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Portsmouth, Rhode Island

Portsmouth, Rhode Island

Portsmouth is a town located in Newport County, Rhode Island. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 17,149. Portsmouth's zip code is 02871.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 153.6 km² (59.3 mi²). 60.1 km² (23.2 mi²) of it is land and 93.5 km² (36.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 60.86% water. Most of its land area lies on Aquidneck Island, which it shares with Middletown and Newport. In addition, Portsmouth encompasses some smaller islands, including Prudence Island and Patience Island.

History

Portsmouth was settled in 1638 by Anne Hutchinson and her followers. It was founded by the signers of the Portsmouth Compact, including Anne Hutchinson's husband William Hutchinson. Its original Indian name was Pocasset. It was officially named Portsmouth on May 12, 1639. It became part of the colony of Rhode Island (see Aquidneck Island) and eventually of the colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations and the state that bears that name. Portsmouth is the site of an important capture during the American War for Independence. Colonel Wiliam Barton of Rhode island captured the British Commander-in-Chief, General Richard Prescott there. It is also the site of Rhode Island's only major battle in that war on August 29, 1778. During this battle the British were defeated by the First Rhode Island Regiment, which was comprised mostly of African-American soldiers. In 1985, Portsmouth became home to Clement's Market, a large supermarket, and an alternative of the strip malls in nearby Middletown.

Demographics

As of the census2 of 2000, there are 17,149 people, 6,758 households, and 4,865 families residing in the town. The population density is 285.3/km² (739.0/mi²). There are 7,386 housing units at an average density of 122.9/km² (318.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 95.82% White, 1.17% African American, 0.19% Native American, 1.36% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. 1.45% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 6,758 households out of which 33.4% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.1% are married couples living together, 8.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 28.0% are non-families. 23.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.53 and the average family size is 3.00. In the town the population is spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 26.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females there are 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.6 males. The median income for a household in the town is $58,835, and the median income for a family is $68,577. Males have a median income of $46,297 versus $31,745 for females. The per capita income for the town is $28,161. 3.4% of the population and 2.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 2.8% of those under the age of 18 and 6.4% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

External links

http://www.riliving.com/oceanstate/cities/portsmouth.asp Category:Towns in Rhode Island Category:Newport County, Rhode Island

Newport County, Rhode Island

Newport County is one of five counties located in the state of Rhode Island. As of 2000, the population of Newport County is 85,433. Newport County is also one of the seven regions of Rhode Island. Newport County does not have any form of county government. Newport is the location of mysterious Newport Tower.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 812 km² (314 mi²). 269 km² (104 mi²) of it is land and 543 km² (210 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 66.83% water. The county mainly consists of some mainland, the island Rhode Island after which the state is named and two smaller islands.

Adjacent Counties


- Bristol County, Massachusetts - east

Demographics

As of the census2 of 2000, there are 85,433 people, 35,228 households, and 22,228 families residing in the county. The population density is 317/km² (821/mi²). There are 39,561 housing units at an average density of 147/km² (380/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 91.46% White, 3.73% Black or African American, 0.43% Native American, 1.23% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.09% from other races, and 1.99% from two or more races. 2.82% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 35,228 households out of which 28.60% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.90% are married couples living together, 10.30% have a female householder with no husband present, and 36.90% are non-families. 29.90% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.80% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.35 and the average family size is 2.95. In the county, the population is spread out with 22.50% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 29.90% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 14.40% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 94.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 91.40 males. The median income for a household in the county is $50,448, and the median income for a family is $60,610. Males have a median income of $41,630 versus $29,241 for females. The per capita income for the county is $26,779. 7.10% of the population and 5.40% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 9.00% of those under the age of 18 and 6.70% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Cities, towns, and villages
-


- Jamestown
- Little Compton
- Middletown
- Newport
- Portsmouth
- -- Melville (a village of Portsmouth)
- Tiverton
- -- Adamsville (a village of Tiverton)
- Villages are census division, but have no separate corporate existence from the towns they are in.

External links


- [http://www.newportchamber.com/ Newport County Chamber of Commerce]
- [http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/RI/Newport/districts.html National Register of Historic Places listing for Newport Co., Rhode Island] Category:Rhode Island counties ja:ニューポート郡

2000

This article is about the year 2000. For other uses of 2000, see 2000 (number) or 2000 (breakdancing move). 2000 (MM) is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. Popular culture also holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium. By strict interpretation of the Gregorian Calendar, however, this distinction falls to the year 2001. This is due to the fact that the first century began with the year 1, and there does not exist a year zero. The first century (or first 100 years AD) was from January 1, in the year one (1 AD) through December 31, in the year one-hundred (100 AD). The second century began on January 1, in the year one-hundred and one (101 AD). The year 2000 is also marked as:
- The International Year for a Culture of Peace.
- The World Mathematical Year. See also Wikipedia's almanac of events for this year.

Events

January


- January 1 - Millennium celebrations take place throughout the world. Y2K passes without the serious, widespread computer failures and malfunctions that had been predicted.
- January 5-January 8 - The 2000 al-Qaida Summit
- January 6 - The last remaining Pyrenean Ibex is found dead.
- January 10 - America On-line announces an agreement to buy Time Warner for $162 billion. This is the largest-ever corporate merger.
- January 11 - the armed wing of Islamic Salvation Front concludes its negotiations with the government for an amnesty and disbands in Algeria.
- January 11 - The trawler Solway Harvester sinks off the Isle of Man.
- January 14 - A United Nations tribunal sentences five Bosnian Croats up to 25 years for the 1993 killing of over 100 Bosnian Muslims in a Bosnian village.
- January 16 - In Sacramento, California a commercial truck carrying evaporated milk is driven into the state capitol building killing the driver.
- January 24 - God's Army, Karen militia group led by twins Johnny and Luther Htoo, take 700 hostages at a Thai hospital near the Burmese border.
- January 30 - St. Louis Rams 23 defeat the Tennessee Titans 16 to win the Super_Bowl_XXXIV
- January 30 - Off the coast of Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya Airways Flight 431 crashes into the Atlantic Ocean, killing 169. Within a day, Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crashes off the California coast into the Pacific Ocean, killing 88.
- January 31 - Dr. Harold Shipman in sentenced to life in prison for murder of at least 15 of his patients out of 365 suspected victims.

