WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.299 Welcome to the Deep Dive, the place where we 00:00:02.299 --> 00:00:04.740 take stacks of sources, articles, historical 00:00:04.740 --> 00:00:07.799 texts, and deep research, and distill the most 00:00:07.799 --> 00:00:10.480 essential, fascinating nuggets of knowledge and 00:00:10.480 --> 00:00:13.619 insight, tailored specifically for you. Today, 00:00:13.720 --> 00:00:17.600 we are undertaking a deep dive into the smallest 00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:21.219 state in the entire Union, the historically complex, 00:00:21.539 --> 00:00:24.780 culturally dense, and, well, geographically tiny 00:00:24.780 --> 00:00:27.100 Rhode Island. It seems like a simple target, 00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:29.760 doesn't it? Little roadie, the state ranked 50th 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:31.899 in size. But I mean, right out of the gate, we 00:00:31.899 --> 00:00:34.439 run into this profound paradox that really defines 00:00:34.439 --> 00:00:36.799 its entire history. That paradox is built right 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:39.420 into its very identity. It is the smallest U 00:00:39.420 --> 00:00:41.840 .S. state by geography. Yet until just a few 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:43.759 years ago, it had one of the longest official 00:00:43.759 --> 00:00:46.299 names in the country, State of Rhode Island and 00:00:46.299 --> 00:00:49.740 Providence Plantations. So it's tiny yet verbose. 00:00:49.820 --> 00:00:52.479 Tiny yet verbose, and also the second most densely 00:00:52.479 --> 00:00:55.479 populated state, trailing only New Jersey. It's 00:00:55.479 --> 00:01:00.539 incredible how much history, industry, and just 00:01:00.539 --> 00:01:03.359 pure contradiction is crammed into an area that's 00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:06.840 only about 37 miles wide and 48 miles long. Our 00:01:06.840 --> 00:01:08.840 source material gives us a pretty comprehensive 00:01:08.840 --> 00:01:11.260 look at the state, covering everything from its 00:01:11.260 --> 00:01:13.620 colonial descent and its role as the cradle of 00:01:13.620 --> 00:01:15.700 the Industrial Revolution to its really unique 00:01:15.700 --> 00:01:18.260 culinary and cultural identity. Yeah, and the 00:01:18.260 --> 00:01:20.200 central mission of this deep dive is to understand 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:23.000 that compression. We want to know how this tiny 00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:25.959 geographic area became such a major incubator 00:01:25.959 --> 00:01:29.060 of American democracy, industry, and this fierce 00:01:29.060 --> 00:01:31.719 local culture. We're going to explore how a place 00:01:31.719 --> 00:01:34.819 founded by a religious refugee became an economic 00:01:34.819 --> 00:01:37.750 powerhouse built on, well, on contradiction. 00:01:37.989 --> 00:01:39.870 OK, let's unpack this. And we have to start with 00:01:39.870 --> 00:01:41.890 that name because that change, the deliberate 00:01:41.890 --> 00:01:44.829 decision to redefine the state, is arguably the 00:01:44.829 --> 00:01:47.349 biggest recent historical and cultural event 00:01:47.349 --> 00:01:49.569 in Rhode Island. Right. The full historical name, 00:01:49.689 --> 00:01:51.489 State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, 00:01:51.489 --> 00:01:53.769 was a fixture. I mean, it was on official documents 00:01:53.769 --> 00:01:55.909 going all the way back to the colonial era. It 00:01:55.909 --> 00:01:57.469 was even enshrined in the U .S. Constitution. 00:01:57.829 --> 00:02:00.170 It carried the weight of centuries. Yet tradition 00:02:00.170 --> 00:02:03.640 often collides with modern conscience. In November 00:02:03.640 --> 00:02:06.620 2020, voters decisively approved a constitutional 00:02:06.620 --> 00:02:09.879 amendment to formally drop an improvidence plantations 00:02:09.879 --> 00:02:12.639 from the name. What's absolutely fascinating 00:02:12.639 --> 00:02:15.539 here is the social and political shift that made 00:02:15.539 --> 00:02:18.439 that vote possible. The word plantation became 00:02:18.439 --> 00:02:20.780 a huge focus of debate because it highlighted 00:02:20.780 --> 00:02:23.800 the extensive and, frankly, often overlooked 00:02:23.800 --> 00:02:27.099 role slavery played in early Rhode Island history. 00:02:27.800 --> 00:02:30.020 The term carried, in the words of State Senator 00:02:30.020 --> 00:02:32.659 Harold Metz, a horrific connotation when you 00:02:32.659 --> 00:02:34.520 look at it through the lens of America's history 00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:37.199 with systemic racism. And to really show how 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:39.340 dramatic this turnaround was, you have to remember 00:02:39.340 --> 00:02:42.000 the context. Just 10 years earlier, in 2010, 00:02:42.340 --> 00:02:44.719 the exact same question was put to the voters. 00:02:44.919 --> 00:02:46.719 And they overwhelmingly chose to keep the name. 00:02:47.060 --> 00:02:49.680 Overwhelmingly. The margin was colossal, 78 percent 00:02:49.680 --> 00:02:52.340 against the change versus only 22 percent in 00:02:52.340 --> 00:02:54.979 favor. So to see that public opinion flip so 00:02:54.979 --> 00:02:57.780 dramatically, moving from a massive rejection 00:02:57.780 --> 00:03:00.759 in 2010 to a tight but, you know, definitive 00:03:00.759 --> 00:03:04.599 approval of 52 .8 percent in 2020, that speaks 00:03:04.599 --> 00:03:06.840 volumes about. the national reckoning happening 00:03:06.840 --> 00:03:09.639 that year. The momentum was really driven by 00:03:09.639 --> 00:03:11.979 increased public awareness and action after the 00:03:11.979 --> 00:03:14.319 George Floyd protests. I remember that movement 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:16.800 accelerating the change. Governor Gina Raimondo, 00:03:16.919 --> 00:03:18.539 she didn't even wait for the formal vote, did 00:03:18.539 --> 00:03:21.349 she? No. She issued an executive order in June 00:03:21.349 --> 00:03:24.349 2020 to immediately remove the phrase from official 00:03:24.349 --> 00:03:27.090 state documents and websites. It was a signal 00:03:27.090 --> 00:03:29.229 that the historical context of the name could 00:03:29.229 --> 00:03:31.229 no longer be ignored in the state's official 00:03:31.229 --> 00:03:33.710 identity. So the state essentially decolonized 00:03:33.710 --> 00:03:36.069 its own name through a democratic process. That's 00:03:36.069 --> 00:03:38.310 a pretty significant marker for the 21st century. 00:03:38.430 --> 00:03:40.770 It really is. OK, so we know why Providence Plantations 00:03:40.770 --> 00:03:43.069 was dropped, but that still leaves us with the 00:03:43.069 --> 00:03:45.909 origins of the remaining iconic yet kind of mysterious 00:03:45.909 --> 00:03:49.270 name. Rhode Island. Well, the official long name 00:03:49.270 --> 00:03:51.270 came from the merger of the original settlements. 00:03:51.569 --> 00:03:53.930 You had the settlements on Aquidneck Island, 00:03:54.129 --> 00:03:56.349 which was called Rhode Island, and then the mainland 00:03:56.349 --> 00:03:59.009 settlements known as Providence and Warwick Plantations. 