhode Island's tradition of independence and dissent gave it
5117-468: The Articles for distribution to the states on November 15, 1777. A copy was made for each state and one was kept by the Congress . On November 28, the copies sent to the states for ratification were unsigned, and the cover letter, dated November 17, had only the signatures of Henry Laurens and Charles Thomson , who were the President and Secretary to the Congress. The Articles, however, were unsigned, and
5236-400: The Articles of Confederation on the following dates: The Articles of Confederation contain a preamble , thirteen articles, a conclusion , and a signatory section. The individual articles set the rules for current and future operations of the confederation's central government. Under the Articles, the states retained sovereignty over all governmental functions not specifically relinquished to
5355-660: The Articles until every state had ceded its western land claims. Chevalier de La Luzerne , French Minister to the United States, felt that the Articles would help strengthen the American government. In 1780, when Maryland requested France provide naval forces in the Chesapeake Bay for protection from the British (who were conducting raids in the lower part of the bay), he indicated that French Admiral Destouches would do what he could but La Luzerne also "sharply pressed" Maryland to ratify
5474-511: The Articles was the establishment and preservation of the independence and sovereignty of the states. The Articles consciously established a weak confederal government , affording it only those powers the former colonies had recognized as belonging to king and parliament. The document provided clearly written rules for how the states' league of friendship, known as the Perpetual Union , would be organized. While waiting for all states to ratify,
5593-407: The Articles were too weak to hold the fast-growing nation together, they do give credit to the settlement of the western issue, as the states voluntarily turned over their lands to national control. By 1783, with the end of the British blockade, the new nation was regaining its prosperity. However, trade opportunities were restricted by the mercantilism of the British and French empires. The ports of
5712-468: The Articles, a meeting was set in Philadelphia on May 25, 1787. This became the Constitutional Convention . Delegates quickly agreed that the defects of the frame of government could not be remedied by altering the Articles, and so went beyond their mandate by replacing it with a new constitution. On March 4, 1789, the government under the Articles was replaced with the federal government under
5831-510: The Articles, thus suggesting the two issues were related. On February 2, 1781, the much-awaited decision was taken by the Maryland General Assembly in Annapolis . As the last piece of business during the afternoon Session, "among engrossed Bills" was "signed and sealed by Governor Thomas Sim Lee in the Senate Chamber, in the presence of the members of both Houses ... an Act to empower
5950-503: The British West Indies were closed to all staple products which were not carried in British ships. France and Spain established similar policies. Simultaneously, new manufacturers faced sharp competition from British products which were suddenly available again. Political unrest in several states and efforts by debtors to use popular government to erase their debts increased the anxiety of the political and economic elites which had led
6069-511: The Brown University charter, and other state treasures. The First Baptist Church of Providence is the oldest Baptist church in the Americas, founded by Roger Williams in 1638. The first fully automated post office in the country is in Providence. There are many historic mansions in the seaside city of Newport, including The Breakers , Marble House , and Belcourt Castle . Also there is
SECTION 50
#17328554743586188-472: The Congress observed the Articles as it conducted business, directing the war effort , conducting diplomacy with foreign states, addressing territorial issues and dealing with Native American relations. Little changed procedurally once the Articles of Confederation went into effect, as ratification did little more than constitutionalize what the Continental Congress had been doing. That body was renamed
6307-688: The Continental army protected their state's interests. The Anti-Federalists claimed that state politicians understood their duty to the Union and contributed to advance its needs. Dougherty (2009) concludes that generally the States' behavior validated the Federalist analysis. This helps explain why the Articles of Confederation needed reforms. The 1783 Treaty of Paris , which ended hostilities with Great Britain, languished in Congress for several months because too few delegates were present at any one time to constitute
6426-535: The Narragansett Sachems Canonicus and Miantonomi . They were given a few items in reciprocity for their generosity. However, as Roger Williams made clear in a letter to John Winthrop in June 1638: "Sir, concerning the islands Prudence and…Aquedenick…neither of them were sold properly, for a thousand fathom would not have bought either, by strangers. The truth is, not a penny was demanded for either, and what
6545-654: The Narragansetts, precipitating a dispute with the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In 1644, Providence, Portsmouth, and Newport united for their common independence as the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations , governed by an elected council and "president". Gorton received a separate charter for his settlement in 1648 which he named Warwick after his patron. Metacomet was the Wampanoag tribe's war leader, whom
