Hello and welcome to a history of the United States. Episode 34. The founding of Rhode Island.

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So far, we've set up four of the New England colonies, Plymouth, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.

But as the Puritan migration continued, throughout the 1630s and the population swelled, several more would be set up.

This is why today we turn towards Rhode Island.

Rhode Island is a curiosity.

I'm not going to play favourites with states throughout this history,

but there is something special about Rhode Island. It is the smallest state, only

1,214 square miles, 48 miles north to south, and 37 miles east to west. For comparison, this is over

600 times smaller than the largest state, Alaska. It also has a rather unique and radical history.

It was the first of the 13 colonies to go into open rebellion against

England, and also the last to ratify the Constitution. I've said previously that you can see

states gaining their character from very early in their history. It will not take you very long to work out how

Rhode Island came to have this attitude. To do that, we need to look at its founder, Roger Williams.

Williams was born in London, we're not sure on the exact date, but 1603 is the most likely.

He was not born to a wealthy family, he was not part of the gentry, like Winthrop, but the son of a shopkeeper.

He was a bright mind from an early age, but his family was unable to fund an

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