00:03:59.129 --> 00:04:01.229 Right. So the name Rhode Island applying to the 00:04:01.229 --> 00:04:04.050 island and later the whole state. This is where 00:04:04.050 --> 00:04:07.490 things get wonderfully murky. There are two competing 00:04:07.490 --> 00:04:10.509 but both pretty well documented theories. The 00:04:10.509 --> 00:04:12.949 first and maybe the most enduring theory is the 00:04:12.949 --> 00:04:17.639 classical connection. In 1524, the explorer Giovanni 00:04:17.639 --> 00:04:21.089 di Verrazzano sailed near Narragansett Bay. and 00:04:21.089 --> 00:04:23.709 noted an island he thought bore a striking resemblance 00:04:23.709 --> 00:04:26.250 to the greek island of rhodes in the mediterranean 00:04:26.250 --> 00:04:28.889 right so later english colonists you know looking 00:04:28.889 --> 00:04:31.889 to put a familiar european stamp on things they 00:04:31.889 --> 00:04:34.149 assumed he met a quidneck island which is where 00:04:34.149 --> 00:04:36.290 newport is that gives it a nice romantic origin 00:04:36.290 --> 00:04:38.910 story but the second theory is maybe a bit more 00:04:38.910 --> 00:04:42.069 grounded in well new england reality it comes 00:04:42.069 --> 00:04:44.170 from the dutch explorer adrian block who was 00:04:44.170 --> 00:04:47.230 charting the area in the 1610s and block described 00:04:47.230 --> 00:04:51.449 the island in dutch as In Rodelijk Eland, which 00:04:51.449 --> 00:04:55.050 translates to a red or reddish island. Historians 00:04:55.050 --> 00:04:57.009 think this reddish look could have been from 00:04:57.009 --> 00:04:59.730 the dramatic red autumn foliage, you know, classic 00:04:59.730 --> 00:05:02.589 New England, or maybe the distinctive reddish 00:05:02.589 --> 00:05:05.589 clay you can see along the shorelines. And the 00:05:05.589 --> 00:05:07.949 Dutch documentation really strengthens this theory, 00:05:08.089 --> 00:05:10.709 doesn't it? It does. We know that Dutch maps 00:05:10.709 --> 00:05:14.470 from as early as 1659 officially labeled the 00:05:14.470 --> 00:05:17.569 area as Root Island, which means Red Island. 00:05:18.269 --> 00:05:20.009 Meanwhile, the English were making their own 00:05:20.009 --> 00:05:23.089 notes. Roger Williams himself used the name Isle 00:05:23.089 --> 00:05:26.129 of Rhodes in a document from 1637, and the name 00:05:26.129 --> 00:05:28.569 was formally applied to Aquidneck Island in 1644 00:05:28.569 --> 00:05:32.230 as the Isle of Rhodes or Rhode Island. So whether 00:05:32.230 --> 00:05:34.110 the name came from Greek architecture or just 00:05:34.110 --> 00:05:36.569 the color of the local soil, it stuck, first 00:05:36.569 --> 00:05:38.730 to the island, then to the whole territory. Exactly. 00:05:38.730 --> 00:05:40.829 Which naturally leads us to the state's official 00:05:40.829 --> 00:05:42.850 current nickname, the one you see on all the 00:05:42.850 --> 00:05:45.230 license plates and welcome signs, the Ocean State. 00:05:45.689 --> 00:05:47.689 And it's the most accurate description of its 00:05:47.689 --> 00:05:50.269 identity today. I mean, despite being the smallest 00:05:50.269 --> 00:05:53.129 state, Rhode Island has an impressive 400 miles 00:05:53.129 --> 00:05:56.850 or 640 kilometers of coastline. The sheer volume 00:05:56.850 --> 00:05:59.230 of water bays, inlets, like Narragansett Bay, 00:05:59.370 --> 00:06:01.850 makes up about 14 % of the state's total area. 00:06:02.350 --> 00:06:05.769 Water truly defines its geography, its economy, 00:06:05.949 --> 00:06:08.750 and its culture. That focus on water and openness 00:06:08.750 --> 00:06:10.930 leads us directly to the state's foundation, 00:06:11.269 --> 00:06:14.410 which is a story of just radical defiance. We 00:06:14.410 --> 00:06:16.149 have to start with Roger Williams, who founded 00:06:16.149 --> 00:06:18.689 the settlement of Providence Plantations in 1636. 00:06:19.129 --> 00:06:21.529 He wasn't just a colonist. He was a political 00:06:21.529 --> 00:06:24.089 and religious refugee. He was banished from the 00:06:24.089 --> 00:06:25.730 Massachusetts Bay Colony, which was one of the 00:06:25.730 --> 00:06:29.029 most powerful and dogmatic English settlements 00:06:29.029 --> 00:06:31.490 in the New World. Williams's views were considered 00:06:31.490 --> 00:06:34.389 dangerously radical. He advocated for the absolute 00:06:34.389 --> 00:06:37.019 separation of church and state. And he insisted 00:06:37.019 --> 00:06:38.920 that the English government could not dictate 00:06:38.920 --> 00:06:41.139 religious belief. So he established Providence, 00:06:41.220 --> 00:06:43.439 naming it because he had a sense of God's merciful 00:06:43.439 --> 00:06:46.639 providence unto me and my distress. He explicitly 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:49.259 wanted to create a haven where all people, regardless 00:06:49.259 --> 00:06:51.199 of their religious creed, could find refuge. 00:06:51.480 --> 00:06:54.399 And this was revolutionary. The Massachusetts 00:06:54.399 --> 00:06:57.459 Bay colonists were trying to build a city upon 00:06:57.459 --> 00:07:01.089 a hill, a Puritan ideal. Williams was building 00:07:01.089 --> 00:07:04.290 a place for dissenters, social outcasts, anyone 00:07:04.290 --> 00:07:07.370 fleeing that rigid enforcement of piety. It quickly 00:07:07.370 --> 00:07:10.189 earned the nickname Rogues Island among its Puritan 00:07:10.189 --> 00:07:12.850 neighbors. Oh, absolutely. They saw it as a sinkhole 00:07:12.850 --> 00:07:15.629 for religious and political nonconformists. Williams' 00:07:15.750 --> 00:07:18.529 radicalism also extended to land ownership, which 00:07:18.529 --> 00:07:20.769 is so crucial to understanding that whole colonial 00:07:20.769 --> 00:07:24.009 relationship. He was unique among English settlers 00:07:24.009 --> 00:07:26.449 and believing the king and the crown had absolutely 00:07:26.449 --> 00:07:29.250 no legitimate claim to Native American territory. 00:07:29.370 --> 00:07:32.129 Right. Our sources confirm he acquired the land 00:07:32.129 --> 00:07:35.310 for providence from the Narragansett Sachem Canonicus. 00:07:35.769 --> 00:07:37.810 Williams was meticulous about it, describing 00:07:37.810 --> 00:07:40.490 the payment not as a purchase, but as a gratuity, 00:07:40.649 --> 00:07:43.509 a gift for goodwill. He later wrote that even 00:07:43.509 --> 00:07:45.930 a thousand fathom of wampum wouldn't have been 00:07:45.930 --> 00:07:48.629 enough to buy the land if the Narragansett didn't 00:07:48.629 --> 00:07:51.009 already trust him. That established a foundation 00:07:51.009 --> 00:07:53.569 of relative peace and respect that was, I mean, 00:07:53.589 --> 00:07:56.610 highly unusual for the era. It was. But that 00:07:56.610 --> 00:08:00.160 peace was fragile. Before colonization, the territory 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:03.779 was inhabited by five main tribes, the Narragansett 00:08:03.779 --> 00:08:05.699 and Wampanoag being the most prominent, along 00:08:05.699 --> 00:08:08.339 with the Niantic, Pequot, and Nipmuc. And as 00:08:08.339 --> 00:08:10.819 English encroachment increased across New England, 00:08:10.939 --> 00:08:13.819 that fragile peace just shattered, leading to 00:08:13.819 --> 00:08:17.579 King Philip's War between 1675 and 1676. Yeah, 00:08:17.660 --> 00:08:20.180 and despite its early peaceful intentions, Rhode 00:08:20.180 --> 00:08:22.899 Island suffered immensely. Many towns, including 00:08:22.899 --> 00:08:25.720 Providence, were invaded and burned. Providence 00:08:25.720 --> 00:08:28.220 was burned twice, basically wiping out years 00:08:28.220 --> 00:08:30.439 of settlement. The war culminated in December 00:08:30.439 --> 00:08:33.399 1675 with one of the most brutal acts committed 00:08:33.399 --> 00:08:35.740 by the colonial militia, the Great Swamp Fight, 00:08:35.879 --> 00:08:38.559 where they invaded and destroyed a large, fortified 00:08:38.559 --> 00:08:41.559 Narragansett village in what is now South Kingstown. 00:08:41.659 --> 00:08:43.779 Killing hundreds of noncombatants in the process. 00:08:43.860 --> 00:08:46.340 It was horrific. And this conflict drives us 00:08:46.340 --> 00:08:48.879 straight into the state's most profound and painful 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:51.990 contradiction, the paradox of slavery. A beacon 00:08:51.990 --> 00:08:54.610 of religious freedom founded on tolerance, yet 00:08:54.610 --> 00:08:57.190 it became deeply implicated and financially reliant 00:08:57.190 --> 00:08:59.509 on the triangular slave trade. I want to focus 00:08:59.509 --> 00:09:02.169 on that contradiction. Our sources note that 00:09:02.169 --> 00:09:05.490 in 1652, the colonial legislature actually passed 00:09:05.490 --> 00:09:08.190 what they recorded as the first act in a British 00:09:08.190 --> 00:09:11.509 colony abolishing the holding of slaves. That 00:09:11.509 --> 00:09:14.049 sounds incredibly progressive for the mid -17th 00:09:14.049 --> 00:09:16.230 century. It does, and it speaks to Williams' 00:09:16.429 --> 00:09:19.320 original reforming spirit. The act, in theory, 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:21.759 said that no person should be held in servitude 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:24.179 for more than 10 years. But the tragic footnote 00:09:24.179 --> 00:09:26.539 is that this edict was, quote, never enforced. 