February


- February 4 - German extortionist Klaus-Peter Sabotta is jailed for life for attempted murder and extortion in connection with sabotage of German railway lines.
- February 6 - Tarja Halonen is elected the first Finnish female president.
- February 13 - Final original Peanuts comic strip is published.
- February 14 - The spacecraft NEAR Shoemaker entered orbit around asteroid 433 Eros, the first spacecraft to orbit an asteroid.

March


- March 1 - The Constitution of Finland is rewritten.
- March 2 - Hans Blix assumes the position of Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC.
- March 8 - Tokyo train disaster.
- March 9 - FBI arrests suspected purveyor of art forgeries, Ely Sakhai, in New York City.
- March 10 - The NASDAQ Composite Index reaches an all-time high of 5048. ([http://dynamic.nasdaq.com/dynamic/IndexChart.asp?symbol=IXIC&desc=NASDAQ+Composite&sec=nasdaq&site=nasdaq&months=84])
- March 18 - 2000 Taiwanese presidential election: Chen Shui-bian is elected President of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
- March 20 - Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, a former Black Panther, is captured after gun battle that left a sheriff's deputy dead.
- March 21 - Pope John Paul II began the first office visit by a Roman Catholic pontiff to Israel.
- March 21 - US Supreme Court ruled the goverment lacked authority to regulate tobacco as an addictive drug, throwing out the Clinton administration's main anti-smoking initiative.
- March 26 - Presidential elections in Russia: Vladimir Putin elected President.
- March 30 - America's Cup 2000 retained by Team New Zealand near Auckland. Prada Challenge 2000 lost 0-5 in a "best-of-9".

April

April.]]
- April 1 - Japanese prime minister Keizo Obuchi suffers a stroke and falls into a coma.
- April 3 - United States v. Microsoft: Microsoft is ruled to have violated United States antitrust laws by keeping "an oppressive thumb" on its competitors.
- April 5 - Yoshiro Mori replaces Obuchi as prime minister of Japan.
- April 7 - Attack submarine ex-Trepang completes being recycled.
- April 16 - Tuanku Syed Putra ibni Almarhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail, Raja of Perlis dies after a reign of 55 years. He was the longest reigning monarch in the world since the death of Prince Franz Joseph II of Liechtenstein.
- April 17 - Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin becomes Raja of Perlis.
- April 22 - In a predawn raid, federal agents seize six-year old Elián González from his relatives' home in Miami, Florida and fly him to his Cuban father in Washington, DC ending one of the most publicized custody battles in US history.
- April 25 - The State of Vermont passes HB847, legalizing Civil Unions for same-sex couples.

May


- May 3 - A rare conjunction occurs on the New Moon including all seven of the traditional celestial bodies known from ancient times up until 1781 with the discovery of Uranus. The May 2000 conjunction consisted of: the Sun and Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.
- May 3 - Computer pioneer Datapoint Corporation files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
- May 12 - The Tate Modern opens in London.
- May 13 - In Enschede a heavy fireworks explosion kills 20 and leaves an entire neighborhood in ruins.
- May 18 - Boo.com collapses due to lack of funds after six months.
- May 25 - Israel withdraws IDF troops from southern Lebanon after 22 years.
- May 28 - The volcano Mount Cameroon erupts.

June


- June 1 - Mark Mendlan, professional wrestler known by his ring name "Kid Gorgeous," is killed while wrestling at a show in New Hampshire.
- June 7 - U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson of the 4th circuit ordered the breakup of Microsoft Corp.
- June 10 - The New Jersey Devils defeat the Dallas Stars 4 games to 2 to win the 2000 Stanley Cup Finals.
- June 10 - The 2000 European Football Championship begins, hosted jointly by Belgium and the Netherlands.
- June 21 - Section 28, a law preventing the promotion of homosexuality is repealed by the Scottish Parliament.
- June 23 - Palace Backpackers Hostel fire in Childers, Queensland, Australia, kills 15 people.
- June 30 - During a set of the band Pearl Jam at the Roskilde Festival near Copenhagen, 9 die and 26 are injured in the crowd.

July

July
- July 2 - France beat Italy 2-1 to win the 2000 European Football Championship with a golden goal.
- July 2 - Presidential election of Mexico. Vicente Fox wins the Presidency as candidate of the rightist PAN (National Action Party).
- July 10 - In southern Nigeria, a leaking petroleum pipeline explodes killing about 250 villagers who were scavenging gasoline
- July 10 - Death of Denis O Conor Donn, died 10th July 2000, aged 88; succeded by his son, Desmond as The O Connor Donn
- July 18 - Alex Salmond resigns as the leader of the Scottish National Party
- July 25 - A Concorde carrying Air France Flight 4590 crashes just after takeoff from Paris killing all 109 aboard and 5 on the ground.

August


- August 1 - The Santa Cruz Operation announced that it will sell its Server Software and Services Divisions, as well as UnixWare and OpenServer technologies, to Caldera Systems,Inc.
- August 8 - Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley is raised to the surface after 136 years on the ocean floor.
- August 12 - The Russian submarine Kursk sinks in the Barents Sea, resulting in the deaths of all 118 men on board.
- August 14 - The first comic of Megatokyo goes online. This webcomic will later become one of the most popular comics on the web (in terms of page views) and spawn numerous imitators.
- August 25 - the Emulex hoax - wire services publish fraudulent bad news about Emulex
- August 27 - The Ostankino Tower in Moscow catches fire, three people are killed.