6664-537: The Revolution. The apparent inability of the Congress to redeem the public obligations (debts) incurred during the war, or to become a forum for productive cooperation among the states to encourage commerce and economic development, only aggravated a gloomy situation. In 1786–87, Shays' Rebellion , an uprising of dissidents in western Massachusetts against the state court system, threatened the stability of state government. The Continental Congress printed paper money which
6783-578: The School Siting Bill. Sponsored by Senator Juan Pichardo and Representative Scott Slater , and signed into law by the governor, it made Rhode Island the first US State to prohibit school construction on Brownfield sites where toxic vapors can potentially affect indoor air quality. It also creates a public participation process whenever a city or town considers building a school on any other kind of contaminated site. Articles of Confederation The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union
6902-512: The Treaty of Paris would later be resolved by the implementation of Jay's Treaty in 1795 after the federal Constitution came into force. Under the Articles of Confederation, the central government's power was kept quite limited. The Confederation Congress could make decisions but lacked enforcement powers. Implementation of most decisions, including modifications to the Articles, required unanimous approval of all thirteen state legislatures. Congress
7021-512: The Union were considered, but none were approved. Under the Articles of Confederation, the presiding officer of Congress—referred to in many official records as President of the United States in Congress Assembled —chaired the Committee of the States when Congress was in recess, and performed other administrative functions. He was not, however, an executive in the way the later president of
7140-435: The United States is a chief executive, since all of the functions he executed were under the direct control of Congress. There were 10 presidents of Congress under the Articles. The first, Samuel Huntington , had been serving as president of the Continental Congress since September 28, 1779. The peace treaty left the United States independent and at peace but with an unsettled governmental structure. The Articles envisioned
7259-673: The United States, he found it impossible to secure a treaty for unrestricted commerce. Demands were made for favors and there was no assurance that individual states would agree to a treaty. Adams stated it was necessary for the States to confer the power of passing navigation laws to Congress, or that the States themselves pass retaliatory acts against Great Britain. Congress had already requested and failed to get power over navigation laws. Meanwhile, each State acted individually against Great Britain to little effect. When other New England states closed their ports to British shipping, Connecticut hastened to profit by opening its ports. By 1787, Congress
SECTION 60
#17328554743587378-615: The University of Rhode Island; Wickford in the town of North Kingstown, the site of an annual international art festival; and Wakefield where the Town Hall is for the Town of South Kingstown. The state capitol building is made of white Georgian marble. On top is the world's fourth largest self-supported marble dome. It houses the Rhode Island Charter granted by King Charles II in 1663,
7497-544: The abolition of slavery. New states admitted to the union in this territory would never be slave states. No new states were admitted to the Union under the Articles of Confederation. The Articles provided for a blanket acceptance of the Province of Quebec (referred to as "Canada" in the Articles) into the United States if it chose to do so. It did not, and the subsequent Constitution carried no such special provision of admission. Additionally, ordinances to admit Frankland (later modified to Franklin), Kentucky , and Vermont to
7616-409: The articles, the land north of the Ohio River and west of the (present) western border of Pennsylvania ceded by Massachusetts , Connecticut , New York , Pennsylvania , and Virginia , eventually became the states of Ohio , Indiana , Illinois , Michigan , and Wisconsin , and the part of Minnesota that is east of the Mississippi River. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 also made great advances in
7735-430: The authority to regulate and fund the Continental Army , but it lacked the power to compel the States to comply with requests for either troops or funding. This left the military vulnerable to inadequate funding, supplies, and even food. Further, although the Articles enabled the states to present a unified front when dealing with the European powers, as a tool to build a centralized war-making government, they were largely
7854-399: The colonies independent; at the same time, he also urged Congress to resolve "to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign Alliances" and to prepare a plan of confederation for the newly independent states. Congress then created three overlapping committees to draft the Declaration , a model treaty , and the Articles of Confederation. The Declaration announced the states' entry into
7973-427: The colonists called King Philip. They invaded and burned down several of the towns in the area during King Philip's War (1675–1676), including Providence which was attacked twice. A force of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Plymouth militia under General Josiah Winslow invaded and destroyed the fortified Narragansett Indian village in the Great Swamp in South Kingstown, Rhode Island on December 19, 1675. In one of
