1. In 1636, Roger Williams was expelled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony and fled to what is now Rhode Island, where he founded Providence.
2. On March 11, 1764, the British Parliament passed the Sugar Act, which was designed to raise revenue from the American colonies and led to increased tensions that ultimately led to the Revolutionary War.
3. The first recorded performance of the song "The Star-Spangled Banner" in Rhode Island took place on March 11, 1814, when a choir sang it at the First Congregational Church in Providence.
4. On March 11, 1861, the Rhode Island State Legislature approved an act to raise troops to defend the Union during the Civil War.
5. On March 11, 2011, a devastating earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, prompting Rhode Island to send aid and support to the affected areas through organizations such as the Red Cross.