September


- September 5 - Tuvalu joins the United Nations.
- September 6 - In New York City, the United Nations Millennium Summit begins with more than 180 world leaders present.
- September 6 - The last wholly Swedish-owned arms manufacturer, Bofors, is sold to American arms manufacturer United Defense
- September 7–14 - The UK fuel protests take place, with refineries blockaded, and supply to the country's network of petrol stations halted.
- September 8 - Albania officially joins the World Trade Organization.
- September 15 - The 2000 Summer Olympics are opened in Sydney, Australia.
- September 16 - Ukrainian journalist Georgiy Gongadze is last seen alive; this day is taken as the commemoration date of his death.
- September 24 - The American Family Association begins lobbying the U.S. Congress to eradicate the National Endowment for the Arts for funding the controversial book One of the Guys by Robert Clark Young
- September 26 - Anti-globalization protests in Prague (some 15,000 protesters) turned violent during the IMF and World Bank summits.
- September 28 - Ariel Sharon leads several hundred armed Israelis in a visit to the Temple Mount. Palestinian civil disorder increases into the Al-Aqsa Intifada.
- September 29 - The Long Kesh prison in Northern Ireland is closed.

October


- October 2 NBC Today Show expanded it to three hours (7:00–10:00 A.M. Eastern Time/Pacific Time; 6:00–9:00 A.M. Central Time/Mountain Time)
- October 5 - President Slobodan Milošević leaves office after widespread demonstrations throughout Serbia and the withdrawal of Russian support.
- October 11 - 250 million gallons of coal sludge spill in Martin County, Kentucky. Considered a greater environmental disaster than the Exxon Valdez oil spill.
- October 12 - In Aden, Yemen, the USS Cole is badly damaged by two suicide bombers who placed a small boat laden with explosives along-side the United States Navy destroyer, killing 17 crew members and wounding at least 39.
- October 21 15 Arab leaders convened in Cairo, Egypt, for their first summit in four years; the Libyan delegation walked out, angry over signs the summit would stop short of calling for breaking ties with Israel.
- October 22 – Mainichi Shinbun exposes Japanese archeologist Shinichi Fujimura as a fraud; Japanese archaeologists had based their treatises of his findings.
- October 26 - Pakistani authorities announce that their police have found an apparently ancient mummy of a persian princess in the province of Baluchistan. Iran, Pakistan and the Taliban all claim the mummy until Pakistan announces it is a forgery in April 17 2001
- October 31 - Singapore Airlines Flight 006 collides with construction equipment in the Chiang Kai Shek International Airport - 83 dead.
- October 31 - The last Jeremy clone has shut down.

November

November
- November - Iraq disarmament crisis: Iraq rejects new U.N. Security Council weapons inspections proposals
- November 1 - Yugoslavia's new democratic government joined the United Nations after eight years of U.N. ostracism under former strongman Slobodan Milosevic.
- November 3 - Widespread flooding throughout England and Wales after days of heavy rain
- November 4 - President Clinton vetoed a bill that would have criminalized the leaking of government secrets.
- November 7 - U.S. presidential election, 2000: Republican challenger George W. Bush defeats Democrat Vice President Al Gore, but the final outcome is not known for over a month because of disputed votes in Florida.
- November 7 - Criminal gang raids the Millennium Dome to steal The Millennium Star diamond but police surveillance catches them in the act
- November 7 - Hillary Rodham Clinton is elected to the United States Senate, becoming the first First Lady of the United States to win public office
- November 11 - Kaprun disaster, Austria, where 155 skiers and snowboarders die when a cable car catches fire in an alpine tunnel.
- November 13 - Richard C. Duncan presents his paper, "The Peak Of World Oil Production And The Road To The Olduvai Gorge", on the Olduvai theory (about the collapse of the industrial civilization), at the Summit 2000 Pardee Keynote Symposia of the Geological Society of America)
- November 14 - Netscape version 6.0 is launched following two years of open source development creating a stable Mozilla web browser upon which it is based
- November 16 - Bill Clinton becomes the first sitting US President to visit Vietnam
- November 17 - Catastrophical landslide in Log pod Mangartom,Slovenia, kills 7, and causes millions of SIT of damage. It is one of the worst catastrophies in Slovenia in the past 100 years.
- November 17 - Alberto Fujimori is removed from office as president of Peru
- November 27 - Canada - Parliamentary elections - Jean Chrétien re-elected as Prime Minister as Liberal Party increases majority in House of Commons
- November 28 - Ukrainian politician Oleksander Moroz touches off the Cassette Scandal by publicly accusing President Leonid Kuchma of involvement in the murder of journalist Georgiy Gongadze.

December


- December 1 - Mexico - Vicente Fox becomes the first opposition President to take office since Francisco I. Madero in 1911. He wins the Presidency as candidate of the rightist PAN (National Action Party).
- December 28 - U.S. retail giant Montgomery Ward announces it is going out of business after 128 years.
- December 30 - Rizal Day Bombings: A series of bombs explode in various places in Metro Manila, Philippines, within a span of a few hours killing 22 and injuring about a hundred.

