1. In 1655, Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, died in Providence. Williams was a Puritan minister who believed in religious toleration and the separation of church and state. He founded the colony of Rhode Island as a haven for those seeking freedom of conscience.

2. In 1764, the British Parliament passed the Sugar Act, which imposed a tax on sugar and other goods imported into the American colonies. The act was deeply unpopular in Rhode Island, which was a major center of the rum trade and relied heavily on imported sugar. The act was one of the factors that led to the American Revolution.

3. In 1820, the United States Congress passed the Missouri Compromise, which admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, and prohibited slavery in any new states formed north of the 36°30' parallel. Rhode Island, which had abolished slavery in 1774, supported the compromise but also objected to the idea of Congress dictating the terms of statehood.

4. In 1842, a group of women in Pawtucket organized the first strike by female mill workers in the United States. The women, who worked in a textile factory, were protesting a 25% wage cut. The strike lasted several months and gained national attention, but ultimately failed to achieve its goals.

5. In 1976, the Providence Civic Center (now the Dunkin' Donuts Center) opened. The arena has hosted numerous events over the years, including concerts, sporting events, political rallies, and conventions. It is also the home ice of the Providence Bruins, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Boston Bruins.