Notes

People have lived in Rhode Island for thousands of years. Before the Europeans arrived, many Native American tribes ruled the land. These tribes spoke the Algonquian language, lived in longhouses, and farmed corn, beans, and squash. The largest of the tribes was the Narragansett. Other tribes included the Wampanoag, the Niantic, the Nipmuck, and the Pequot.

The first recorded visit by a European was in 1524 when Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano arrived. He met with some of the local tribes and mapped out parts of the coastline. Dutch explorer Adriaen Block arrived around 90 years later in 1614. later he mapped out more of the coastline including Narragansett Bay and Block Island, which was named after him.

"The first permanent European settlement was established by Roger Williams in 1636. Williams moved to Rhode Island after being kicked out of Massachusetts for his religious beliefs. Williams called the settlement Providence and declared that it would be a place of religious freedom. Today Providence is the capital of Rhode Island and Williams is known as the "Father of Rhode Island.