Unknown Date


- Limited reintroduction of routinely armed police in the UK for the first time since 1936.
- Scientists at University of Szeged's laboratory were first in the world to produce artificial heredity material.
- Millie I. Webb elected president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Births


- February 23 - Max & Sam Christy, American actors
- March 15- Amy and Emily Walton, English actresses
- April 25 - Jacob & Joshua Rips, American actors
- October 6 - Amanda Pace, American actress
- October 20 - Cooper and Oliver Guynes, American actors
- November 8 - Madison and Marissa Poer, actresses

Deaths

January


- January 2 - Patrick O'Brian, English writer (b. 1914)
- January 15 - Fran Ryan, American actress (b. 1916)
- January 19 - Bettino Craxi, Prime Minister of Italy (b. 1934)
- January 19 - Hedy Lamarr, Austrian actress (b. 1913)

February


- February 9 - Beau Jack, American boxer (b. 1921)
- February 11 - Roger Vadim, French film director (b. 1928)
- February 12 - Jalacy "Screamin' Jay" Hawkins, American musician (b. 1929)
- February 12 - Tom Landry, American football coach (b. 1924)
- February 12 - Charles M. Schulz, American comic strip artist (b. 1921)
- February 23 - Sir Stanley Matthews, English footballer (b. 1915)

April


- April 6 - Habib Bourguiba, President of Tunisia (b. 1903)
- April 16 - Tuanku Syed Putra ibni Almarhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail, King of Malaysia (b. 1920)
- April 25 - David Merrick, American stage producer (b. 1911)
- April 29 - Phạm Văn Ðồng, Prime Minister of Vietnam (b. 1906)

May


- May 11 - Paula Wessely, Austrian actress (b. 1907)
- May 12 - Adam Petty, American race car driver (b. 1980)
- May 14 - Keizo Obuchi, Prime Minister of Japan (b. 1937)
- May 17 - Donald Coggan, Archbishop of Canterbury (b. 1909)
- May 19 - Yevgeny Khrunov, cosmonaut

Square kilometer

Square metre

Aquidneck Island

Aquidneck Island, also called Rhode Island, is the largest island in Narragansett Bay. It must be distinguished from the State of Rhode Island, of which it is part. The origin of the name "Rhode Island" is unclear. It may have been given its name because of its similarity in shape to the island of Rhodes in the Mediterranean. Alternatively, it may been bestowed by Dutch navigator Adriaen Block who visited the island in 1614, who may have named it Roode after the Dutch word for "red". The largest (and only) city on the island is Newport, which is the fifth largest city in the state of Rhode Island. It shares the island with the towns of Middletown and Portsmouth. The Newport Bridge connects Aquidneck Island to Jamestown on nearby Conanicut Island in Narragansett Bay, and subsequently to the mainland on the western side of the bay. Additionally, the Mount Hope Bridge connects it to Bristol, and the Sakonnet River Bridge carries traffic to Tiverton over the Sakonnet River, the narrow saltwater strait on the eastern side of the island. South of the Sakonnet Bridge is the site of the demolished Stone Bridge; the other two bridges replaced ferries. Category:Geography of Rhode Island Category:Newport County, Rhode Island

Newport, Rhode Island

Newport is a city located in Newport County, Rhode Island, about 30 miles (48 km) south of Providence. It remains today the location of the U.S. Naval War College, the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, and a major naval training center.

History

Newport was founded in 1639 by William Coddington, John Clarke, and others, who left Boston on account of their sympathy with the Antinomians. A public school was established in 1640. In 1727, James Franklin (brother of Benjamin) was printing in Newport; in 1732, he published the first newspaper, the Rhode Island Gazette. In 1758, his son James founded the Mercury, a weekly paper. One of the first acts of resistance to British authority occurred in 1769 when the British sloop Liberty was destroyed and its boats dragged in Washington Square. Newport was incorporated from 1784 to 1787 and again in 1853. It was an important port during the slave trade (particularly a key port in the Triangular trade) and has since become a favourite holiday location and well-known summer colony. The city is the site of the last residence of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the birthplace of Commodore Matthew C. Perry and the Reverend William Ellery Channing, and the mansion of General Nathanael Greene. John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier were married in St. Mary's Church in Newport on September 12, 1953.[http://www.lifetimetv.com/shows/weddings/kennedy/jfk.html] In 1900, 22,204 people lived in Newport, Rhode Island; in 1910, 27,149; in 1920, 30,255; and in 1940, 30,532. The city has long been entwined with the U.S. Navy. It has been home to many warships, though none since the early 1970s. It held the campus of the U.S. Naval Academy during the Civil War, when the undergraduate officer training school was temporarily moved north from Annapolis, Maryland.

Geography

Newport is located at . It is the largest (and only) city on Aquidneck Island in Narragansett Bay. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.7 km² (11.5 mi²). 20.6 km² (7.9 mi²) of it is land and 9.2 km² (3.5 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 30.86% water. The Newport Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in New England, connects Newport to neighboring Conanicut Island across the East Passage of the Narragansett Bay.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 26,475 people, 11,566 households, and 5,644 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,287.4/km² (3,336.3/mi²). There are 13,226 housing units at an average density of 643.1/km² (1,666.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 84.12% White, 7.75% African American, 0.85% Native American, 1.33% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 2.41% from other races, and 3.44% from two or more races. 5.54% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 11,566 households out of which 22.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 32.3% are married couples living together, 13.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 51.2% are non-families. 39.4% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.11 and the average family size is 2.86. In the city the population is spread out with 19.6% under the age of 18, 14.6% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.9 males. The median income for a household in the city is $40,669, and the median income for a family is $54,116. Males have a median income of $37,780 versus $27,492 for females. The per capita income for the city is $25,441. 14.4% of the population and 12.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 23.8% of those under the age of 18 and 8.3% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Culture

Newport is the home of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, where important tennis players are commemorated, as well as a number of mansions dating back to the Gilded Age, including The Breakers, Belcourt Castle, Chateau-sur-Mer, Malbone Castle and Estate, Rosecliff, Marble House and The Elms. Some of these are open for guided tours. The nearby Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum has a fine collection of trees and plants, including the largest sequoia on the East Coast. With coastlines on the west, south and east, Newport is a maritime town. Its harbors teem with commercial fishing boats, power and sail pleasure craft. Many defenses by the New York Yacht Club of the America's Cup yachting prize took place here. Newport Country Club was one of the five founding clubs of the United States Golf Association, and the venue of the first U.S. Open, which was played in 1895. Newport is also home to the Newport Tower, Salve Regina University, Hammersmith Farm and the Touro Synagogue, the oldest Jewish house of worship in the United States. The city is also known for the Newport Jazz Festival.

