Rhode Island was the first American colony to renounce allegiance to the British Crown in 1776.
On May 4, 1776, Rhode Island’s colonial legislature passed an act ending its allegiance to King George III. This occurred two months before the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4.
The colony had a long reputation for political and religious independence. It had already played a notable role in resistance to British authority, including the 1772 Gaspee Affair, when colonists attacked and burned a British customs schooner.
Rhode Island was also notable after independence: it was the last of the original thirteen states to ratify the United States Constitution, doing so on May 29, 1790. Its early break with Britain and late constitutional ratification are separate milestones.