1. In 1861, the Union Army seized Fort Pike in Jamestown, Rhode Island, in preparation for the Civil War. The fort played a significant role in securing the strategic coastal defense of the region.

2. September 2, 1963, marked the opening of the Newport Bridge, which spans the Narragansett Bay and connects the city of Newport to the mainland. At the time, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world.

3. In 1952, the University of Rhode Island admitted its first African-American student, William W. Stews. Stews went on to become the first black athlete to play on a URI varsity team.

4. On September 2, 1775, the first Rhode Island regiment was formed in Providence. The unit was led by Colonel Christopher Greene and was one of the earliest Continental Army regiments to be established during the American Revolution.

5. In 1789, the Rhode Island legislature ratified the US Constitution, becoming the last of the original thirteen colonies to do so. The constitution officially established the federal government and paved the way for Rhode Island's eventual admission into the United States as the 13th state.