Notable people born in Newport


- Frank Corridon, who pitched for the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, and St. Louis Cardinals and is known for inventing the now illegal pitch, the spitball.
- Mena Suvari, actress, known best for her role as the vampish cheerleader whom Kevin Spacey's character is obsessed with in American Beauty.
- Tanya Donelly, musician, vocalist for Rhode Island-based bands Belly and Throwing Muses, as well as gutairist for the band The Breeders.

Further reading


- S. G. Arnold, History of the State of Rhode Island, (two volumes, New York, (1859-60)
- G. W. Mason, Reminiscences of Rhode Island, (Newport, 1884)
- E. M. Stone, Our French Allies, (Providence, 1884)

External links


- [http://www.cityofnewport.com/ City of Newport homepage]
- [http://www.gonewport.com/ Newport County Convention & Visitor's Bureau homepage]
- [http://www.Newportattractions.com/ Newport Travel Guide] Category:Cities in Rhode Island Category:Newport County, Rhode Island

Prudence Island

Prudence Island is the third largest island in Narragansett Bay in the state of Rhode Island. It is located near the geographical center of the bay. In colonial times, the island was used mainly for farming. In the 20th century, farming began to decline and the island began to attract summer residences. In World War II, the U.S. Military established a presence on the island. In 1972, the military turned the island over to the State of Rhode Island. Along with nearby Hope Island and Patience Island, it is now home to the Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. It is connected by ferry to Bristol, RI. Category:Geography of Rhode Island

Portsmouth Compact

The Portsmouth Compact was a document signed on March 7, 1638 that established the settlement of Portsmouth, which is now a town in the state of Rhode Island. The document was written and signed in Boston by a group of men who followed Anne Hutchinson and were ready to move to Aquidneck Island to set up a new colony. They had been disarmed by the Puritan leaders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The purpose of the Portsmouth Compact was to set up a new, independent colony that was Christian in character but non-sectarian. It has been called "the first instrument for governing as a true democracy." [1] The text [2] of the Portsmouth Compact: :The 7th Day of the First Month, 1638. :We whose names are underwritten do hereby solemnly in the presence of Jehovah incorporate ourselves into a Bodie Politick and as He shall help, will submit our persons, lives and estates unto our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, and to all those perfect and most absolute laws of His given in His Holy Word of truth, to be guided and judged thereby. In the margin are the following Bible citations: Exodus 24:3-4 II Chron. 11:3 II Kings 11:17 It is signed by the following men:
- William Coddington
- John Clarke
- William Hutchinson, Jr. [husband of Anne Hutchinson]
- John Coggeshall
- William Aspinwall
- Samuel Wilbore
- John Porter
- John Sanford
- Edward Hutchinson, Jr. Esq.
- Thomas Savage
- William Dyre [Dyer, husband of Mary Dyer ]
- William Freeborne
- Phillip Shearman [ Philip Sherman ]
- John Walker
- Richard Carder
- William Baulston
- Edward Hutchinson, Sr.
- Henry Bull
- Randall Holden

Sources


- [1] [http://www.riliving.com/oceanstate/cities/portsmouth.asp Portsmouth Website]
- [2] [http://www.rootsweb.com/~rinewpor/compact.html The Portsmouth Compact at Roots Web]

External links

[http://www.rootsweb.com/~rinewpor/compact1.jpg Facsimile at Roots Web] [http://www.rootsweb.com/~rigenweb/compact.jpg Commemorative Plaque] P P P

May 12

May 12 is the 132nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (133rd in leap years). There are 233 days remaining.

