| 18/28 Apr 1689 |
the government of the Territory and Dominion of New England effectively collapsed following the insurrection in Boston on 18/28 Apr 1689 (Byfield's Account of the Revolution in New England, pp. 5-10) |
| 1/11 May 1689 |
a declaration on the resumption of the Charter of 1663 is adopted by the General Assembly at the session held on 1/11 May 1689 in Newport (Rhode Island Records, 3:267-269) |
| 1/11 May 1689 - 20 Jul 1776 |
Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations [1] |
| 4 May 1776 |
the exercise of authority in the name of the King of Great Britain is terminated, the government is to be carried out in the name of the Government and Company of the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in accordance with an act passed by the General Assembly (Lower House on 4 May 1776, concurred in by the House of Magistrates on 4 May 1776) (Rhode Island House of Magistrates Journal, MS, 1776, May-September, fl. 11; Rhode Island Session Laws, 1776, May, pp. 22-26) [2] |
| 4 Jul 1776 |
the British colonies represented in the Continental Congress are proclaimed free and independent states in accordance with a declaration approved at the session of the Congress held on 4 Jul 1776 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Continental Congress Journals, 5:510-515; The Pennsylvania Evening Post, No. 228, 6 Jul 1776, pp. 335-336) |
| 19 Jul 1776 |
the Declaration of Independence of the United States is approved in accordance with a resolution passed by the General Assembly of Rhode Island at a session held in Newport (Lower House on 19 Jul 1776, House of Magistrates concurs in on 19 Jul 1776) (Rhode Island House of Magistrates Journal, MS, 1776, May-September, fl. 29; Rhode Island Session Laws, 1776, July, p. 127) |
| 20 Jul 1776 |
the Declaration of Independence of the United States is read and published at a ceremony held in Newport on 20 Jul 1776; the style and title of the government is changed to the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in accordance with an act passed by the General Assembly (Lower House on 20 Jul 1776; House of Magistrates concurs in on 20 Jul 1776, with an amendment; Lower House concurs in the amendment on the same day) (Rhode Island House of Magistrates Journal, MS, 1776, May-September, fl. 30; Rhode Island Session Laws, 1776, July, p. 128; Newport Mercury, No. 936, 22 Jul 1776, p. 4) |
