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Providence, Rhode Island

Providence, Rhode Island

Providence is the capital and largest city in Rhode Island, a state of the United States of America. As of the 2000 census, it has a population of 173,618, but a July 1, 2004 Census estimate put the city's population at 178,126. It is located in Providence County and is the second largest city in New England. Providence is nicknamed the "Beehive of Industry", while the downtown area is nicknamed "Downcity". Providence was named by Roger Williams in honor of "God's merciful Providence" in his finding this spot to settle when expelled by the Puritans from Massachusetts. The official name of the state includes the name of the city, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. The city was one of the first cities to industrialize in the United States and was noted for its jewelry and silverware industry. Today, Providence is the economic, cultural, and political hub of Rhode Island.

History

This area was first settled in 1636 by Roger Williams, and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies. Williams secured a title to the land from the Narragansett natives around this time, renaming the area "Providence," because of "God's merciful providence." Williams cultivated Providence as a refuge for persecuted religious dissenters, as he himself had been exiled from Massachusetts. Shortly after being settled, much of Providence was burned down in King Philip's War, which lasted from 1675 to 1676. 1676 Providence's growth was slow during the next quarter-century. The first census of the colony, taken in 1708, recorded 1,446 residents. However, in the second census taken in 1730, the colony's population had almost tripled to 3,916 people. The Providence territory would become smaller as more and more of the land would become part of different towns, including Scituate and Johnston. The city's slow growth was also due to the rocky, hilly, and heavily wooded land which made farming difficult, as well as the tradition of dissent and independent-mindedness. Residents often fought over land titles, politics, and religion. In the mid-1770s, Providence was focused on fishing and maritime trade, and was becoming a major commercial center. Nevertheless, the British government's passage of several laws levying various taxes caused Providence to join the other colonies in renouncing allegiance to the British Crown. One such law was the Sugar Act, which levied a tax on sugar and molasses imports, and impacted Providence's distilleries and its trade in rum and slaves. During this period, Providence's population had exceeded 4,300 citizens by 1776, and Providence was able to avoid occupation by British soldiers during the American Revolutionary War, though the city did suffer major interruptions in education and trade as a result of its location and facility as quarters for many troops passing through the area. Following the war, Providence's main focus on its economy shifted from maritime endeavors to manufacturing. Samuel Slater is credited as having begun the shift in about 1790, and historians mark the transformation's completion at about 1830. Manufacturing would be the city's major industry for the next one hundred years, particularly in jewelry and textiles. The city's industries attracted many people, including immigrants from Ireland, Germany, Sweden, England, and French Canada. Nevertheless, the city experienced social strife, notably with a series of race riots between whites and blacks during the 1820s. In response to continued growth and social conflicts, Providence residents issued ratified a city charter in November 1831. The city became the sole capital of Rhode Island in 1900. From, 1854 to 1900, Providence was the joint capital of the state with Newport. The city began to see a decline by the mid-1920s as industries, notably in textiles, began to shut down and unemployment rose. The Great Depression hit the city hard, and Providence was further hit by the New England Hurricane of 1938, which flooded the downtown area. The city saw further decline with the construction of highways and increased suburbanization after World War II. The city began to revive beginning in the 1970s. From 1975 until 1982, $606 million of Community Development money, including funds from other federal, state, and city sources, were invested in the downtown area and neighborhoods throughout the city. In the 1990s, Mayor Vincent Cianci, Jr. showcased the city as a center for the arts and pushed for further revitalization. These included opening up the Providence River and moving the railroad tracks underground, building Waterplace Park and riverwalks along the river's banks, and the construction of the Fleet Skating Rink (now the Bank of America Skating Rink) in downtown and the Providence Place Mall.

Geography and climate

Providence is located at 41°49'25" North, 71°25'20" West (41.823550, -71.422132). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 53.2 km² (20.5 mi²). 47.8 km² (18.5 mi²) of it is land and 5.3 km² (2.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 10.03% water. mi² Providence is located at the head of Narragansett Bay, with the Providence River running into the bay through the center of the city. The Waterplace Park amphitheater and riverwalks line the river's banks through downtown. Constitution Hill (near downtown), College Hill (east of the Providence River), and Federal Hill (west of downtown and is the city's Italian district) are the most prominent of the city's seven hills. The downtown area (Downcity) is the location of the city's tallest buildings, with the tallest being the Bank of America Building at 426 feet (130 m). The building imitates the Art Deco skyscrapers of New York City. Downcity is also the location of the Providence Biltmore and Westminster Arcade, the oldest enclosed shopping mall in the U.S. that was built in 1828. The city's waterfront, the location of many oil tanks and a power plant, is primarily industrial. Downcity primarily consists of modern structures as well as buildings in the Federal and various Victorian architectural styles. The rest of the city consists of small commercial districts and old mills interspersed amongst single-family and multi-family homes, and apartment buildings. Providence's climate is humid continental, with hot summers, cold winters, and high humidity year-round. The USDA rates the city at Zone 6, which is an "in-between" climate. The influence of the Atlantic Ocean keeps Providence, and the rest of the state of Rhode Island, warmer than many inland locales in New England. Average precipitation ranges from 3.38 inches (8.05 cm) in June to 4.43 inches (10.57 cm) in March, with the heaviest precipitation occurring from November to April. Average temperatures range from 20 °F (-6.7 °C) in January to 83 °F (27.2 °C) in July. The lowest recorded temperature was -13 °F (-25 °C) on January 23, 1976, while the highest recorded temperature was 104 °F (40 °C) on August 2, 1975. Though not frequent, Providence's location at the head of Narragansett Bay makes it vulnerable to Atlantic hurricanes.

