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5 Fun Facts About March 15 In Rhode Island History

---Learn Every Day: RI Today In History Facts Texted Each Day - Text: history ri To: 618-270-4005---

1. Rhode Island Constitution Ratified: On March 15, 1843, Rhode Island's current state constitution was ratified, replacing the colonial charter that had been in place since 1663. This constitution established the separation of powers among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government and expanded voting rights to more residents.

2. Brown University Founded: On March 15, 1764, the College of Rhode Island, now known as Brown University, was chartered in Providence. The school was founded by Baptist minister James Manning and became the seventh-oldest college in the United States.

3. Gaspee Affair: On March 15, 1772, the HMS Gaspee, a British customs schooner, ran aground near what is now Gaspee Point in Warwick, Rhode Island. Local colonists, unhappy with the Gaspee's strict enforcement of British trade laws, boarded the ship, removed its crew, and burned it to the waterline.

4. First Rhode Island Regiment: On March 15, 1777, the First Rhode Island Regiment, composed of African American and Native American soldiers, fought in the Battle of Ridgefield during the Revolutionary War. This regiment is considered one of the first integrated units in American military history.

5. Thomas Dorr's Rebellion: On March 15, 1842, Rhode Island activist Thomas Dorr held his "People's Convention" in Providence, advocating for expanded voting rights and a new state constitution. This eventually led to the Dorr Rebellion, a failed attempt to seize control of the state government and establish a new constitution in 1842.
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