00:09:27.100 --> 00:09:29.620 The rising merchant class, particularly in Newport, 00:09:29.779 --> 00:09:32.220 saw the immense profits possible through human 00:09:32.220 --> 00:09:34.759 trafficking and just effectively subverted the 00:09:34.759 --> 00:09:37.899 law. So the law existed on paper, but the reality 00:09:37.899 --> 00:09:40.759 was that the colony quickly grew wealthy, prospering 00:09:40.759 --> 00:09:43.379 heavily under the triangular trade system, specifically 00:09:43.379 --> 00:09:46.080 connecting the molasses and rum industries. That's 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:47.850 the engine of their early wealth. Rhode Island 00:09:47.850 --> 00:09:50.029 merchants developed this highly profitable trade 00:09:50.029 --> 00:09:53.450 loop. They would distill rum. Rhode Island, rum 00:09:53.450 --> 00:09:55.210 became infamous for its strength and how cheap 00:09:55.210 --> 00:09:57.409 it was, which was then shipped to West Africa 00:09:57.409 --> 00:10:00.230 in exchange for enslaved people. Those people 00:10:00.230 --> 00:10:02.250 were then transported to the Caribbean, where 00:10:02.250 --> 00:10:04.830 they were traded for molasses and sugar, which 00:10:04.830 --> 00:10:06.870 was brought back to Rhode Island to distill more 00:10:06.870 --> 00:10:09.929 rum. It was a vicious, self -sustaining, and 00:10:09.929 --> 00:10:12.470 brutally efficient cycle of exploitation. The 00:10:12.470 --> 00:10:14.570 numbers really hammer home the scope of this 00:10:14.570 --> 00:10:16.769 reliance compared to other New England states. 00:10:17.029 --> 00:10:20.110 By 1774, the slave population in Rhode Island 00:10:20.110 --> 00:10:22.970 was 6 .3 % of the total population. And that 00:10:22.970 --> 00:10:25.509 percentage was nearly twice the ratio of any 00:10:25.509 --> 00:10:28.470 other New England colony. The state founded on 00:10:28.470 --> 00:10:31.049 radical freedom became disproportionately reliant 00:10:31.049 --> 00:10:33.649 on human bondage in the northern colonies. That 00:10:33.649 --> 00:10:37.289 dual nature radical idealism versus brutal economic 00:10:37.289 --> 00:10:40.049 reality is absolutely central to understanding 00:10:40.049 --> 00:10:42.990 Rhode Island's history. Yeah, it is. And despite 00:10:42.990 --> 00:10:45.850 this moral stain, colonial growth led to significant 00:10:45.850 --> 00:10:48.779 urban development. Newport, with its deep harbor 00:10:48.779 --> 00:10:51.500 and mercantile focus, was the third largest Anglo 00:10:51.500 --> 00:10:54.759 -American city by 1680. It remained a major prosperous 00:10:54.759 --> 00:10:57.059 center right up until the Revolutionary War. 00:10:57.220 --> 00:10:59.580 And their founding principles weren't completely 00:10:59.580 --> 00:11:03.000 lost. Alongside this booming maritime trade, 00:11:03.200 --> 00:11:05.500 educational institutions were established that 00:11:05.500 --> 00:11:08.559 reflected Williams' original vision. Brown University, 00:11:08.940 --> 00:11:12.179 founded in 1764, was one of the nine colonial 00:11:12.179 --> 00:11:15.299 colleges, but it had a distinct feature. Yes. 00:11:15.539 --> 00:11:18.019 Brown University was the first college in America 00:11:18.019 --> 00:11:21.179 to explicitly accept students regardless of their 00:11:21.179 --> 00:11:24.120 religious affiliation. It's a direct manifestation 00:11:24.120 --> 00:11:26.620 of that principle of religious liberty established 00:11:26.620 --> 00:11:29.480 a century earlier. It's a powerful illustration 00:11:29.480 --> 00:11:32.320 of the state's internal conflict. A willingness 00:11:32.320 --> 00:11:34.639 to foster intellectual and religious openness 00:11:34.639 --> 00:11:37.480 while simultaneously resisting moral progress 00:11:37.480 --> 00:11:40.279 on racial freedom. Exactly. That fierce independent 00:11:40.279 --> 00:11:42.600 streak of dissent meant that when the political 00:11:42.600 --> 00:11:45.059 tensions with Britain escalated, Rhode Island 00:11:45.059 --> 00:11:47.460 didn't wait for others to act. It became a genuine 00:11:47.460 --> 00:11:49.539 leader in the revolution focusing on aggressive 00:11:49.539 --> 00:11:52.240 action. The revolutionary credentials start early. 00:11:52.750 --> 00:11:56.070 The Gatsby Affair in 1772 is cited as the first 00:11:56.070 --> 00:11:58.169 act of armed rebellion against the British crown 00:11:58.169 --> 00:12:01.110 in America. A group of Sons of Liberty from Providence 00:12:01.110 --> 00:12:03.529 attacked and burned the HMS Gatsby schooner in 00:12:03.529 --> 00:12:05.990 Narragansett Bay. And this wasn't just vandalism. 00:12:06.129 --> 00:12:09.309 The Gatsby was a highly visible symbol of oppression. 00:12:09.649 --> 00:12:12.409 It was patrolling the bay to enforce customs 00:12:12.409 --> 00:12:15.409 laws designed to stifle colonial smuggling and 00:12:15.409 --> 00:12:18.070 trade. So by destroying a Royal Naval vessel, 00:12:18.269 --> 00:12:21.320 they escalated the conflict dramatically. They 00:12:21.320 --> 00:12:23.659 proved that Rhode Islanders would not tolerate 00:12:23.659 --> 00:12:26.019 the Crown's interference with their profitable, 00:12:26.179 --> 00:12:29.120 if often illicit, maritime economy. They were 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:32.279 ready to formalize that dissent quickly. In 1774, 00:12:32.500 --> 00:12:34.480 Rhode Island was the first colony to formally 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:37.539 call for a Continental Congress. And most famously, 00:12:37.720 --> 00:12:39.620 they hold the distinction of being the first 00:12:39.620 --> 00:12:42.039 of the 13 colonies to renounce its allegiance 00:12:42.039 --> 00:12:46.240 to the British Crown. On May 4, 1776, a full 00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:48.039 two months before the Declaration of Independence 00:12:48.039 --> 00:12:50.120 was signed in Philadelphia. They were the first 00:12:50.120 --> 00:12:52.179 to break up, but then in a twist that is just 00:12:52.179 --> 00:12:54.799 pure rogues island, they were the last to reconcile. 00:12:55.080 --> 00:12:57.620 The irony is rich. After leading the charge for 00:12:57.620 --> 00:12:59.659 independence, Rhode Island was the final state 00:12:59.659 --> 00:13:02.659 of the original 13 to ratify the new U .S. Constitution. 00:13:03.259 --> 00:13:07.259 They finally did it on May 29, 1790, nearly three 00:13:07.259 --> 00:13:09.860 years after the convention. That's a huge holdout. 00:13:10.139 --> 00:13:12.659 What was the core reason for their prolonged 00:13:12.659 --> 00:13:15.080 suspicion of the new government? Well, it was 00:13:15.080 --> 00:13:18.039 consistent with their founding identity. A deep 00:13:18.039 --> 00:13:21.600 -seated suspicion of powerful, centralized government. 00:13:21.860 --> 00:13:24.379 They were founded as a refuge from the tyranny 00:13:24.379 --> 00:13:27.100 of Massachusetts Bay, and they viewed the proposed 00:13:27.100 --> 00:13:29.940 strong federal government with extreme caution. 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:32.779 They feared it would override state autonomy 00:13:32.779 --> 00:13:36.720 and local control. They boycotted the 1787 convention 00:13:36.720 --> 00:13:40.000 entirely. Entirely. So if they were so ideologically 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:42.740 opposed, what finally forced their hand in 17 00:13:42.740 --> 00:13:46.240 maybe? Economic coercion. Basically, our sources 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:48.419 indicate that the other 12 states grew tired 00:13:48.419 --> 00:13:50.580 of the holdout and started threatening to treat 00:13:50.580 --> 00:13:52.779 Rhode Island as a foreign country for trade purposes. 