8092-414: The creation of a more muscular union in the 1780s and fought hard for the ratification of the Constitution in 1787. Their wartime experiences had nationalized them. The Continental Congress, before the Articles were approved, had promised soldiers a pension of half pay for life. However Congress had no power to compel the states to fund this obligation, and as the war wound down after the victory at Yorktown
8211-440: The date was blank. Congress began the signing process by examining their copy of the Articles on June 27, 1778. They ordered a final copy prepared (the one in the National Archives), and that delegates should inform the secretary of their authority for ratification. On July 9, 1778, the prepared copy was ready. They dated it and began to sign. They also requested each of the remaining states to notify its delegation when ratification
8330-452: The defeat of the British at the Siege of Yorktown and the Battle of the Chesapeake . Rhode Island was also heavily involved in the Industrial Revolution , which began in America in 1787 when Thomas Somers reproduced textile machine plans which he imported from England. He helped to produce the Beverly Cotton Manufactory , in which Moses Brown of Providence took an interest. Moses Brown teamed up with Samuel Slater and helped to create
8449-434: The delegates of this state in Congress to subscribe and ratify the articles of confederation" and perpetual union among the states. The Senate then adjourned "to the first Monday in August next." The decision of Maryland to ratify the Articles was reported to the Continental Congress on February 12. The confirmation signing of the Articles by the two Maryland delegates took place in Philadelphia at noon time on March 1, 1781, and
8568-414: The entire original name. In June 2020, State Senator Harold Metts introduced a resolution for another ballot referendum on the subject, saying, "Whatever the meaning of the term 'plantations' in the context of Rhode Island's history, it carries a horrific connotation when considering the tragic and racist history of our nation." Governor Gina Raimondo issued an executive order to remove the phrase from
8687-444: The exact powers to be given to Congress, whether to have a judiciary, western land claims , and voting procedures. To further complicate work on the constitution, Congress was forced to leave Philadelphia twice, for Baltimore , Maryland, in the winter of 1776, and later for Lancaster then York, Pennsylvania , in the fall of 1777, to evade advancing British troops . Even so, the committee continued with its work. The final draft of
8806-809: The final actions of the war, an Indian associated with Benjamin Church killed King Philip in Bristol, Rhode Island . The colony was amalgamated into the Dominion of New England in 1686, as King James II attempted to enforce royal authority over the autonomous colonies in British North America , but the colony regained its independence under the Royal Charter after the Glorious Revolution of 1688. Slaves were introduced in Rhode Island at this time, although there
8925-509: The first signing, some delegates signed at the next meeting they attended. For example, John Wentworth of New Hampshire added his name on August 8. John Penn was the first of North Carolina's delegates to arrive (on July 10), and the delegation signed the Articles on July 21, 1778. The other states had to wait until they ratified the Articles and notified their Congressional delegation. Georgia signed on July 24, New Jersey on November 26, and Delaware on February 12, 1779. Maryland refused to ratify
9044-457: The general public, local government and self-rule seemed quite satisfactory. This served to exacerbate Congress's impotence. Inherent weaknesses in the confederation's frame of government also frustrated the ability of the government to conduct foreign policy. In 1786, Thomas Jefferson , concerned over the failure of Congress to fund an American naval force to confront the Barbary pirates , wrote in
9163-470: The government's weaknesses became apparent, especially after Shays's Rebellion , some prominent political thinkers in the fledgling union began asking for changes to the Articles. Their hope was to create a stronger government. Initially, in September 1786, some states met to address interstate protectionist trade barriers between them. Shortly thereafter, as more states became interested in meeting to revise
9282-491: The idea of being thirteen armies. Their ardent desires have been to be one continental body looking up to one sovereign. ... It is a favorite toast in the army, "A hoop to the barrel" or "Cement to the Union". As Congress failed to act on the petitions, Knox wrote to Gouverneur Morris, four years before the Philadelphia Convention was convened, "As the present Constitution is so defective, why do not you great men call
9401-494: The infrastructure to support them. In 2014, Rhode Island received grants of $ 2,711,685 from the Environmental Protection Agency to clean up Brownfield sites in eight locations. The grants provided communities with funding to assess, clean up, and redevelop contaminated properties, boost local economies, and leverage jobs while protecting public health and the environment. In 2013, the "Lots of Hope" program
9520-427: The international system; the model treaty was designed to establish amity and commerce with other states; and the Articles of Confederation, which established "a firm league" among the thirteen free and independent states, constituted an international agreement to set up central institutions for the conduct of vital domestic and foreign affairs. On June 12, 1776, a day after appointing the Committee of Five to prepare
