- Providence Plantations
Providence Plantations was the first permanent settlement in
Rhode Island . It was established at Providence in1636 by English clergyman Roger Williams and a small band of followers who had left the repressive atmosphere of theMassachusetts Bay Colony to seek freedom of worship. Narragansettsachem sCanonicus andMiantonomi granted Williams a sizable tract of land for his new village. [http://www.sec.state.ri.us/library/riinfo/know-rhode-island/]"Providence Plantations" refers to the mainland portion of the state which was originally all part of the town of Providence and "Rhode Island" referring to
Aquidneck Island on which Newport is located. Today, the state is officially named "Rhode Island and Providence Plantations," although "Providence Plantations" is little used.ee also
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Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
*Rhode Island
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