What Is Rhode Island Famous For?

The last of the original 13 colonies to ratify the U.S. Constitution, it was also the first of the colonies to declare itself independent of British rule, doing so two months prior to the other colonies on May 4, 1776. Rhode Island never ratified the 18th Amendment (prohibition) and was the first state to respond to President Abraham Lincoln's request for troops during the Civil War. Despite its small size, Rhode Island ranks second in population density.