00:13:53.019 --> 00:13:55.460 Wow. Yeah. The threat of heavy trade tariffs 00:13:55.460 --> 00:13:57.419 being levied on their goods, which would have 00:13:57.419 --> 00:13:59.659 devastated their economies, finally compelled 00:13:59.659 --> 00:14:01.980 them to ratify, but only after getting concrete 00:14:01.980 --> 00:14:04.019 assurances that a bill of rights would be quickly 00:14:04.019 --> 00:14:06.480 adopted to protect individual liberties and state 00:14:06.480 --> 00:14:09.360 powers. Their ratification was pragmatic, not 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:11.980 ideological. Even during the war itself, they 00:14:11.980 --> 00:14:15.200 pioneered military progress. The 1st Rhode Island 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:17.799 Regiment holds a unique place in history. It 00:14:17.799 --> 00:14:20.039 was the first African -American military unit 00:14:20.039 --> 00:14:22.460 to fight for the U .S. in the Battle of Rhode 00:14:22.460 --> 00:14:25.720 Island in 1778. And their geographical location 00:14:25.720 --> 00:14:29.559 proved vital to the wider war effort. In 1780, 00:14:29.700 --> 00:14:32.720 a massive French expeditionary force of 5 ,500 00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:36.080 troops commanded by Count Rochambeau arrived 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:39.019 in Newport. This was the staging ground for the 00:14:39.019 --> 00:14:41.580 celebrated and crucial march south to Yorktown, 00:14:41.700 --> 00:14:43.779 Virginia. Where the combined Franco -American 00:14:43.779 --> 00:14:46.659 forces delivered the final decisive blow against 00:14:46.659 --> 00:14:48.840 the British. Precisely. After the political revolution, 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:51.139 Rhode Island didn't quit. It just redirected 00:14:51.139 --> 00:14:54.220 its revolutionary energy into industry. Pawtucket 00:14:54.220 --> 00:14:56.059 is officially the birthplace of the Industrial 00:14:56.059 --> 00:14:58.620 Revolution in the United States, which is a massive 00:14:58.620 --> 00:15:01.000 historical claim for such a small area. It is. 00:15:01.080 --> 00:15:04.179 And it all revolves around one name. Samuel Slater. 00:15:04.220 --> 00:15:07.580 In 1793, Slater, using plans he had memorized 00:15:07.580 --> 00:15:10.200 and smuggled out of England since exporting textile 00:15:10.200 --> 00:15:13.200 technology was illegal, he set up the first commercially 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:16.120 successful, fully mechanized, water -powered 00:15:16.120 --> 00:15:19.000 cotton spinning mill. Slater Mill, right on the 00:15:19.000 --> 00:15:21.740 Blackstone River in Pawtucket. Right. And that 00:15:21.740 --> 00:15:23.980 mechanical replication of the British Arkwright 00:15:23.980 --> 00:15:27.169 system was transformative. It led to the textile 00:15:27.169 --> 00:15:30.429 boom, creating intense urbanization and massive 00:15:30.429 --> 00:15:33.389 population movements, fundamentally restructuring 00:15:33.389 --> 00:15:36.049 the state's economy from a maritime trade focus 00:15:36.049 --> 00:15:39.450 to a manufacturing focus. And this demand for 00:15:39.450 --> 00:15:41.570 labor dictated the demographics for the next 00:15:41.570 --> 00:15:45.129 century. This new industrial ecosystem drew enormous 00:15:45.129 --> 00:15:47.750 waves of immigrants seeking work. French Canadian 00:15:47.750 --> 00:15:50.710 labor is pouring in from Quebec alongside massive 00:15:50.710 --> 00:15:53.049 influxes of Irish escaping the potato famine, 00:15:53.190 --> 00:15:55.690 Italians and Portuguese. They all arrived to 00:15:55.690 --> 00:15:57.889 fill the manufacturing and textile jobs. This 00:15:57.889 --> 00:16:00.590 rapid growth created immense wealth, but it also 00:16:00.590 --> 00:16:03.049 created immense political injustice, which is 00:16:03.049 --> 00:16:05.970 another recurring theme here. Despite the industrial 00:16:05.970 --> 00:16:08.149 boom, the political system was still operating 00:16:08.149 --> 00:16:11.590 under the 1663 colonial charter. Which was the 00:16:11.590 --> 00:16:14.049 problem. The old charter severely restricted 00:16:14.049 --> 00:16:16.370 voting rights, requiring men to own at least 00:16:16.370 --> 00:16:20.169 $134 in property. As the population urbanized 00:16:20.169 --> 00:16:22.669 and more men became property -less factory workers, 00:16:22.950 --> 00:16:25.490 their political power just eroded. I read that 00:16:25.490 --> 00:16:29.269 by 1840, only about 40 % of white men were eligible 00:16:29.269 --> 00:16:32.389 to vote. That's down from an estimated 80 % at 00:16:32.389 --> 00:16:35.139 the time of the revolution. This inequality, 00:16:35.419 --> 00:16:37.460 coupled with the fact that legislative seats 00:16:37.460 --> 00:16:40.759 were unfairly apportioned to favor sparsely populated 00:16:40.759 --> 00:16:44.100 rural areas, it just boiled over into civil conflict. 00:16:44.279 --> 00:16:47.200 It did. This was the catalyst for the Dora Rebellion 00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:50.539 in the early 1840s. Activists, led by a lawyer 00:16:50.539 --> 00:16:53.419 named Thomas W. Dorr, drafted a rival constitution 00:16:53.419 --> 00:16:56.470 that dramatically expanded suffrage. They held 00:16:56.470 --> 00:16:58.909 unauthorized elections and attempted to establish 00:16:58.909 --> 00:17:01.149 a parallel state government, claiming popular 00:17:01.149 --> 00:17:03.009 sovereignty. Wait, so they essentially had two 00:17:03.009 --> 00:17:05.130 competing governments operating at the same time. 00:17:05.170 --> 00:17:07.779 That sounds like a powder keg. It was. When the 00:17:07.779 --> 00:17:09.980 established charter government refused to yield, 00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:12.779 Doar supporters launched an armed rebellion against 00:17:12.779 --> 00:17:15.400 the arsenal in Providence. It was short -lived 00:17:15.400 --> 00:17:18.140 and ultimately failed, leading to Doar's arrest 00:17:18.140 --> 00:17:20.819 and conviction for treason. But sometimes failure 00:17:20.819 --> 00:17:23.680 catalyzes success. The sources make it clear 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:25.480 that the rebellion, despite its quick defeat, 00:17:25.720 --> 00:17:28.539 forced the old guard to finally compromise. Exactly. 00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:31.599 The pressure was too great to ignore. The legislature 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:35.980 finally drafted a new constitution in 1842. And 00:17:35.980 --> 00:17:39.099 this new document made a critical change. It 00:17:39.099 --> 00:17:41.140 replaced the restrictive property requirements 00:17:41.140 --> 00:17:44.059 for American -born citizens with a simple $1 00:17:44.059 --> 00:17:47.000 poll tax. And the social consequences were immediate 00:17:47.000 --> 00:17:49.920 and dramatic, though still unequal. The first 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:51.900 major consequence was that it re -enfranchised 00:17:51.900 --> 00:17:54.259 black men, who had historically been able to 00:17:54.259 --> 00:17:56.220 vote until property requirements were tightened 00:17:56.220 --> 00:17:59.160 in 1822. The second result was the legal final 00:17:59.160 --> 00:18:01.039 end of slavery in Rhode Island. But it was a 00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:03.980 carefully orchestrated political move. Oh, yes. 00:18:04.460 --> 00:18:06.700 Immigrants, specifically the rapidly growing 00:18:06.700 --> 00:18:09.180 and influential Irish -American voting bloc, 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:11.339 were not granted this privilege and remained 00:18:11.339 --> 00:18:13.359 subject to their restrictive property requirements. 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:15.839 The political establishment wanted industrial 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:18.339 labor, but they didn't want the political power 00:18:18.339 --> 00:18:20.849 of that labor. That's a perfect example of how 00:18:20.849 --> 00:18:23.269 the struggle for democracy in America often proceeds 00:18:23.269 --> 00:18:26.890 one uneven step at a time. This intense economic 00:18:26.890 --> 00:18:29.329 dynamism and political tension led to the state's 00:18:29.329 --> 00:18:32.430 halcyon era during the Gilded Age, defined by 00:18:32.430 --> 00:18:35.470 extreme economic contrasts. On one hand, you 00:18:35.470 --> 00:18:38.950 had Providence and Pawtucket, dense, smoke -choked 00:18:38.950 --> 00:18:42.069 industrial mill towns where laborers worked brutal 00:18:42.069 --> 00:18:44.809 hours for low wages. On the other hand, you had 00:18:44.809 --> 00:18:47.950 Newport. which became the ultimate summer destination 00:18:47.950 --> 00:18:51.000 for New York's wealthiest industrialists. The 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:53.720 famous Newport mansions, like the Breakers, stand 00:18:53.720 --> 00:18:56.200 as a testament to that vast wealth disparity. 