This history of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations covers the period from the arrival of European settlers to the early 20th century. Drawing on a range of sources, including official records, personal accounts, and local lore, the author provides a vivid portrait of this fascinating part of colonial America. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.