1. In 1774, Rhode Island established a committee to correspond with other colonies to discuss the actions of the British government, which led to the formation of the Continental Congress.

2. On July 5, 1872, the Newport Casino was opened. The building is now a National Historic Landmark and still functions as a club for tennis and croquet.

3. In 1946, the first post-World War II race took place in Narragansett Bay. The 28-mile yacht race was won by the yacht "Constitution."

4. On July 5, 1963, the Newport Folk Festival featured performances by Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, among others. This concert is considered a pivotal moment in the folk music movement.

5. In 1979, the Rhode Island Supreme Court ruled that a patient had the right to refuse life-saving medical treatment, which established the right to die with dignity in the state.