00:18:56.660 --> 00:18:59.099 The same industrialists who owned the textile 00:18:59.099 --> 00:19:01.140 mills and railroads that employed the working 00:19:01.140 --> 00:19:04.079 class in Providence spend millions building these 00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:07.180 palatial three -month summer homes, essentially 00:19:07.180 --> 00:19:09.900 creating a second capital for American high society. 00:19:10.339 --> 00:19:12.319 The labor that built the industrial wealth was 00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:14.460 completely separate from the leisure that consumed 00:19:14.460 --> 00:19:16.740 it. And a brief word on later history confirms 00:19:16.740 --> 00:19:19.960 this cycle of progress and reaction. Right. During 00:19:19.960 --> 00:19:22.059 the Civil War, Rhode Island was the first union 00:19:22.059 --> 00:19:24.220 state to respond to Lincoln's call for troops, 00:19:24.440 --> 00:19:27.839 contributing over 23 ,000 men. They also abolished 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:30.259 racial segregation in public schools in 1866, 00:19:30.599 --> 00:19:33.019 decades before the rest of the nation. Yet the 00:19:33.019 --> 00:19:35.619 sources also tragically detail a surge in Ku 00:19:35.619 --> 00:19:38.220 Klux Klan membership in rural Rhode Island during 00:19:38.220 --> 00:19:41.039 the 1920s and 30s, highlighting the burning of 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:43.400 the Watchman Industrial School for African American 00:19:43.400 --> 00:19:46.750 Children in Situate. The state's history is a 00:19:46.750 --> 00:19:49.349 microcosm of the national fight between progressive 00:19:49.349 --> 00:19:52.470 ideals and entrenched prejudices. Let's shift 00:19:52.470 --> 00:19:54.650 back to the geography because the state's small 00:19:54.650 --> 00:19:57.630 size is paradoxically its greatest strength and 00:19:57.630 --> 00:19:59.869 its greatest vulnerability. We are talking about 00:19:59.869 --> 00:20:03.289 a land area that is a mere 37 miles wide and 00:20:03.289 --> 00:20:06.150 48 miles long. It's the equivalent of a highly 00:20:06.150 --> 00:20:08.769 concentrated laboratory. But as we noted, the 00:20:08.769 --> 00:20:11.259 water factor is everything. The entire state 00:20:11.259 --> 00:20:13.400 identity is defined by the massive Narragansett 00:20:13.400 --> 00:20:15.900 Bay, which carves deeply into the eastern part 00:20:15.900 --> 00:20:18.460 of the state and contains over 30 islands. The 00:20:18.460 --> 00:20:20.640 largest and most famous island is Aquidneck, 00:20:20.819 --> 00:20:23.019 home to Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth. 00:20:23.500 --> 00:20:25.819 Then you have Connecticut Island, where Jamestown 00:20:25.819 --> 00:20:28.420 is located, and Prudence Island. These islands 00:20:28.420 --> 00:20:30.519 are crucial to the state's economic and tourist 00:20:30.519 --> 00:20:32.960 life. And then there's Block Island, which stands 00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:35.859 alone about 12 miles off the coast, separating 00:20:35.859 --> 00:20:37.980 the Block Island Sound from the open Atlantic. 00:20:38.619 --> 00:20:41.279 It acts almost as a separate geological entity, 00:20:41.420 --> 00:20:43.319 which is interesting when we look at the topography. 00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:46.359 The mainland topography is generally low and 00:20:46.359 --> 00:20:49.240 rolling. It's mostly flat. The state's mean elevation 00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:52.440 is only about 200 feet above sea level. The highest 00:20:52.440 --> 00:20:55.019 natural point is Jeremiah Hill, which is a modest 00:20:55.019 --> 00:20:58.099 812 feet. It's often joked that climbing Jeremiah 00:20:58.099 --> 00:21:00.980 Hill involves stepping over a few stones. Pretty 00:21:00.980 --> 00:21:04.819 much. Yeah. But the geology holds a secret. Let's 00:21:04.819 --> 00:21:08.529 talk about the official state rock. Cumberlandite. 00:21:08.769 --> 00:21:11.849 This isn't just any rock. It's a rare iron ore 00:21:11.849 --> 00:21:14.289 found only in Cumberland within the United States. 00:21:14.450 --> 00:21:16.369 So what makes it so special? It's chemically 00:21:16.369 --> 00:21:19.769 distinct. Cumberlandite is incredibly dense and 00:21:19.769 --> 00:21:22.859 highly magnetic due to its iron content. It was 00:21:22.859 --> 00:21:25.079 so concentrated and unique that there were only 00:21:25.079 --> 00:21:27.619 two known deposits of it globally. And one of 00:21:27.619 --> 00:21:29.420 those deposits in Cumberland was extensively 00:21:29.420 --> 00:21:32.319 mined for its ferrous content, underscoring how 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:34.740 this geological quirk was directly tied to the 00:21:34.740 --> 00:21:37.099 state's early industrial mining activities. So 00:21:37.099 --> 00:21:40.079 it reinforces its industrial heritage. Now, let's 00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:42.640 consider the climate, because being the ocean 00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:45.339 state exposes them to everything the ocean throws 00:21:45.339 --> 00:21:48.119 at them. The climate is scientifically classified 00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:51.279 as a transition zone. It sits right on the border 00:21:51.279 --> 00:21:53.319 between the humid continental climates to the 00:21:53.319 --> 00:21:55.859 north and the subtropical climates further south. 00:21:56.039 --> 00:21:57.920 This means they experience the full spectrum, 00:21:58.039 --> 00:22:00.980 warm to hot humid summers, followed by cool, 00:22:01.000 --> 00:22:04.160 wet winters with a mix of snow and rain. Block 00:22:04.160 --> 00:22:06.539 Island, because it's far enough offshore, actually 00:22:06.539 --> 00:22:09.319 maintains a purely oceanic climate, which is 00:22:09.319 --> 00:22:11.640 milder year -round. And the temperature extremes 00:22:11.640 --> 00:22:14.859 reflect that transition zone volatility. A record 00:22:14.859 --> 00:22:17.539 high of 104 degrees Fahrenheit in Providence 00:22:17.539 --> 00:22:21.240 back in 1975 and a bone chilling record low of 00:22:21.240 --> 00:22:24.920 minus 23 degrees in Greene in 1996. But the real 00:22:24.920 --> 00:22:27.400 defining vulnerability is coastal. Because the 00:22:27.400 --> 00:22:29.460 seashore is so flat and the population is so 00:22:29.460 --> 00:22:32.339 dense along the coastline, Rhode Island is extremely 00:22:32.339 --> 00:22:34.440 susceptible to tropical storms and hurricanes. 00:22:34.740 --> 00:22:38.359 The historical record is grim. The 1938 New England 00:22:38.359 --> 00:22:40.759 hurricane devastated the area. followed by Hurricane 00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:43.960 Carol in 54, Donna in 60, and Bob in 91, all 00:22:43.960 --> 00:22:46.519 causing massive damage. And this vulnerability 00:22:46.519 --> 00:22:49.160 is increasing exponentially with climate change. 00:22:49.380 --> 00:22:52.819 That flat seashore means the state faces a significant 00:22:52.819 --> 00:22:55.980 and exacerbated risk from storm surge and coastal 00:22:55.980 --> 00:22:58.619 erosion due to rising sea levels. It's an existential 00:22:58.619 --> 00:23:02.259 threat to its geography. In response, the state 00:23:02.259 --> 00:23:04.559 has positioned itself as an environmental leader. 00:23:04.920 --> 00:23:07.759 In 2021, the state passed the Act on Climate, 00:23:07.880 --> 00:23:10.500 which legally mandates increasingly stringent 00:23:10.500 --> 00:23:12.980 emissions reduction requirements with a clear 00:23:12.980 --> 00:23:15.059 and ambitious goal of reaching net zero emissions 00:23:15.059 --> 00:23:18.039 by 2050. They've also been proactive on toxic 00:23:18.039 --> 00:23:20.910 cleanup. Leveraging federal resources. Rhode 00:23:20.910 --> 00:23:23.450 Island has received EPA grants specifically for 00:23:23.450 --> 00:23:25.990 cleaning up brownfield sites, which are abandoned 00:23:25.990 --> 00:23:28.549 or underused properties contaminated by prior 00:23:28.549 --> 00:23:30.950 industrial use, a remnant of their industrial 00:23:30.950 --> 00:23:33.109 history. And what really stands out here is that 00:23:33.109 --> 00:23:35.130 Rhode Island was the first U .S. state to pass 00:23:35.130 --> 00:23:38.380 a school siting bill back in 2012. This bill 00:23:38.380 --> 00:23:40.640 strictly prohibits school construction on brownfield 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:43.180 sites where toxic vapors could potentially affect 00:23:43.180 --> 00:23:46.000 indoor air quality. That's a major public health 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:48.400 first, using their small scale and high density 00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:50.700 to implement protective legislation quickly. 