COLONIAL PRESENTATION

Founders of Rhode Island

• Rhode Island was founded by Roger Williams in 1636.
• Roger was banished from the Massachusetts colony because he advocated for religious freedom and the separation of the church and state.

Reasons Founded

• Rhode Island was founded for religious freedom.
• Rhode Island was also founded because Roger Williams and his supporters wanted separation of church from state after a disagreement with Massachusetts Bay Colony.

Who Settled

• Roger Williams settled in Rhode Island in an area at Providence on land that was purchased from Native Americans from the Narragansett tribe.
• 5 years later, the Puritans bought the island of Aquidneck from the Narragansett tribe.

Geography and Climate

• Rhode Island has flat hills and lowlands. The geography of New England consisted of mountains with thick trees, rivers, and poor rocky soil that was difficult to farm and unsuitable for crops.
• New England was the coldest of the three regions, short and mild summers leading into long ones, very cold winters, but less disease than the warm colonies.

Economy In Rhode Island

• In towns along the coast, the colonists made their living fishing, whaling, and shipbuilding.
• Whale oil was a valuable resource as it could be used in lamps.
• Farming was difficult for crops like wheat because of the poor soil, but corn, pumpkins, rye, squash, and beans were planted.

RELIGION

• There was no religious freedom in the areas inhabited by the Puritans.
• They did not tolerate any other form of religion.

POLITICS

• The Governor of Rhode Island held all the power in the colony representing England.
• The Governor's Council of Rhode Island was made of powerful men that supported the governor and had lots of power.

WEBSITES

• landofthebrave.info
• www.sheppardsoftware.com
• History.com