The Rhode Island declaration of independence

Before the United States had a name, Rhode Island made its choice in 1776. It happened before July Fourth. Charles Warren Lippitt's The Rhode Island declaration of independence is a historical monograph for readers who want the record, not the legend: a complete text edition and primary source reprint that preserves the language of rhode island independence at the moment of decision. It captures a colony's legislature turning principle into law, marking a clear break with Great Britain in the measured cadences of colonial government documents. Set against the pressures of the 1776 independence movement, the text reveals how authority was claimed, named, and justified in colonial Rhode Island, and why that act mattered beyond its shoreline. Its significance lies in timing and tone: independence declared as governance, not theatre, and written to be enacted. Read beside later national statements, it sharpens our sense of how revolution travelled through New England's towns and assemblies. For american revolution researchers, it offers a dependable primary-source foothold for citation and comparison. For local history enthusiasts, it brings the drama of self-government into sharp focus. For collectors of founding era political writing and new england colonial history, it stands as classic Americana: brief, consequential, and bracingly direct, a reminder that independence was argued and authorised in more than one place. Republished by Alpha Editions in a careful modern edition, this volume preserves the spirit of the original while making it effortless to enjoy today - a heritage title prepared for readers and collectors alike.