As you may already know, Rhode Island was founded on the basis of religious liberty, as Roger Williams broke away from Puritan-dominated Massachussets. Thanks to this, people of all beliefs and nonconformists are welcome and abundant. There are large groups of French Huguenots (Calvanists), Jews, Puritans, Quakers & Antinomians-who merged because of similar beliefs-Baptists, who built their first New World church on Rhode Island soil, and those of no religion.
Due to this variety in religious backgrounds, cultural backgrounds vary as well. The option of slavery is widely accepted and accessed by many. We enjoyed good relations with Indians until the 1670s, but since the King Phillip War, the remaining Indians have receded into their own communities. |
