Rhode Island
From its beginning, Little Rhody has been home to a rebellious group of citizens. Rhode Island was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, an exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony Puritans, to truly establish religious freedom. Before the Revolutionary War began, the Rhode Island colonists burned two British trading ships. In May of 1776, the Ocean State was the first to claim independence from British King George III. In keeping with tradition, the young state then refused to participate in the War of 1812.
Although Rhode Island is the smallest of the United States, it does not have the smallest collection of sculpture. Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming have fewer outdoor sculptures. Rhode Islanders found that 85 of the 154 sculptures require conservation treatment.
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