9639-556: The island "Red Island" ( Roodt Eylandt ). The first English settlement in Rhode Island was the town of Providence, which the Narragansett granted to Roger Williams in 1636. At that time, Williams obtained no permission from the English crown, as he believed the English had no legitimate claim on Narragansett and Wampanoag territory. Williams traveled to London in 1643, during the English Civil War, to obtain legal recognition of
9758-529: The last of the thirteen colonies to ratify the United States Constitution on May 29, 1790, and only under threat of heavy trade tariffs from the other former colonies and after assurances were made that a Bill of Rights would become part of the Constitution. During the Revolution, the British occupied Newport in December 1776. A combined Franco-American force fought to drive them off Aquidneck Island. Portsmouth
9877-466: The later westward expansion beyond the Mississippi River . Frontier lands were surveyed into the now-familiar squares of land called the township (36 square miles), the section (one square mile), and the quarter section (160 acres ). This system was carried forward to most of the States west of the Mississippi (excluding areas of Texas and California that had already been surveyed and divided up by
9996-461: The mainland and separates Block Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean proper. A rare type of rock called Cumberlandite is found only in Rhode Island (specifically, in the town of Cumberland ) and is the state rock. There were initially two known deposits of the mineral, but it is an ore of iron, and one of the deposits was extensively mined for its ferrous content. Most of Rhode Island has
10115-519: The money requested from them. Congress had also been denied the power to regulate either foreign trade or interstate commerce and, as a result, all of the States maintained control over their own trade policies. The states and the Confederation Congress both incurred large debts during the Revolutionary War, and how to repay those debts became a major issue of debate following the War. Some States paid off their war debts and others did not. Federal assumption of
10234-467: The moniker "Rogue's Island". Rhode Island was the first colony to call for a Continental Congress , in 1774, and the first to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown , on May 4, 1776. After the American Revolution , during which it was heavily occupied and contested, Rhode Island became the fourth state to ratify the Articles of Confederation , on February 9, 1778. Because its citizens favored
10353-418: The national Congress, which was empowered to make war and peace, negotiate diplomatic and commercial agreements with foreign countries, and to resolve disputes between the states. The document also stipulates that its provisions "shall be inviolably observed by every state" and that " the Union shall be perpetual ". Summary of the purpose and content of each of the 13 articles: Under the Articles, Congress had
10472-590: The new settlements. A Patent was granted to "the incorporation of Providence Plantations in Narragansett Bay in New England" by the Parliamentary committee on Foreign Plantations . After the English Civil war, a Royal Charter was granted in 1663, giving the colony an official name of the "Governor and Company of the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England, in America." Following
10591-629: The next two decades, some of the basic concepts it addressed would strengthen; others would weaken, especially in the degree of loyalty (or lack thereof) owed the Crown. Colonists' civil disobedience resulted in the British enacting coercive and quelling measures, such as the passage of what colonists called the Intolerable Acts in the British Parliament, and armed skirmishes which resulted in dissidents being proclaimed rebels . These actions eroded
10710-513: The number of colonists continuing to be Loyalists to the Crown. Together with the highly effective propaganda campaign of the Patriot leaders, caused an increasing number of colonists to begin agitating for independence from the mother country. In 1775, with events outpacing communications, the Second Continental Congress began acting as the provisional government for the United Colonies . It
10829-580: The people together and tell them so; that is, to have a convention of the States to form a better Constitution." Once the war had been won, the Continental Army was largely disbanded. A very small national force was maintained to man the frontier forts and to protect against Native American attacks. Meanwhile, each of the states had an army (or militia), and 11 of them had navies. The wartime promises of bounties and land grants to be paid for service were not being met. In 1783, George Washington defused
10948-611: The property requirement, effectively disenfranchising many Irish-Americans and maintaining urban under-representation. In 1849, in Luther v. Borden , the US Supreme Court declined to rule on the constitutional question raised in Dorr's rebellion, holding that it was a political question outside its jurisdiction. In the early 19th century, Rhode Island was subject to a tuberculosis outbreak which led to public hysteria about vampirism . During
11067-550: The results. At the onset of European colonization what is now Rhode Island was inhabited mainly by five Native American tribes - by far most of the state's territory was inhabited by the Narragansett , eastern borderlands were occupied by the Wampanoag , south-western coast by the Niantic , western borderlands by the Pequot and northern borderlands by the Nipmuc . In 1636, Roger Williams
