Editing Rhode Island (section)

===Changes to the name===
The first English settlement in Rhode Island was the town of Providence, which the [[Narragansett people|Narragansett]] granted to Roger Williams in 1636.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}} At that time, Williams obtained no permission from the English crown, as he believed the English had no legitimate claim on Narragansett and [[Wampanoag]] territory.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Warren |first1=James |title=God, War, and Providence: the Epic Struggle of Roger Williams and the Narragansett Indians against the Puritans of New England |date=June 12, 2018 |publisher=Scribner |isbn=978-1501180415|page=138}}</ref>{{verify source|date=February 2023}} Williams traveled to London in 1643, during the English Civil War, to obtain legal recognition of the new settlements. A [[Letters patent|Patent]] was granted to "the incorporation of Providence Plantations in Narragansett Bay in New England" by the Parliamentary committee on [[Plantation (settlement or colony)|Foreign Plantations]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Magazine |first1=Smithsonian |title=God, Government and Roger Williams' Big Idea |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/god-government-and-roger-williams-big-idea-6291280/ |website=Smithsonian Magazine |language=en}}</ref> After the English Civil war, a Royal Charter was granted in 1663, giving the colony an official name of the "Governor and Company of the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England, in America."<ref>{{cite web |title=Rhode Island Charter |url=https://www.sos.ri.gov/divisions/civics-and-education/for-educators/themed-collections/rhode-island-charter |website=www.sos.ri.gov |publisher=Rhode Island Secretary of State |access-date=8 February 2023}}</ref> Following the [[American Revolution]], in 1790 the new state incorporated as the "State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations". However, as matter of convenience, the state came to be commonly known as simply "Rhode Island".

The word ''plantation'' in the state's name became a contested issue during the 20th century and the increased awareness of slavery and its role in early Rhode Island history. The General Assembly voted in 2009 to hold a referendum in November 2010 on removing "and Providence Plantations" from the official name. Advocates for excising ''plantation'' argued that the word symbolized a legacy of disenfranchisement for many Rhode Islanders, as well as the proliferation of slavery in the colonies and in the post-colonial United States. Advocates for retaining the name argued that ''plantation'' was simply an archaic synonym for ''colony'' and bore no relation to slavery. The people voted overwhelmingly (78% to 22%) to retain the entire original name.<ref>{{cite news|first=Gina |last=Macris |title=Strong 'no' to changing R.I. name |url=http://www.projo.com/news/content/REFERENDUM_QUESTIONS__11-03-10_L6KN60T_v37.28337dc.html |work=[[The Providence Journal]] |date=November 3, 2010 |access-date=November 3, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101106014500/http://www.projo.com/news/content/REFERENDUM_QUESTIONS__11-03-10_L6KN60T_v37.28337dc.html |archive-date=November 6, 2010 }}</ref>

In June 2020, state senator [[Harold Metts]] introduced a resolution for another ballot referendum on the subject, saying, "Whatever the meaning of the term 'plantations' in the context of Rhode Island's history, it carries a horrific connotation when considering the tragic and racist history of our nation."<ref>{{cite news |last=Doiron |first=Sarah |date=June 18, 2020 |title=Senate unanimously approves resolution on removing 'Providence Plantations' from RI's official name |work=WPRI.com |url=https://www.wpri.com/news/politics/senate-unanimously-approves-resolution-on-removing-providence-plantations-from-ris-official-name/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200620231947/https://www.wpri.com/news/politics/senate-unanimously-approves-resolution-on-removing-providence-plantations-from-ris-official-name/ |archive-date=June 20, 2020}}</ref> Governor [[Gina Raimondo]] issued an executive order to remove the phrase from a range of official documents and state websites.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=DaSilva |first1=Melanie |last2=Doiron |first2=Sarah |date=22 June 2020 |title=Raimondo signs executive order removing 'Providence Plantations' from official documents |url=https://www.wpri.com/news/politics/raimondo-to-sign-executive-order-removing-providence-plantations-from-official-documents/ |access-date=24 June 2020 |archive-date=October 31, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201031065710/https://www.wpri.com/news/politics/raimondo-to-sign-executive-order-removing-providence-plantations-from-official-documents/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In July, amidst the [[George Floyd protests]] and nationwide calls to address systemic racism, the resolution referring the question to the voters was passed by both houses of the [[Rhode Island General Assembly]]: 69–1 in the [[Rhode Island House of Representatives|House of Representatives]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/HVotes/votereport.asp?id=17173|access-date=2020-11-10|title=The State of Rhode Island General Assembly|website=Rhode Island General Assembly|location=Rhode Island|archive-date=November 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117070320/http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/HVotes/votereport.asp?id=17173|url-status=live}}</ref> and 35–0 in the [[Rhode Island Senate|Senate]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/Journals20/SenateJournals20/SJournal7-16.pdf|access-date=2020-11-10|website=Rhode Island General Assembly|title=Journal of the Rhode Island Senate, Volume 147, No. 25|archive-date=February 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220154004/http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/Journals20/SenateJournals20/SJournal7-16.pdf|url-status=live}} (PDF)</ref> The change was then approved by voters 52.8% to 47.2% as part of the [[2020 United States elections]], taking effect in November 2020 upon certification of the results.<ref name="BI name change" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-04|title=Voters strip 'Providence Plantations' from Rhode Island's formal name|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/voters-strip-providence-plantations-from-rhode-islands-formal-name|access-date=2020-11-04|website=PBS NewsHour|language=en-us|archive-date=November 4, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201104225416/https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/voters-strip-providence-plantations-from-rhode-islands-formal-name|url-status=live}}</ref>