Events


- 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre.
- 1264 - The Battle of Lewes, between King Henry III of England and the rebel Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, begins.
- 1328 - Antipope Nicholas V, a claimant to the papacy, is consecrated in Rome by the Bishop of Venice.
- 1364 - Jagiellonian University in Kraków, the oldest university in Poland, was founded in Kraków, Poland.
- 1551 - National University of San Marcos, the oldest university in the Americas, was founded in Lima, Peru.
- 1588 - French Wars of Religion: Henry III of France flees Paris after Henry of Guise enters the city.
- 1689 - King William's War: William III of England joins the League of Augsburg starting a war with France.
- 1780 - American Revolutionary War: Charleston, South Carolina is taken by British forces.
- 1797 - First Coalition: Napoleon I of France conquers Venice.
- 1862 - U.S federal troops occupy Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
- 1864 - American Civil War: Battle of Spotsylvania Court House: Thousands of Union and Confederate soldiers die in "the Bloody Angle".
- 1870 - The Manitoba Act was given the Royal Assent, paving the way for Manitoba to become a province of Canada on July 15.
- 1873 - Oscar II of Sweden-Norway is crowned King of Sweden.
- 1881 - In North Africa, Tunisia becomes a French protectorate.
- 1885 - North-West Rebellion: The four-day Battle of Batoche, pitting rebel French Canadians against the Canadian government, comes to an end with a decisive rebel defeat.
- 1890 - The first-ever official County Championship match begins. Yorkshire beat Gloucestershire by eight wickets at Bristol. George Ulyett scores the first century in the competition.
- 1926 - UK General Strike 1926: In the United Kingdom, a nine-day general strike by trade unions ends.
- 1932 - Ten weeks after his abduction, the infant son of Charles Lindbergh is found dead in Hopewell, New Jersey just a few miles from the Lindbergh's home.
- 1937 - Coronation of King George VI of Britain at Westminster Abbey.
- 1942 - World War II: Second Battle of Kharkov – In the eastern Ukraine, the Soviet Army initiates a major offensive. During the battle the Soviets will capture the city of Kharkov from the German Army, only to be encircled and destroyed.
- 1942 - 1,500 Jews are sent to gas chambers in Auschwitz.
- 1949 - Cold War: The Soviet Union lifts its Blockade of Berlin.
- 1952 - Gaj Singh crowned Maharaja of Jodhpur.
- 1958 - A formal North American Aerospace Defense Command agreement is signed between the United States and Canada.
- 1962 - Douglas MacArthur delivers his famous "Duty, Honor, Country" valedictory speech at West Point.
- 1965 - The Soviet spacecraft Luna 5 crashes on the Moon.
- 1966 - Busch Memorial Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals major league baseball team, opens in St. Louis, Missouri.
- 1967 - At Queen Elizabeth Hall, England, Pink Floyd stages the first-ever quadraphonic rock concert.
- 1970 - Ernie Banks becomes the ninth member of the 500 home run club with a home run at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois.
- 1972 - The Rolling Stones release Exile On Main Street, often considered their best album.
- 1975 - Mayagüez incident: The Cambodian navy seizes the American merchant ship SS Mayaguez in international waters.
- 1978 - In Zaire, rebels occupy the city of Kolwezi, the mining center of the province of Shaba. The government of Zaire asks the U.S., France and Belgium to restore order.
- 1989 A Southern Pacific Railroad freight train derails on Duffy Street on the very steep Cajon Pass in San Bernardino, California
- 1997 - In the 7th inning of a baseball game between the Anaheim Angels, and the Chicago White Sox,the Angels score 13 runs.
- 1999 - David Steel becomes the first Presiding Officer (speaker) of the modern Scottish Parliament.
- 2000 - The Tate Modern art gallery opens in London.
- 2001 - In Copenhagen, Denmark, Tanel Padar & Dave Benton win the forty-sixth Eurovision Song Contest for Estonia singing "Everybody".
- 2002 - Former President Jimmy Carter arrives in Cuba for a five-day visit with Fidel Castro becoming first President of the United States, in or out of office, to visit the island since Castro's 1959 revolution.
- 2003 - The Riyadh compound bombings, carried out by Al Qaeda, kill 26.

Births


- 1401 - Emperor Shoko of Japan (d. 1428)
- 1496 - Gustav I of Sweden (d. 1560)
- 1590 - Cosimo II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany (d. 1621)
- 1626 - Louis Hennepin, Flemish Catholic missionary in North America
- 1670 - King Frederick Augustus I of Poland (d. 1733)
- 1700 - Luigi Vanvitelli, Italian architect (d. 1773)
- 1725 - Louis Philip I, Duke of Orléans, French soldier and writer (d. 1785)
- 1767 - Manuel de Godoy, Spanish statesman (d. 1851)
- 1803 - Justus von Liebig, German chemist (d. 1873)
- 1806 - Johan Vilhelm Snellman, Finnish statesman (d. 1881)
- 1812 - Edward Lear, English author and poet (d. 1888)
- 1820 - Florence Nightingale, English nurse (d. 1910)
- 1828 - Dante Gabriel Rossetti, English poet and painter (d. 1882)
- 1845 - Gabriel Fauré, French composer (d. 1924)
- 1850 - Henry Cabot Lodge, U.S. statesman (d. 1924)
- 1880 - Lincoln Ellsworth, American scientist and polar explorer (d. 1951)
- 1889 - Otto Frank, German writer, father of Anne Frank (d. 1980)
- 1892 - Fritz Kortner, Austrian-born director (d. 1970)
- 1895 - William Giauque, Canadian chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1982)
- 1899 - Indra Devi, yogi (d. 2002)
- 1900 - Helene Weigel, German actress (d. 1971)
- 1907 - Katharine Hepburn, American actress (d. 2003)
- 1910 - Charles B. Fulton, American jurist (d. 1996)
- 1910 - Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin, British chemist, Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1994)
- 1912 - Archibald Cox, U.S. Solicitor General and Watergate special prosecutor (d. 2004)
- 1914 - Bertus Aafjes, Dutch poet (d. 1993)
- 1914 - Howard K. Smith, American journalist (d. 2002)
- 1918 - Julius Rosenberg, American spy (d. 1953)
- 1921 - Joseph Beuys, German artist (d. 1986)
- 1921 - Farley Mowat, Canadian writer and naturalist
- 1924 - Tony Hancock, American comedian (d. 1968)
- 1925 - Yogi Berra, baseball player
- 1928 - Burt Bacharach, American composer
- 1935 - Felipe Alou, Dominican Major League Baseball manager
- 1936 - Frank Stella, American painter
- 1936 - Tom Snyder, American journalist and television personality
- 1937 - George Carlin, American comedian
- 1937 - Beryl Burton, English cyclist
- 1939 - Ron Ziegler, White House Press Secretary (d. 2003)
- 1942 - Ian Dury, British musician (d. 2000)
- 1948 - Steve Winwood, English singer, songwriter and musician (Blind Faith, Traffic, The Spencer Davis Group)
- 1950 - Bruce Boxleitner, American actor
- 1950 - Billy Squier, American singer, songwriter and guitarist
- 1950 - Gabriel Byrne, Irish actor
- 1955 - Kix Brooks, American musician
- 1961 - Lar Park Lincoln, American actress
- 1962 - Emilio Estevez, American actor
- 1963 - Vanessa A. Williams, American actress
- 1964 - Brett Gurewitz, American guitarist (Bad Religion)
- 1966 - Stephen Baldwin, American actor
- 1968 - Tony Hawk, American skateboarder
- 1969 - Kim Fields, American actress
- 1970 - Mike Weir, Canadian golfer
- 1970 - Jim Furyk, American golfer
- 1975 - Jonah Lomu, New Zealand rugby player
- 1977 - Graeme Dott, Scottish snooker player
- 1978 - Jason Biggs, American actor
- 1995 - Jean Carlos Chera, Brazilian footballer
- 1995 - Sawyer Sweeten, American actor