11186-410: The right to order the production and purchase of provisions for the soldiers, but could not force anyone to supply them, and the army nearly starved in several winters of war. Phelps wrote: It is hardly surprising, given their painful confrontations with a weak central government and the sovereign states, that the former generals of the Revolution as well as countless lesser officers strongly supported
11305-464: The school board designated Mike Halley, previously principal of Scottsbluff Senior High School, as Isom's replacement. This Nebraska school-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Rhode Island This is an accepted version of this page Rhode Island ( / ˌ r oʊ d -/ , pronounced "road") is a state in the New England region of
11424-433: The second cotton mill in America, a water-powered textile mill. The Industrial Revolution moved large numbers of workers into the cities. With the 1663 colonial charter still in effect, voting was restricted to landowners holding at least $ 134 in property. At the time of the revolution, 80% of White men in Rhode Island could vote; by 1840, only 40% were still eligible. The charter apportioned legislative seats equally among
11543-433: The sense of urgency to support the military was no longer a factor. No progress was made in Congress during the winter of 1783–84. General Henry Knox , who would later become the first Secretary of War under the Constitution, blamed the weaknesses of the Articles for the inability of the government to fund the army. The army had long been supportive of a strong union. Knox wrote: The army generally have always reprobated
11662-561: The settlers west of the Appalachian Mountains . Finally, due to the Confederation's military weakness, it could not compel the British army to leave frontier forts which were on American soil—and which, in 1783, the British promised to leave, but which they delayed leaving pending U.S. implementation of other provisions such as ending action against Loyalists and allowing them to seek compensation. This incomplete British implementation of
11781-400: The south by Rhode Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. It shares a narrow maritime border with New York State between Block Island and Long Island . The state's mean elevation is 200 feet (61 m). It is only 37 miles (60 km) wide and 48 miles (77 km) long, yet the state has a tidal shoreline on Narragansett Bay and the Atlantic Ocean of 384 miles (618 km). Rhode Island
11900-419: The state's towns, over-representing rural areas and under-representing the growing industrial centers. Additionally, the charter disallowed landless citizens from filing civil suits without endorsement from a landowner. Bills were periodically introduced in the legislature to expand suffrage, but they were invariably defeated. In 1841, activists led by Thomas W. Dorr organized an extralegal convention to draft
12019-492: The state's voters approved an amendment to the state constitution formally dropping "and Providence Plantations" from its full name. Its official nickname is the "Ocean State", a reference to its 400 mi (640 km) of coastline and the large bays and inlets that make up about 14% of its area. Despite its name, most of Rhode Island is on the U.S. mainland. Its official name was State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations from its beginning in 1636 until 2020, and it
12138-524: The state. In response, the legislature drafted a state constitution which replaced property requirements for American-born citizens with a $ 1 poll tax , equivalent to $ 32 in 2023. In a heavily boycotted election in November 1842, voters approved the constitution. Voters also declined to limit the change to "white" men, thus re-enfranchising Black men—Black men meeting the property requirements had been able to vote in Rhode Island until 1822. The constitution also ended slavery. Immigrants remained subject to
12257-515: The states' war debts became a major issue in the deliberations of the Constitutional Convention. Nevertheless, the Confederation Congress did take two actions with long-lasting impact. The Land Ordinance of 1785 and Northwest Ordinance created territorial government, set up protocols for the admission of new states and the division of land into useful units, and set aside land in each township for public use . This system represented
12376-690: The war, the state was hit hard by the Spanish Influenza . In the 1920s and 1930s, rural Rhode Island saw a surge in Ku Klux Klan membership, largely in reaction to large waves of immigrants moving to the state. The Klan is believed to be responsible for burning the Watchman Industrial School in Scituate , which was a school for African-American children. Since the Great Depression ,
12495-505: The war. In 1866, Rhode Island abolished racial segregation in the public schools throughout the state. The 50 years following the Civil War were a time of prosperity and affluence that author William G. McLoughlin calls "Rhode Island's halcyon era". Rhode Island was a center of the Gilded Age and provided a home or summer home to many of the country's most prominent industrialists. This was
12614-613: Was an agreement among the 13 states of the United States , formerly the Thirteen Colonies , that served as the nation's first frame of government . It was debated by the Second Continental Congress at Independence Hall in Philadelphia between July 1776 and November 1777, and finalized by the Congress on November 15, 1777. It came into force on March 1, 1781, after being ratified by all 13 colonial states. A guiding principle of
12733-400: Was an era of constitution writing—most states were busy at the task—and leaders felt the new nation must have a written constitution; a "rulebook" for how the new nation should function. During the war, Congress exercised an unprecedented level of political, diplomatic, military and economic authority. It adopted trade restrictions, established and maintained an army, issued fiat money , created
