1. In 1776, Samuel Ward, a Rhode Island delegate to the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence along with fellow Rhode Island delegate Stephen Hopkins. Rhode Island was the last of the 13 colonies to ratify the document, doing so on May 4, 1776.

2. On June 8, 1954, Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence introduced a new addition to the park - a baby elephant named Betsy. Betsy quickly became a popular attraction and was one of the highlights of the zoo for many years.

3. In 1971, the Rhode Island state legislature passed a law that lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 years old. The law came in response to the growing anti-war movement and calls for greater youth involvement in politics.

4. On June 8, 1956, the Providence Reds ice hockey team won their second consecutive Calder Cup championship. The Reds, who played in the American Hockey League, were a popular team in Rhode Island until they folded in 1977.

5. In 1909, the first Rhode Island state flag was adopted. Designed by a committee of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the flag features a gold anchor, surrounded by 13 gold stars, on a blue field. The anchor and stars are symbolic of Rhode Island's colonial and maritime heritage.