00:23:50.940 --> 00:23:53.220 Moving from the land to the people who give Little 00:23:53.220 --> 00:23:56.619 Rhody its huge cultural punch. We keep emphasizing 00:23:56.619 --> 00:24:00.200 the density. Second most densely populated state 00:24:00.200 --> 00:24:04.000 at about 1 ,000 residents per square mile. That 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:06.180 means culture and history are constantly rubbing 00:24:06.180 --> 00:24:08.099 up against each other. And the center of this 00:24:08.099 --> 00:24:10.240 population is centralized in the city of Cranston. 00:24:10.539 --> 00:24:13.220 The demographic profile is a living map of the 00:24:13.220 --> 00:24:15.940 state's history as a hub for industry and immigration. 00:24:16.420 --> 00:24:18.960 The major ancestry groups are direct descendants 00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:22.660 of those 19th century migrations. Irish, 18 .3 00:24:22.660 --> 00:24:26.299 percent. Italian, 18 .0 percent. French, 10 .4 00:24:26.299 --> 00:24:29.140 percent. And Portuguese, 9 .3 percent. And these 00:24:29.140 --> 00:24:31.240 populations settled in very distinct patterns. 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:34.299 Italian Americans form a solid plurality in central 00:24:34.299 --> 00:24:36.519 Providence County. French Canadian Americans 00:24:36.519 --> 00:24:38.980 dominate the northern towns. And the Irish have 00:24:38.980 --> 00:24:41.339 maintained a strong historical presence in Newport 00:24:41.339 --> 00:24:43.960 and Kent counties. But Rhode Island is also defined 00:24:43.960 --> 00:24:46.200 by uniquely concentrated communities of more 00:24:46.200 --> 00:24:48.539 recent arrivals. It has the highest percentage 00:24:48.539 --> 00:24:50.559 of Portuguese Americans in the entire country, 00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:53.400 primarily concentrated in areas like East Providence 00:24:53.400 --> 00:24:55.650 and Briscoe County. And beyond that, the sources 00:24:55.650 --> 00:24:58.369 detail two other highly notable immigrant communities, 00:24:58.609 --> 00:25:01.809 a sizable Liberian community of over 15 ,000 00:25:01.809 --> 00:25:03.970 residents and the highest percentage of Dominican 00:25:03.970 --> 00:25:06.650 Americans in the entire country currently standing 00:25:06.650 --> 00:25:09.470 at 5 .1%. Yeah, that density makes their immigrant 00:25:09.470 --> 00:25:12.839 impact immediate and visible. The state is clearly 00:25:12.839 --> 00:25:15.680 diversifying rapidly. The non -Hispanic white 00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:18.059 population has seen a massive decline over the 00:25:18.059 --> 00:25:21.299 last few decades, dropping from 96 .1 percent 00:25:21.299 --> 00:25:25.460 in 1970 to 76 .5 percent by 2011. The cultural 00:25:25.460 --> 00:25:28.000 mosaic is constantly being refined. This historical 00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:30.380 immigration flow, especially from Ireland, Italy 00:25:30.380 --> 00:25:32.759 and French Canada, explains why Rhode Island 00:25:32.759 --> 00:25:34.740 has historically maintained the highest proportion 00:25:34.740 --> 00:25:37.440 of Catholic residents of any state, measuring 00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:40.799 42 percent in a 2014 survey. But again, the founding... 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:43.359 principle of religious freedom endures. The Tours 00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:45.539 Synagogue in Newport remains the oldest existing 00:25:45.539 --> 00:25:47.920 synagogue building in the United States, a tangible 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:50.440 physical testament to Roger Williams' 17th century 00:25:50.440 --> 00:25:52.700 guarantee that people of all faiths, including 00:25:52.700 --> 00:25:55.220 Jewish settlers who arrived very early, would 00:25:55.220 --> 00:25:57.920 be protected. Okay, let's talk about something 00:25:57.920 --> 00:26:01.579 incredibly local and specific, the unique Rhode 00:26:01.579 --> 00:26:05.220 Island accent and vocabulary. Linguists classify 00:26:05.220 --> 00:26:08.059 the traditional accent as non -rhotic. which 00:26:08.059 --> 00:26:10.900 means you drop the R sound at the end of words 00:26:10.900 --> 00:26:13.579 or before a consonant. It sits somewhere between 00:26:13.579 --> 00:26:16.259 the traditional Boston and New York City accents. 00:26:16.539 --> 00:26:19.420 Exactly. If you're a tourist, you're not just 00:26:19.420 --> 00:26:21.859 listening for dropped R's. You're listening for 00:26:21.859 --> 00:26:25.440 that highly distinctive, strong A sound. So when 00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:27.099 discussing the beverage we'll talk about shortly, 00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:29.940 you don't ask for a cup of coffee. It's pronounced 00:26:29.940 --> 00:26:33.799 closer to Corkifi. The accent is one thing, but 00:26:33.799 --> 00:26:36.319 the local vocabulary is a landmine for outsiders. 00:26:36.779 --> 00:26:39.079 There are three terms in particular that you 00:26:39.079 --> 00:26:41.000 must know if you want to sound even remotely 00:26:41.000 --> 00:26:44.079 local. The first is bubbler. That is what everyone 00:26:44.079 --> 00:26:46.180 else calls a drinking fountain. You might find 00:26:46.180 --> 00:26:48.500 it hilarious, but it's universally accepted there. 00:26:48.660 --> 00:26:51.059 A bubbler. Got it. The second one is even more 00:26:51.059 --> 00:26:53.619 confusing, I think. What is a cabinet? A cabinet 00:26:53.619 --> 00:26:56.059 is a milkshake. Wait, so if I go to a local diner 00:26:56.059 --> 00:26:57.720 and ask for a chocolate cabinet, I'm getting 00:26:57.720 --> 00:27:00.640 a chocolate milkshake. Seriously. You are. It's 00:27:00.640 --> 00:27:03.240 purely the name. Though some purists argue a 00:27:03.240 --> 00:27:06.160 true cabinet uses ice cream, milk, and flavored 00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:09.140 syrup blended together. But yes, ask for a cabinet 00:27:09.140 --> 00:27:10.980 and you'll get a milkshake. It's just the word 00:27:10.980 --> 00:27:13.720 they use. Amazing. And finally, the third word 00:27:13.720 --> 00:27:17.619 is grinders. Grinders is the universal term for 00:27:17.619 --> 00:27:21.039 any overstuffed, foot -long sandwich, what most 00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:24.000 of the Northeast calls a sub, hoogie, or hero. 00:27:24.509 --> 00:27:26.849 The term grinder is believed to derive from the 00:27:26.849 --> 00:27:29.109 fact that it took some serious grinding of the 00:27:29.109 --> 00:27:31.450 teeth to chew through the tough bread and filling. 00:27:31.710 --> 00:27:33.809 Bubblers, cabinets, and grinders. I love that. 00:27:33.950 --> 00:27:36.210 That brings us to the most beloved part of Rhode 00:27:36.210 --> 00:27:39.670 Island culture. The food. Being the ocean state 00:27:39.670 --> 00:27:42.029 means they take seafood seriously, but they also 00:27:42.029 --> 00:27:45.009 have entirely unique regional staples. They don't 00:27:45.009 --> 00:27:46.589 just have clam chowder, they have their clam 00:27:46.589 --> 00:27:49.130 chowder. Alongside the standard white New England 00:27:49.130 --> 00:27:51.670 and red Manhattan varieties, Rhode Island developed 00:27:51.670 --> 00:27:54.930 a unique clear broth clam chowder. It's light, 00:27:55.049 --> 00:27:57.390 simple, and showcases the clam flavor without 00:27:57.390 --> 00:27:59.930 the heavy cream or tomato base. And the necessary 00:27:59.930 --> 00:28:02.490 accompaniment to chowder is the clam cake. The 00:28:02.490 --> 00:28:04.970 clam cake is the quintessential summer meal. 00:28:05.450 --> 00:28:08.470 These are savory, deep fried balls of buttery 00:28:08.470 --> 00:28:11.730 dough mixed with chopped clam bits. Outside the 00:28:11.730 --> 00:28:14.089 state, they are often called clam footers. But 00:28:14.089 --> 00:28:16.250 here, they're clam cakes, and they are typically 00:28:16.250 --> 00:28:18.730 consumed by the dozen along the beaches. They 00:28:18.730 --> 00:28:22.130 also utilize the large local clam, the quahog, 00:28:22.250 --> 00:28:25.509 for other staples. You mentioned stuffies. A 00:28:25.509 --> 00:28:28.230 stuffy is a glorious invention. It involves grinding 00:28:28.230 --> 00:28:30.369 the quahog and mixing the meat with a savory 00:28:30.369 --> 00:28:33.349 stuffing, often incorporating spices, breadcrumbs, 00:28:33.349 --> 00:28:35.890 or even spicy minced Portuguese sausage, and 00:28:35.890 --> 00:28:38.509 then baking the mixture back into the large clamshell. 