| R 245 |
| 2024 -- S 3016 Enacted 05/02/2024 |
| S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
| CELEBRATING RHODE ISLAND INDEPENDENCE DAY ON MAY 4, 2024 |
Introduced By: Senators de la Cruz, DeLuca, Rogers, Raptakis, Ujifusa, F. Lombardi, Picard, Felag, Zurier, and Britto |
| Date Introduced: May 02, 2024 |
| WHEREAS, Rhode Island colonists were considered to be "the most radical religious |
| dissenters from the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony," and as our new State and indeed |
| our new Nation, independent of the British crown, began to take form, great leaders emerged to |
| lead the way; and |
| WHEREAS, Relations between Rhode Island colonists and their British rulers |
| deteriorated rapidly after the 1772 incident in which Rhode Island colonists, angered by |
| continued British attempts to impose taxes in ways that the colonists perceived to be unfair, |
| boarded and burned the British customs ship, Gaspee, which had run aground near Warwick, |
| while patrolling the coastal waters in search of local smugglers; and |
| WHEREAS, One of our State's most renowned colonial leaders was Nathanael Greene. |
| He was born on Forge Farm at Potowomut in the township of Warwick, Rhode Island, but later |
| moved to Coventry to take charge of the family-owned forge. He began his military career as a |
| militia private, the lowest rank possible, but was eventually elevated to commander of the |
| colonial militia. He led troops in the Continental Army at Boston and New York, then fought in |
| battles at Trenton, Brandywine, and Germantown; and |
| WHEREAS, Nathanael Greene played an additional role in shaping our State. He served |
| as a deputy of the Rhode Island Assembly. Thomas Jefferson once wrote that Nathanael Greene |
| was "second to no one in enterprise, in resource, in sound judgment, promptitude of decision, and |
| every other military talent"; and |
| WHEREAS, Our State's founders formed, protected, and represented the first colony to |
| renounce allegiance to King George III; and |
| WHEREAS, The celebration of Rhode Island Independence Day on May 4th is a "tribute |
| to the memory of the members of our General Assembly, who, on the fourth day of May, 1776, in |
| the State House at Providence, passed an act renouncing allegiance of the colony to the British |
| crown and by the provisions of that act declared Rhode Island sovereign and independent, the |
| first official act of its kind by any of the thirteen American colonies"; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby joins citizens from |
| across our Ocean State in celebrating Rhode Island Independence Day on May 4th of 2024; and be |
| it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Nathanael Greene Homestead Association, |
| Inc. |
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| LC005591 |
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