Rhode Island is the smallest state in area but it is founded on freedoms still revered across the nation.

Rhode Island had what was needed to be a leader in the new US economy: wealth from trade, power from its rives, and cheap labour. Dozens of textile mill towns prospered, attracting immigrants fist from Ireland, England, and Scotland and later from Italy and Portugal.

In recent years, Rhode Island has seen economic improvement. It has a thriving jewellery and silverware industry and manufactures electronics, scientific instruments, machines, and some textiles. Biotechnology is growing, and the state is working to preserve the environment of Narragansett Bay, source of mush of its wealth. The Ocean State also looks to expand tourism, drawing visitors with its rich history and a variety of water sports.