00:28:38.829 --> 00:28:41.329 It's a hearty, flavorful dish that really showcases 00:28:41.329 --> 00:28:44.009 the local seafood. Reflecting that strong immigrant 00:28:44.009 --> 00:28:47.009 influence, the state has even codified its appetizer 00:28:47.009 --> 00:28:50.250 status. In 2014, calamari fried squid became 00:28:50.250 --> 00:28:52.970 the official state appetizer. And it is served 00:28:52.970 --> 00:28:55.470 in a distinctly local way, reflecting the Italian 00:28:55.470 --> 00:28:57.910 -American plurality. They typically serve it 00:28:57.910 --> 00:29:00.509 Sicilian style, often with sliced banana peppers 00:29:00.509 --> 00:29:02.690 tossed into the fry mix and marinara sauce on 00:29:02.690 --> 00:29:04.750 the side. We also have to credit Rhode Island 00:29:04.750 --> 00:29:07.259 for inventing Clams Casino. Oh, really? Yes, 00:29:07.319 --> 00:29:10.259 it originated at the original Narragansett Casino 00:29:10.259 --> 00:29:13.720 by a maitre d' in the 1890s, preparing the dish 00:29:13.720 --> 00:29:16.400 for a wealthy client. Finally, we arrive at the 00:29:16.400 --> 00:29:19.180 most unique beverage in the state, one that non 00:29:19.180 --> 00:29:22.390 -Rhode Islanders rarely grasped. Coffee milk? 00:29:22.609 --> 00:29:25.769 Yes, the official state drink. This isn't cold 00:29:25.769 --> 00:29:28.329 coffee mixed with milk. It's milk mixed with 00:29:28.329 --> 00:29:31.170 coffee syrup, which was invented and is widely 00:29:31.170 --> 00:29:33.930 sold in the state. It's a sweet, caffeinated 00:29:33.930 --> 00:29:37.069 treat that has been a childhood staple for generations. 00:29:37.509 --> 00:29:39.690 And to fully cover the culinary landscape, we 00:29:39.690 --> 00:29:42.009 go back to the colonial era with Johnny Cake's 00:29:42.009 --> 00:29:44.809 simple patties made of cornmeal and water, pan 00:29:44.809 --> 00:29:46.950 -fried like thin pancakes, and reflecting the 00:29:46.950 --> 00:29:50.150 Portuguese heritage, linguiça or chorizo. The 00:29:50.150 --> 00:29:52.509 spicy sausages that are absolute local favorite. 00:29:52.630 --> 00:29:54.529 Often served with peppers, yeah. Let's examine 00:29:54.529 --> 00:29:57.210 how this incredibly dense, culturally rich state 00:29:57.210 --> 00:29:59.809 functions today. While its historical foundation 00:29:59.809 --> 00:30:02.509 was built on those textile mills, today's economy 00:30:02.509 --> 00:30:05.609 is primarily service -based. Right. Health care 00:30:05.609 --> 00:30:08.170 is now the largest single industry. A massive 00:30:08.170 --> 00:30:10.029 employer throughout the state, followed closely 00:30:10.029 --> 00:30:13.069 by education, anchored by institutions like Brown, 00:30:13.369 --> 00:30:16.640 RASD, and the University of Rhode Island. Tourism 00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:19.579 also remains vital, supporting an estimated 39 00:30:19.579 --> 00:30:23.319 ,000 jobs. Yet the industrial legacy hasn't vanished. 00:30:23.839 --> 00:30:25.859 Manufacturing still contributes significantly 00:30:25.859 --> 00:30:29.000 to the GDP, especially high -value industries 00:30:29.000 --> 00:30:31.119 like submarine construction and shipbuilding, 00:30:31.359 --> 00:30:33.859 much of it related to the Navy presence and the 00:30:33.859 --> 00:30:36.099 production of costume jewelry, which is a long 00:30:36.099 --> 00:30:38.720 -standing tradition. And despite its size, Rhode 00:30:38.720 --> 00:30:41.660 Island hosts major corporate players. You have 00:30:41.660 --> 00:30:44.700 Fortune 500 and 1 ,000 companies headquartered 00:30:44.700 --> 00:30:48.000 here, including CVS Caremark in Woonsocket, the 00:30:48.000 --> 00:30:50.500 aerospace and defense giant Textron in Providence, 00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:52.980 Citizens Financial Group, which is the 14th largest 00:30:52.980 --> 00:30:55.960 bank in the U .S., Hasbro, and the major insurer 00:30:55.960 --> 00:30:58.460 FM Global. The presence of these corporate headquarters 00:30:58.460 --> 00:31:00.859 speaks to Rhode Island's strategic logistical 00:31:00.859 --> 00:31:03.799 location. It acts as an important connector between 00:31:03.799 --> 00:31:05.920 the massive markets of Boston and New York City. 00:31:06.119 --> 00:31:09.109 It does. And interestingly, the sources highlight 00:31:09.109 --> 00:31:11.549 that Rhode Island is rated as the fifth most 00:31:11.549 --> 00:31:14.089 energy -efficient state in the country and has 00:31:14.089 --> 00:31:16.250 the lowest energy consumption per capita of any 00:31:16.250 --> 00:31:19.029 state. That efficiency is reflected in their 00:31:19.029 --> 00:31:21.710 infrastructure. When it comes to transportation, 00:31:22.009 --> 00:31:24.369 they are absolutely crucial to the high -speed 00:31:24.369 --> 00:31:26.730 arteries of the Northeast Corridor. That's right. 00:31:26.970 --> 00:31:29.349 Rhode Island is one of only four states with 00:31:29.349 --> 00:31:32.730 high -speed NEEC tracks capable of 165 miles 00:31:32.730 --> 00:31:35.450 per hour, upgraded specifically for the Acela 00:31:35.450 --> 00:31:38.869 Express service. Amtrak serves Providence, Kingston, 00:31:39.170 --> 00:31:41.769 and Westerly, making it a critical hub for high 00:31:41.769 --> 00:31:44.130 -speed travel between Washington, D .C. and Boston. 00:31:44.369 --> 00:31:47.029 And locally, the state is looking toward a greener, 00:31:47.029 --> 00:31:49.410 faster future. The Rhode Island Public Transit 00:31:49.410 --> 00:31:52.349 Authority, RIPTA, has released a draft of their 00:31:52.349 --> 00:31:55.339 ambitious transit master plan for 2040. That 00:31:55.339 --> 00:31:57.859 plan is massive. It includes proposals for bus 00:31:57.859 --> 00:32:01.019 rapid transit systems, express bus roads to decongest 00:32:01.019 --> 00:32:03.180 the major corridors, and even the construction 00:32:03.180 --> 00:32:05.119 of a new light rail network through downtown 00:32:05.119 --> 00:32:07.599 Providence, recognizing that the sheer population 00:32:07.599 --> 00:32:09.960 density demands more efficient public transit 00:32:09.960 --> 00:32:12.559 solutions. Connecting all of this is the bridge 00:32:12.559 --> 00:32:16.089 network across Narragansett Bay. major interstates 00:32:16.089 --> 00:32:20.130 like I -95 and I -195, and the iconic Claiborne 00:32:20.130 --> 00:32:22.990 -Pell -Newport Bridge and the Jamestown -Verrazano 00:32:22.990 --> 00:32:25.609 Bridge, which are essential for linking the islands 00:32:25.609 --> 00:32:27.950 to the mainland. And they also invest heavily 00:32:27.950 --> 00:32:30.990 in recreational infrastructure, notably the East 00:32:30.990 --> 00:32:33.990 Bay Bike Path and the Washington Secondary Bike 00:32:33.990 --> 00:32:36.029 Path. To close out the historical narrative, 00:32:36.269 --> 00:32:38.869 we need to return to the idea that Rhode Island 00:32:38.869 --> 00:32:41.960 has consistently punched above its weight. Let's 00:32:41.960 --> 00:32:43.599 run through a handful of the most surprising 00:32:43.599 --> 00:32:46.779 and unique firsts that this little state pioneered. 00:32:46.859 --> 00:32:48.839 We mentioned it, but it bears repeating because 00:32:48.839 --> 00:32:51.740 of its profound contradiction. The first colonial 00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:55.720 law prohibiting slavery passed in 1652, highlighting 00:32:55.720 --> 00:32:58.339 that early progressive spirit. Then in conflict, 00:32:58.460 --> 00:33:00.579 the first naval engagement of the American Revolution 00:33:00.579 --> 00:33:03.839 took place off their coast in 1775 at the burning 00:33:03.839 --> 00:33:06.119 of the Gaspi. They were not waiting for permission. 