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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Rhode Island - Twitter Search

Beginning today, Rhode Island no longer allows indoor prostitution. I thought you'd like to know. http://ping.fm/FmbV8
LeavittDC (David I. Leavitt) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:25:13 -0000
Beginning today, Rhode Island no longer allows indoor prostitution. I thought you'd like to know. http://ping.fm/FmbV8
RT @drbob911: Patient Safety - Rhode Island Hospital in Providence: 5 wrong-site surgeries since Jan 07. $150,000 fine by RI Dept of Health
ACEPqhit (angela franklin) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:19:45 -0000
RT @drbob911: Patient Safety - Rhode Island Hospital in Providence: 5 wrong-site surgeries since Jan 07. $150,000 fine by RI Dept of Health
Rhode Island bound tomorrow!
chelsvels32589 (Chelsea Velsor) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:15:23 -0000
Rhode Island bound tomorrow!
Rhode Island just banned indoor prostituion. It was legal before once in private, now its illegal everywhere!
warrencassell (Warren Cassell) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:12:01 -0000
Rhode Island just banned indoor prostituion. It was legal before once in private, now its illegal everywhere!
Patient Safety - Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, RI: 5 wrong-site surgeries since Jan 07. $150,000 fine by RI Department of Health.
drbob911 (Dr. Bob) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:09:58 -0000
Patient Safety - Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, RI: 5 wrong-site surgeries since Jan 07. $150,000 fine by RI Department of Health.
haha RT @styvorama: Indoor prostitution has been made illegal in Rhode Island. Unemployment skyrockets.
lukebourassa (lukebourassa) Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:06:25 -0000
haha RT @styvorama: Indoor prostitution has been made illegal in Rhode Island. Unemployment skyrockets.

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