Deaths


- 1003 - Pope Silvester II
- 1012 - Pope Sergius IV
- 1382 - Queen Joan I of Naples (b. 1327)
- 1399 - Demetrius I Starshiy (killed in battle) (b. 1327)
- 1634 - George Chapman, English writer
- 1641 - Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, English statesman (b. 1593)
- 1684 - Edme Mariotte, French physicist and priest
- 1699 - Lucas Achtschellinck, Flemish painter (b. 1626)
- 1700 - John Dryden, English writer (b. 1631)
- 1708 - Adolf Friedrich II of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (b. 1658)
- 1748 - Thomas Lowndes, English astronomer (b. 1692)
- 1759 - Lambert-Sigisbert Adam, French sculptor (b. 1700)
- 1784 - Abraham Trembley, Swiss naturalist (b. 1710)
- 1792 - Charles Simon Favart, French dramatist (b. 1710)
- 1796 - Johann Peter Uz, German poet (b. 1720)
- 1845 - János Bacsanyi, Hungarian poet (b. 1763)
- 1859 - Sergei Aksakov, Russian writer (b. 1791)
- 1860 - Charles Barry, English architect (b. 1795)
- 1867 - Friedrich William Eduard Gerhard, German archaeologist (b. 1795)
- 1884 - Bedřich Smetana, Czech composer (b. 1824)
- 1889 - John Cadbury, English chocolate entrepreneur (b. 1801)
- 1907 - Joris-Karl Huysmans, French author (b. 1848)
- 1925 - Amy Lowell, American poet (b. 1874)
- 1935 - Józef Piłsudski, Polish statesman (b. 1867)
- 1944 - Max Brand, American author (b. 1892)
- 1944 - Q, British writer (b. 1863)
- 1956 - Louis Calhern, American actor (b. 1895)
- 1957 - Erich von Stroheim, film director and actor (b. 1885)
- 1963 - Bobby Kerr, Canadian runner (b. 1882)
- 1967 - John Masefield, British writer (b. 1878)
- 1970 - Nelly Sachs, German writer, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1891)
- 1971 - Heinie Manush, baseball player (b. 1901)
- 1985 - Jean Dubuffet, French painter (b. 1901)
- 1986 - Elisabeth Bergner, Austrian actress (b. 1897)
- 1990 - Chen Kenmin, Japanese chef (b. 1912)
- 1992 - Robert Reed, American actor (b. 1932)
- 1994 - John Smith, British politician (b. 1938)
- 1994 - Erik Erikson, German psychoanalyst (b. 1902)
- 2000 - Adam Petty, American race car driver (b. 1980)
- 2001 - Perry Como, American singer (b. 1912)
- 2003 - Sadruddin Aga Khan, French UN High Commissioner for Refugees (b. 1933)
- 2005 - Monica Zetterlund, Swedish actress and singer (b. 1937)
- 2005 - Martin Lings, English Islamic scholar (b. 1909)

Holidays and observances


- Feast day of the following saints in the Roman Catholic Church:
  - Domitilla
  - Achilleus and Nereus
  - Saint Pancras
  - Epiphanius
  - Modoald
  - Imelda Lambertini
- Israel - Yom Ha'atzma'ut (Israeli Independence Day) for 2005: the observed date of this national holiday is determined by the Jewish Calendar.
- International Nurses Day

External links


- [http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/12 BBC: On This Day]
- [http://www.tnl.net/when/5/12 Today in History: May 12] ---- May 11 - May 13 - April 12 - June 12 – listing of all days ko:5월 12일 ms:12 Mei ja:5月12日 simple:May 12 th:12 พฤษภาคม

Aquidneck Island

Aquidneck Island, also called Rhode Island, is the largest island in Narragansett Bay. It must be distinguished from the State of Rhode Island, of which it is part. The origin of the name "Rhode Island" is unclear. It may have been given its name because of its similarity in shape to the island of Rhodes in the Mediterranean. Alternatively, it may been bestowed by Dutch navigator Adriaen Block who visited the island in 1614, who may have named it Roode after the Dutch word for "red". The largest (and only) city on the island is Newport, which is the fifth largest city in the state of Rhode Island. It shares the island with the towns of Middletown and Portsmouth. The Newport Bridge connects Aquidneck Island to Jamestown on nearby Conanicut Island in Narragansett Bay, and subsequently to the mainland on the western side of the bay. Additionally, the Mount Hope Bridge connects it to Bristol, and the Sakonnet River Bridge carries traffic to Tiverton over the Sakonnet River, the narrow saltwater strait on the eastern side of the island. South of the Sakonnet Bridge is the site of the demolished Stone Bridge; the other two bridges replaced ferries. Category:Geography of Rhode Island Category:Newport County, Rhode Island

American War for Independence

The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known, especially internationally, as the American War of Independence, was a war fought primarily between Great Britain and revolutionaries within thirteen British colonies in North America. The war began largely as a colonial revolt against the economic policies of the British Empire, and eventually widened far beyond British North America, with France, Spain, and the Netherlands entering the war against Great Britain. Additionally, many American Indians fought on both sides of the conflict. Throughout the war, the British were able to use their naval superiority to capture colonial coastal cities, but control of the countryside largely eluded them. French involvement proved decisive, with a naval victory in the Chesapeake leading to the surrender of a British army at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 recognized the independence of the United States of America. Because a great number of colonists fled the thirteen colonies and settled in the north, the war also paved the way for the eventual creation of what would become Canada. The terms American Revolutionary War and American Revolution are often used interchangeably, though the American Revolution included political and social developments before and after the war itself. This article refers solely to the military campaign; for a broader perspective, including the origins and aftermath of the war, see the American Revolution.