00:33:06.440 --> 00:33:09.869 And in the media, a major first. Ann Smith Franklin, 00:33:10.210 --> 00:33:12.690 working for the Newport Mercury, became the first 00:33:12.690 --> 00:33:16.109 female newspaper editor in America in 1762. This 00:33:16.109 --> 00:33:18.109 happened 14 years before American independence. 00:33:18.609 --> 00:33:21.690 Technology followed rapidly. Pelham Street in 00:33:21.690 --> 00:33:23.670 Newport became the first American city street 00:33:23.670 --> 00:33:26.769 to be illuminated by gaslight in 1806, showing 00:33:26.769 --> 00:33:29.450 their willingness to adopt new, practical industrial 00:33:29.450 --> 00:33:32.440 technologies quickly. Jumping ahead to the industrial 00:33:32.440 --> 00:33:35.319 era, after Slater Mill got rolling, Pawtucket 00:33:35.319 --> 00:33:37.519 also saw the first strike in the U .S. involving 00:33:37.519 --> 00:33:41.700 women in 1824 as female textile workers organized 00:33:41.700 --> 00:33:44.539 against wage cuts and poor conditions. For a 00:33:44.539 --> 00:33:47.000 moment of levity, Watch Hill hosts the nation's 00:33:47.000 --> 00:33:50.079 oldest continuously operating flying horses carousel. 00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:53.180 running since 1850. It's a wonderful piece of 00:33:53.180 --> 00:33:55.839 preserved Americana. And two major technological 00:33:55.839 --> 00:33:58.839 innovations originated in Providence. The motion 00:33:58.839 --> 00:34:01.839 picture machine was patented there in 1867. And 00:34:01.839 --> 00:34:04.460 then the first lunch wagon in America, the precursor 00:34:04.460 --> 00:34:07.039 to the modern food truck, was introduced in Providence 00:34:07.039 --> 00:34:10.019 in 1872. Finally, the architecture. The Rhode 00:34:10.019 --> 00:34:12.519 Island State House, built between 1895 and 1901, 00:34:12.699 --> 00:34:14.699 was the first building in the U .S. with an all 00:34:14.699 --> 00:34:18.079 -marble dome, using 327 ,000 cubic feet of white 00:34:18.079 --> 00:34:20.179 Georgia marble to make an architectural statement 00:34:20.179 --> 00:34:22.480 far larger than the state itself. Their sports 00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:24.920 history is equally impressive. The Providence 00:34:24.920 --> 00:34:27.079 Grays won the first world championship in baseball 00:34:27.079 --> 00:34:30.610 history back in 1884. And speaking of baseball, 00:34:30.809 --> 00:34:33.389 McCoy Stadium holds the distinction of hosting 00:34:33.389 --> 00:34:36.030 the longest professional baseball game ever played. 00:34:36.150 --> 00:34:39.010 A marathon clocking in at 33 innings. Unbelievable. 00:34:39.630 --> 00:34:42.369 And we can't forget Newport, which remains a 00:34:42.369 --> 00:34:45.010 global center for tennis. It houses the International 00:34:45.010 --> 00:34:48.210 Tennis Hall of Fame at the historic Newport Casino, 00:34:48.210 --> 00:34:51.050 which was the original site of the first U .S. 00:34:51.070 --> 00:34:54.219 National Championships in 1881. In pop culture, 00:34:54.340 --> 00:34:56.840 we have to recognize the influence of Seth MacFarlane. 00:34:56.960 --> 00:34:59.679 His massively popular animated show Family Guy 00:34:59.679 --> 00:35:02.300 is based entirely in the fictional Rhode Island 00:35:02.300 --> 00:35:05.880 city of Quahog. Yeah, the show constantly lampoons 00:35:05.880 --> 00:35:08.139 local culture and sites like Peter Griffin working 00:35:08.139 --> 00:35:10.619 at the Pawtucket Brewery. And one cannot talk 00:35:10.619 --> 00:35:12.579 about Rhode Island landmarks without mentioning 00:35:12.579 --> 00:35:15.019 the big blue bug Nibbles Woodaway. The giant 00:35:15.019 --> 00:35:18.900 termite. The 58 -foot -long termite mascot for 00:35:18.900 --> 00:35:21.599 an extermination business in Providence has become 00:35:21.599 --> 00:35:24.219 such a cultural landmark that during the COVID 00:35:24.219 --> 00:35:27.300 -19 pandemic, locals famously provided it with 00:35:27.300 --> 00:35:30.260 a giant face mask to encourage public safety. 00:35:30.460 --> 00:35:33.079 It's a symbol of their practical humor. And to 00:35:33.079 --> 00:35:36.300 close out the quirks, the unique holiday. Rhode 00:35:36.300 --> 00:35:38.699 Island is the only state in the U .S. that still 00:35:38.699 --> 00:35:41.599 celebrates Victory Over Japan Day, officially 00:35:41.599 --> 00:35:44.780 known simply as Victory Day, held on the second 00:35:44.780 --> 00:35:48.219 Monday in August. It's one last way. Little Rhodey 00:35:48.219 --> 00:35:49.980 insists on standing apart from the other 49. 00:35:50.769 --> 00:35:53.110 We've thoroughly charted the contradictions inherent 00:35:53.110 --> 00:35:55.630 in this state. We've seen the revolutionary legacy 00:35:55.630 --> 00:35:58.030 of Roger Williams, the emotional and political 00:35:58.030 --> 00:36:00.429 complexities of the dramatic name change, its 00:36:00.429 --> 00:36:02.389 role as the cradle of the Industrial Revolution, 00:36:02.590 --> 00:36:05.570 and the dense, vibrant culture defined by clear 00:36:05.570 --> 00:36:07.989 broth, chowder, and grinders. What stands out 00:36:07.989 --> 00:36:09.590 to me is that consistent pattern of fighting 00:36:09.590 --> 00:36:11.570 for autonomy and progress, whether it was the 00:36:11.570 --> 00:36:13.309 early push for religious freedom, the intense 00:36:13.309 --> 00:36:15.190 civil strife of the door rebellion for suffrage 00:36:15.190 --> 00:36:17.429 rights, or leading the way for American industry 00:36:17.429 --> 00:36:19.730 at Slater Mill. They never stopped defining themselves. 00:36:19.920 --> 00:36:22.659 It's a place defined by its water, its history, 00:36:22.780 --> 00:36:26.239 and its unique rules. Which leads us to our final 00:36:26.239 --> 00:36:28.719 provocative thought for you to consider as you 00:36:28.719 --> 00:36:32.260 finish this deep dive. The ongoing struggle over 00:36:32.260 --> 00:36:35.519 the meaning of the ocean state itself. The Rhode 00:36:35.519 --> 00:36:38.179 Island State Constitution explicitly protects 00:36:38.179 --> 00:36:40.639 the public's right to shoreline access, including 00:36:40.639 --> 00:36:42.599 the rights to swimming and gathering seaweed. 00:36:42.780 --> 00:36:45.000 That sounds like a powerful guarantee of public 00:36:45.000 --> 00:36:47.400 ownership over their essential geography. But 00:36:47.400 --> 00:36:50.559 the devil is in the details of the law. Current 00:36:50.559 --> 00:36:53.380 interpretation often defines private land access 00:36:53.380 --> 00:36:57.760 as ending at the mean high tide line. The problem 00:36:57.760 --> 00:37:00.519 is that boundary is incredibly difficult to determine 00:37:00.519 --> 00:37:02.960 on a day -to -day basis, creating a constant 00:37:02.960 --> 00:37:06.079 ambiguity that favors private landowners. This 00:37:06.079 --> 00:37:08.880 legal ambiguity has led to constant often aggressive 00:37:08.880 --> 00:37:11.260 conflicts between wealthy landowners and the 00:37:11.260 --> 00:37:13.780 public, with often lax enforcement against illegal 00:37:13.780 --> 00:37:15.860 encroachment or the building of structures that 00:37:15.860 --> 00:37:18.199 block public access. So the question that Little 00:37:18.199 --> 00:37:21.420 Rhody must answer is this. How does the smallest 00:37:21.420 --> 00:37:23.960 state reconcile a constitutional public right 00:37:23.960 --> 00:37:27.199 to its essential geography, its very identity 00:37:27.199 --> 00:37:30.019 as the ocean state, with the growing desire for 00:37:30.019 --> 00:37:32.800 privatization of that beautiful, finite coastline? 00:37:33.380 --> 00:37:35.679 What is the real definition of the ocean state 00:37:35.679 --> 00:37:38.699 if the public's access to the ocean is consistently 00:37:38.699 --> 00:37:41.239 contested? It's a contradiction built right into 00:37:41.239 --> 00:37:43.860 the sand. The state that pioneered freedom for 00:37:43.860 --> 00:37:45.739 dissenters still fights over who gets to step 00:37:45.739 --> 00:37:47.719 on the beach. Thanks for joining us for this 00:37:47.719 --> 00:37:49.739 deep dive into Rhode Island. We hope you feel 00:37:49.739 --> 00:37:50.639 thoroughly well informed.