1. In 1776, the Rhode Island General Assembly was the last of the 13 colonies to ratify the Declaration of Independence, affirming Rhode Island's status as one of the original 13 states.

2. On August 9, 1842, Dorr's Rebellion reached its climax as supporters of Thomas Wilson Dorr attempted to seize control of the state government in an effort to expand suffrage and bring democracy to Rhode Island.

3. In 1862, Union forces under General Ambrose Burnside landed in Newport, Rhode Island, as part of the preparations for the Battle of Fredericksburg during the American Civil War.

4. On August 9, 1898, Rhode Island's first automobile accident occurred when a car collided with a horse-drawn carriage in Providence. The driver of the car, John W. Potter, was fined $2 for reckless driving.

5. In 1978, the Rhode Island Red was named the official state bird of Rhode Island, in honor of the breed's importance to the state's history as a major producer of poultry.