12852-579: Was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his religious views, and he settled at the top of Narragansett Bay on land sold or given to him by Narragansett sachem Canonicus . He named the site Providence, "having a sense of God's merciful providence unto me in my distress", and it became a place of religious freedom where all were welcome. In 1638 (after conferring with Williams), Anne Hutchinson , William Coddington , John Clarke , Philip Sherman , and other religious dissenters were allowed to settle on Aquidneck Island (also known as Rhode Island), by
12971-485: Was celebrated in the afternoon. With these events, the Articles were entered into force and the United States of America came into being as a sovereign federal state. Congress had debated the Articles for over a year and a half, and the ratification process had taken nearly three and a half years. Many participants in the original debates were no longer delegates, and some of the signers had only recently arrived. The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union were signed by
13090-537: Was celebrated with a free concert held on the tarmac of the Quonset State Airport on August 31, 1986. Performers included Chuck Berry , Tommy James , and headliner Bob Hope . Rhode Island covers an area of 1,034 square miles (2,678 km ) within the New England region of the Northeastern United States and is bordered on the north and east by Massachusetts, on the west by Connecticut, and on
13209-439: Was completed. On that date, delegates present from New Hampshire , Massachusetts , Rhode Island , Connecticut , New York , Pennsylvania , Virginia and South Carolina signed the Articles to indicate that their states had ratified. New Jersey , Delaware and Maryland could not, since their states had not ratified. North Carolina and Georgia also were unable to sign that day, since their delegations were absent. After
13328-463: Was denied any powers of taxation : it could only request money from the states. The states often failed to meet these requests in full, leaving both Congress and the Continental Army chronically short of money. As more money was printed by Congress, the continental dollars depreciated. In 1779, George Washington wrote to John Jay , who was serving as the president of the Continental Congress, "that
13447-771: Was established in the City of Providence to focus on increasing the city's green space and local food production, improve urban neighborhoods, promote healthy lifestyles and improve environmental sustainability. Supported by a $ 100,000 grant, the program will partner with the City of Providence, the Southside Community Land Trust, and the Rhode Island Foundation to convert city-owned vacant lots into productive urban farms. In 2012, Rhode Island passed bill S2277/H7412, "An act relating to Health and Safety – Environmental Cleanup Objectives for Schools", informally known as
13566-460: Was paid was only gratuity, though I chose, for better assurance and form, to call it sale." This settlement was first called Pocasset and then changed in 1639 to Portsmouth . The town was governed by the Portsmouth Compact . The island's southern part became the separate settlement of Newport after disagreements among the founders. Samuel Gorton purchased lands at Shawomet in 1642 from
13685-414: Was so depreciated that it ceased to pass as currency, spawning the expression "not worth a continental". Congress could not levy taxes and could only make requisitions upon the States. Less than a million and a half dollars came into the treasury between 1781 and 1784, although the governors had been asked for two million in 1783 alone. When John Adams went to London in 1785 as the first representative of
13804-486: Was submitted to the states for ratification in late November 1777. The first state to ratify was Virginia on December 16, 1777; 12 states had ratified the Articles by February 1779, 14 months into the process. The lone holdout, Maryland, refused to go along until the landed states, especially Virginia , had indicated they were prepared to cede their claims west of the Ohio River to the Union. It would be two years before
13923-753: Was the site of the first African-American military unit, the 1st Rhode Island Regiment , to fight for the U.S. in the unsuccessful Battle of Rhode Island of August 29, 1778. A month earlier, the appearance of a French fleet off Newport caused the British to scuttle some of their own ships in an attempt to block the harbor. The British abandoned Newport in October 1779, concentrating their forces in New York City. An expedition of 5,500 French troops under Count Rochambeau arrived in Newport by sea on July 10, 1780. The celebrated march to Yorktown, Virginia , in 1781 ended with
14042-440: Was unable to protect manufacturing and shipping. State legislatures were unable or unwilling to resist attacks upon private contracts and public credit. Land speculators expected no rise in values when the government could not defend its borders nor protect its frontier population. The idea of a convention to revise the Articles of Confederation grew in favor. Alexander Hamilton realized while serving as Washington's top aide that
14161-458: Was −23 °F (−31 °C) on February 5, 1996, in Greene . Monthly average temperatures range from a high of 83 °F (28 °C) to a low of 20 °F (−7 °C). Rhode Island is vulnerable to tropical storms and hurricanes due to its location in New England, catching the brunt of many storms that blow up the eastern seaboard. Hurricanes that have done significant damage in the state include
#357642