1. On August 7, 1790, the US Congress approved Rhode Island's ratification of the Constitution, making it the 13th state to join the Union.

2. On August 7, 1840, the Newport High School for Young Ladies was opened in Rhode Island, becoming the first public secondary school for girls in the United States.

3. The American artist Gilbert Stuart, known for his portraits of George Washington, was born in Saunderstown, Rhode Island on August 7, 1755.

4. On August 7, 1959, the USS Nautilus, the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, returned to its home port in Rhode Island after completing the first underwater crossing of the North Pole.

5. On August 7, 1974, Rhode Island Senator John O. Pastore gave a historic speech to Congress in which he passionately defended public broadcasting and its importance to American culture, ultimately leading to the continued funding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.