- Year Founded: 1636
- Founded by: Roger Williams
- Motivation: The minister thought that the Puritan Church had too much power and wanted religious tolerance and the separation of Church and state.
- Geography:The land was extremely fertile which allowed farmers to be very successful. There was also an abundance of wildlife which strongly helped the trade industry. Rhode island was actually made up of four islands named Aquidneck island, Patience island, Prudence island, and Hope island.
- Economy:The main jobs in Rhode Island were farming and trading, these were great jobs because of the fertile soil and easy access to fishing ports. There were also plantations that grew vegetables and raised sheep and cattle. Whaling was also an industry because of the great coastline access. This affected the colony by giving them a choice of either owning a plantation in the middle of the colony or fishing on the coast.
- Religion: There was no main religion in Rhode Island, all religions were welcome.
- Government: The government was separated from the Church- and all white men had the power to vote. Charles II granted a charter that decreed that Rhode Island was religious tolerant and was able to have a self-government.
- Celebrities:
- Anne Hutchinson- a famous resident because of the fact that she was a Woman Preacher in Massachusetts.She was running to escape to Rhode Island but was killed by Native Americans.
- Target Residents: The target residents for Rhode Island was basically anyone looking for religious freedom and anyone free to accept all religions. Also, it targeted farmers because farming and raising livestock was part of their economy.
- Analysis of founding: The Puritan minister Roger Williams founded Rhode Island because he thought that the church had too much power in the government system. He set up Rhode Island as a colony for religious tolerance and welcomes all people of different denominations. Several different types of people were able settle in the small area which allowed a more diverse background.
- Analysis of geography, religion, government, and economy: Their system of self-government was similar to Massachusetts, but Roger Williams did not allow for a church to be part of the government. Rhode Island was full of resources because of the geography. It was a part of the breadbasket colonies, but also had forests and oceans. Their economy, just like the rest of the New England colonies, was based on fishing and whaling because of the cold climate because of being up North. Rhode Island's rules, government, economy, climate, and industries were very much similar to the colonies around it. This colony had religious tolerance, along with limited governmental control.
- Map:
Founding Document: 1663 Charter of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations