The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (commonly known as Rhode Island) is the smallest state by land area in the United States, and the state with the longest official name. Rhode (pronounced "Road") Island is part of the New England region, and was the first of the thirteen original American colonies to declare independence from British rule, signaling the start of the American Revolution.

The state's common name, Rhode Island, actually refers to the largest island in Narragansett Bay, also known as Aquidneck Island, on which the city of Newport is located. Aquidneck Island is also locally referred to as Newport - though it in fact has three distinct townships on it. The origin of the name is unclear. Some historians think that Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, upon discovering Block Island, just southwest in the Atlantic Ocean, named it Rhode Island because of its similarity in shape to the Greek island of Rhodes. Later settlers, mistaking which island Verrazzano was referring to, gave the name to Aquidneck Island instead. Other historians believe that the name is derived from Roodt Eylandt, old Dutch for "red island," given to the island by Dutch explorer Adriaen Block due to the red clay on the island's shore.

Despite most of the state being part of the mainland, the name Rhode Island leads some out-of-staters to believe—mistakenly—that the entire state is an island. Rhode Island is nicknamed "The Ocean State".

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Brisk cold day in Houston still not as cold as rhode island tho 11 more days till rhody
Bobby401Gates (Bobby gates) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:51:08 -0000
Brisk cold day in Houston still not as cold as rhode island tho 11 more days till rhody
RHODE ISLAND PEOPLES!!!!! Catch me LIVE at JERKYS FEB. 11 w/ SLAINE & @ITSDJECLIPSE --- CLICK LINK TO BUY TICKETS http://tr.im/Jwgk
ILLBILL1972 (ILL BILL) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:45:09 -0000
RHODE ISLAND PEOPLES!!!!! Catch me LIVE at JERKYS FEB. 11 w/ SLAINE & @ITSDJECLIPSE --- CLICK LINK TO BUY TICKETS http://tr.im/Jwgk
Governor Carcieri Names Keith Stokes Executive Director of Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation http://tinyurl.com/ycdboo5
riedc (RIEDC) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:32:53 -0000
Governor Carcieri Names Keith Stokes Executive Director of Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation http://tinyurl.com/ycdboo5
Living in many places: So far, the places I've called home have been in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine!
Emily_Watsonh (emily watsonh) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:28:07 -0000
Living in many places: So far, the places I've called home have been in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine!
Rhode island for a quick minute
ktfnckntruchon (katie) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:15:31 -0000
Rhode island for a quick minute
Making the beast with two jean-jackets. (Rhode Island Sex)
thesulk (Alec Sulkin) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 18:15:00 -0000
Making the beast with two jean-jackets. (Rhode Island Sex)

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