The anniversary of Rhode Island’s declaration of independence from the British Empire in 1776 is being marked Wednesday.
Rhode Island repealed legislation pledging its allegiance to the crown — two months before any of the 12 other colonies.
Rhode Island is not always the first place people think of when looking back on the American Revolution. But before Boston fought unfair taxation tossing tea into the ocean in 1773, there was the Gaspee Affair in 1772.
After threats of tighter customs enforcement in the ports of Newport and Providence, Rhode Islanders took to burning down a British ship, the HMS Gaspee, in Warwick.
Rhode Island’s economy relied heavily on the trade of sugar, molasses, and slaves. It also benefitted from trade with smugglers.
The crown’s efforts to raise taxes on these sales sparked calls for independence, leading to May 4, 1776.
Concerns over high taxes to a central government also explain why Rhode Island was the last state to ratify the Constitution.