Combatants

Colonists

Colonists were divided over which side to support in the war. About 40 to 45 percent of the colonial population supported the struggle for independence, and were known as "Patriots" (or "Whigs"). About 15 to 20 percent supported the British Crown during the war, and were known as "Loyalists" (or "Tories"). Loyalists fielded perhaps 50,000 men during the war years in support of the British Empire. In some areas, the American Revolutionary War was a civil war. When the war began, the American revolutionaries did not have a professional army (also known as a "regular" or "standing" army). Each colony had traditionally provided for its own defenses through the use of local militia. Militiamen served for only a few weeks or months at a time, were generally reluctant to go very far from home, and would often come and go as they saw fit. Militia typically lacked the training and discipline of regular troops, but could be effective when led by talented officers. Seeking to coordinate military efforts, the Continental Congress established (on paper) a regular army—the Continental Army—in June of 1775, and appointed George Washington as commander-in-chief. The development of the Continental Army was always a work in progress, and Washington reluctantly augmented the regular troops with militia throughout the war. Although as many as 250,000 Patriots may have served as regulars or militiamen in the eight years of the war, there were never more than 90,000 total men under arms for the revolutionaries in any given year. Armies in North America were small by European standards of the era; the greatest number of men that Washington personally commanded in the field at any one time was fewer than 17,000.

European nations

commander-in-chief Early in 1775, the British army consisted of about 36,000 men worldwide, but wartime recruitment steadily increased this number. Additionally, over the course of the war the British hired about 30,000 German mercenaries, popularly known in the colonies as "Hessians" because many of them came from Hesse. Germans would make up about one-third of the British troop strength in North America. By 1779, the number of British and German troops stationed in North America was over 60,000, though these were spread from Canada to Florida. France, the Netherlands and Spain entered the war against Great Britain in an attempt to dilute Britain's emerging superpower status. Early on, all three countries quietly provided financial assistance to the American rebels. France officially entered the war in 1778 and soon sent troops, ships, and military equipment to fight against the British for the remainder of the war. Spain entered the war in 1779, officially as an ally of France, not the United States—Spain was not keen on encouraging similar rebellions in her own empire. The Netherlands entered the war late in 1780, but was soon overwhelmed by the British.

Blacks and Native Americans

African-Americans, slaves and free blacks, served on both sides during the war. Black soldiers served in northern militias from the outset, but this was forbidden in the South, where slaveowners feared arming slaves. Lord Dunmore, the Royal Governor of Virginia, issued an emancipation proclamation in November 1775, promising freedom to runaway slaves who fought for the British, and Sir Henry Clinton issued a similar edict in New York in 1779. Tens of thousands of slaves escaped to the British lines, although possibly as few as 1,000 served under arms. Many of the rest served as orderlies, mechanics, laborers, servants, scouts and guides, although more than half died in smallpox epidemics that swept the British forces, and a number were driven out of the British lines when food ran low. Despite Dunmore's promises, the majority were not given their freedom. In response, and because of manpower shortages, Washington lifted the ban on black enlistment in the Continental Army in January 1776. All-black units were formed in Rhode Island and Massachusetts; many were slaves promised freedom for serving in lieu of their masters; another all-black unit came from Haiti with French forces. At least 5,000 black soldiers fought as Patriots. Most American Indian communities east of the Mississippi River were affected by the war, many divided over the question of which side to support. Most Native Americans who joined the fight fought against the United States, since native lands were threatened by ever expanding Anglo-American settlement. An estimated 13,000 warriors fought on the British side; the largest group, the Iroquois Confederacy, fielded about 1,500 warriors against the Patriots.

War in the North

Massachusetts, 1774 to 1776

Iroquois Confederacy In 1774, the British parliament effectively abolished the provincial government of Massachusetts. Lieutenant General Thomas Gage, already the commander-in-chief of British troops in North America, was also appointed governor of Massachusetts and was instructed by King George's government to enforce royal authority in the troublesome colony. However, popular resistance compelled the newly appointed royal officials in Massachusetts to resign or to seek refuge in Boston. Gage commanded four regiments of British regulars (about 4,000 men) from his headquarters in Boston, but the countryside was in the hands of the Patriots. On the night of 18 April 1775, General Gage sent 900 men to seize munitions stored by the colonial militia at Concord, Massachusetts. Several Patriot riders — including Paul Revere — alerted the countryside, and when the British troops entered Lexington on the morning of 19 April, they found 75 minutemen formed up on the village common. Shots were exchanged, and the British moved on to Concord, where there was more fighting. By the time the "redcoats" (as the British soldiers were called) began the return march, several thousand militiamen had gathered along the road. A running fight ensued, and the British detachment suffered heavily. With the Battle of Lexington and Concord — the "Shot heard 'round the world" — the war had begun. Afterwards, thousands of Patriot militiamen converged on Boston, bottling up the British in the city. Late in May, Gage received by sea about 4,500 reinforcements and a trio of generals who would play a vital role in the war: William Howe, John Burgoyne, and Henry Clinton. They formulated a plan to break out of the city. On June 17, 1775, British forces under General Howe seized the Charlestown peninsula at the Battle of Bunker Hill. The battle was technically a British victory, but losses were so heavy that the attack was not followed up. Thus the siege was not broken, and General Gage was soon replaced by Howe as commander-in-chief for the British. In July of 1775, newly appointed General Washington arrived outside Boston to take charge of the colonial forces. The standoff continued throughout the fall and winter. In early March of 1776, heavy cannons that had been captured by Patriots at Fort Ticonderoga were moved to Boston, a difficult feat engineered by Henry Knox. When the guns were placed upon Dorchester Heights, overlooking the British positions, Howe's situation became untenable. The British evacuated the city on March 17, 1776 and sailed for temporary refuge in Halifax, Nova S