Put Rhody’s Independent History at Your Fingertips

On May 4, 1776, Rhode Island became the first American colony to pass a law renouncing its allegiance to King George III of England, and Rhode Islanders can mark Friday’s 236^th anniversary of the occasion by reading the historic document for themselves.

In the handwritten manuscript, colonial lawmakers accused the King of breaking “the compact” with Rhode Island’s citizens by “…by sending fleets and armies to America, to confiscate our property, and spread fire, sword and desolation, throughout our country, in order to compel us to submit to the most debasing and detestable tyranny, whereby we are obliged by necessity, and it becomes our highest duty, to use every means, with which God and nature have furnished us, in support of our invaluable rights and privileges; to oppose that power which is exerted only for our destruction.”

The original manuscript is preserved by the Secretary of State’s office at the State Archives, 337 Westminster St., in downtown Providence. Home to thousands of other historic documents such as the 1921 Act Extending the Right to Vote to Women Citizens and a copy of the original 1638 deed for Providence in Roger Williams’ handwriting, the Archives is open to the public weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.