Rhode

39S5

Rhode

each order has been further subdivided ac-
cording to observed types of pseudopodia
and of tests.

Rhode Island, one of the 13 original
States of the United States, and one of the
New England group of States. It is bounded
on the north and east by Massachusetts; on
the south by the Atlantic Ocean; and on the
west by Connecticut. It has a total area of
1,248 sq. m., of which 181 are water. It is
the smallest State in the Union. Rhode Island
lies almost wholly in the Piedmont Plain; and
the surface is generally rough and hilly. The
State is divided into two unequal portions
by Narragansett Bay, an arm of the sea
which varies in width from 3 to 12 m. A
striking feature of the surface is the great
number of lakes, called ponds or reservoirs.
The principal rivers are the Blackstone in the
northeast, the Pawtuxet in the middle, and
the Pawcatuck in the southwest. The cli-
mate is fairly equable, but the extremes be-
come greater as one leaves the coast. The
geological formations of the State belong to
the Archaean and Palaeozoic eras. The Arch-
aean rocks are the granites and gneisses of the
western part. The leading mineral industry
is stone quarrying, which includes produc-
tion of lime. Much sand and gravel are
shipped. Clay products, coke, mineral wa-
ters and trap rock are also produced. The
shell fish industry is very extensive; oysters,
clams, quahaugs and scallops are snipped as
far as Canada and California.

Rhode Island, originally forest clad, has
been long cleared and largely reduced to
cultivation. The total farm land in 1935
was 307,725 acres, of which one-third 'was
improved, and one-third was 'woodland. The
total value of farm property was $35,237,660.
The principal crops are: hay and forage,
white potatoes, corn and oats. Apples, peach-
es, pears, plums, prunes and cherries are also
grown. Milk dairying is the chief agricultur-
al industry. Rhode Island is pre-eminently a
manufacturing community, and the growth
and concentration of population in the State
have been closely related to the increase in
its manufacturing industries. The transporta-
tion facilities are excellent. Providence, the
largest city, is one of the most important
seaports in New England, while the State is
traversed by the main line of the most im-
portant railway system in New England, giv-
ing it direct connection with other parts of
the country. The textile industries of the
State—consisting of the manufacture of wool-

en and worsted goods, cotton goods, silk and
rayon and knit goods—are by far the most
important. In Providence practically all the
jewelry of the State is manufactured. Paw-
tucket. Woonsocket, Central Falls, Cranston,
Bristol, West Warwick, East Providence and
North Providence are important manufac-
turing centers. According to the Federal Cen-
sus for 1940, the population of Rhode Island
was 713,346. The population of the prin-
cipal cities in 1930 was: Providence, 253,504;
Pawtucket, 75,797; Woonsocket, 49,303;
Cranston, 47,085. Institutions of higher learn-
ing include Brown University and Providence
College, both at Providence; and the Rhode
Island State College, at Kingston. The pres-
ent constitution of Rhode Island is that
drawn up in 1842, as since amended. The
legislature, or General Assembly, consists of
a Senate of 39 members, besides the lieuten-
ant-governor, who is ex officio president, and
a House of Representatives of 100 members,
all elected biennially. There is one Senator
from each town or city. Representatives are
elected by towns and cities according to
population. Under the Reapportionment Act,
Rhode Island has 2 Representatives in the
National Congress. Providence is the State
Capital.

Narragansett Bay was explored in 1524 by
Verrazano, and in 1616 by Adrian Block. In
1636 Roger Williams, a fugitive from Massa-
chusetts intolerance, settled with five com-
panions at Providence. Two years later he
obtained an extensive grant of land from the
Narragansett Indians, and founded a com-
munity based upon the principles of equality,
freedom of conscience, and separation of
church and state. The same year he per-
suaded the followers of Anne Hutchinson to
settle on Aquidneck Island, which he ob-
tained for them from Miantonomoh, a Nar-
ragansett Indian chief. This band, at whose
head was William Coddington, settled at
Portsmouth, but frequent quarrels led .to the
founding of Newport in 1639. A fourth
settlement in Rhode Island was made at War-
wick in 1634 by Samuel Gorton. The forma-
tion of the New England Confederation in
1643 threatened the independence of the col-
ony, and Williams went to England to secure
protection. In October, 1652, the charter
and union of all the settlements in Rhode
Island was confirmed; but it was not until
1657 that they were actually reunited. On
July 8, 1663, Clarke, who had been left in
England as agent of the colony, obtained