Demographics

hurricane As of the census of 2000, there were 173,618 people, 62,389 households, and 35,873 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,629.4/km² (9,401.7/mi²). There were 67,915 housing units at an average density of 1,419.7/km² (3,677.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 54.53% Caucasian, 14.54% African American, 1.14% Native American, 6.01% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 17.55% from other races, and 6.08% from two or more races. 30.03% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Providence receives refugees in cooperation with the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement. The 2000 US Census estimate for the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) including Providence, Fall River, Massachusetts, and Warwick was 1,188,613. There were 62,389 households out of which 32.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.9% were married couples living together, 20.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.5% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.1% had someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.33. In the city the population was spread out with 26.1% under the age of 18, 18.9% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 15.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 91.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $26,867, and the median income for a family was $32,058. Males had a median income of $28,894 versus $23,472 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,525. 29.1% of the population and 23.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 40.1% of those under the age of 18 and 19.0% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Economy

Providence was one of the first cities to industrialize in the U.S. By 1830, the city had manufacturing industries in metals, machinery, textiles, jewelry, and silverware. Though manufacturing has declined, the city is still one of the largest centers for jewelry and silverware design and manufacturing. Services, particularly education, health care, and finance, also make up a large portion of the city's economy. Since it is the capital of Rhode Island, Providence's economy also consists of government services. The conglomerate Textron is headquartered in the city. Another company whose origins are in the city is Fleet Bank. Once Rhode Island's largest bank, it moved its headquarters to Boston after acquiring Shawmut Bank in 1995. Before its acquisition by Bank of America, Fleet merged with BankBoston to become New England's largest commercial bank. The city is home to the Rhode Island Convention Center, opened in December 1993. Along with a hotel, the convention center is connected to the Providence Place Mall through a skywalk. The Providence Place Mall is a major retail center in the city. Providence also maintains a seaport which handles cargo such as cement, chemicals, heavy machinery, petroleum, and scrap metal.

Government

seaport Providence has a mayor-council form of government. There are fifteen city councilors, one for each of the city's wards. The city council is tasked with enacting ordinances and passing an annual budget. Providence also has probate and superior courts. The U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island is located downtown on the opposite end of Kennedy Plaza from City Hall. Vincent Cianci, Jr, who was often credited with Providence's 1990s renaissance, was the city's longest serving mayor and a major presence in Providence politics. Nevertheless, during Operation Plunder Dome, Cianci was indicted in April 2001 on various federal criminal charges including racketeering, conspiracy, extortion, witness tampering, and mail fraud. He was ultimately convicted of conspiracy and is currently serving his sentence in federal prison. In 2002, David N. Cicilline was elected Mayor in a landslide, making him the first openly homosexual Mayor of an American state capital.

Education

Providence is the home of Brown University, an Ivy League university, and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), a very well respected art college. Several other institutions of higher learning include Johnson and Wales University, Providence College, Rhode Island College, the Community College of Rhode Island (Providence campus), and the Providence campus of the University of Rhode Island. The Providence Public School District serves about 26,000 students from pre-Kindergarten to grade 12. The district has 25 elementary schools, nine middle schools, and thirteen high schools. There are also two centers for students with special needs.

Culture

University of Rhode Island Providence is one of the most culturally diverse cities for its size. Because of the presence of Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design, the city attracts many intellectual minds. Much of the cultural awareness of the city arose after the Providence Renaissance, which was started by former mayor Vincent "Buddy" Cianci Jr.. Vincent "Buddy" Cianci Jr. The East Side neighborhood of Providence includes the largest contiguous area of National Historic Society-designated buildings in the U.S. The nearby Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum has a collection of trees and plants, including the largest sequoia on the East Coast. The southern part of the city is home to the famous roadside attraction Nibbles Woodaway (also known as the "Big Blue Bug"), the world's largest termite, as well as Roger Williams Park. The park contains a zoo and the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium. The main art museum is the RISD Museum. In addition to the Providence Public Library and its nine branches, the city is home to the Providence Athenaeum, which is one of the oldest lending libraries in the world. Edgar Allan Poe, a longtime Providence resident, was a regular fixture there. The city is also the home of the Tony winning theater group Trinity Repertory Company and the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra. Providence is also the home of several performing arts centers such as the Veterans Memorial Auditorium and the Providence Performing Arts Center. The Bank of America Skating Center, formerly the Fleet Skating Center, is located near Kennedy Plaza in the downtown district. During the summer months, the city regularly hosts WaterFire, an environmental art installation that consists of about 100 bonfires that blaze just above the surface of the three rivers that pass through the middle of downtown Providence. There are multiple Waterfire events that are accompanied by various pieces of classical and world music. The public art displays, most notably sculptures, change on a regular basis. Providence and the surrounding area have been used as a backdrop for movies and television series. The animated television series Family Guy takes place in Quahog, a fictional suburb of Providence. The city and its name were used in the television series Providence. The Farrelly brothers used the city as a backdrop for several of their movies, notably Dumb and Dumber and There's Something About Mary.

Media

The city is served by the daily newspaper The Providence Journal, which is also available throughout Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. The alternate newspaper Providence Phoenix also serves Providence and the surrounding area. Providence is the center of Rhode Island's broadcasting market, which also encompasses New Bedford, Massachusetts. The city is served by television stations representing every major American television network as well radio stations originating from Providence and Boston. The major network-affiliated television stations based in Providence are WLNE-TV (ABC and licensed to New Bedford), WJAR (NBC), WPRI-TV (CBS), and WNAC-TV (FOX). Other stations serving the Providence market include WLWC (UPN/The WB and licensed to New Bedford), WRIW-LP (Telemundo), and WPXQ (i). WSBE-TV is Rhode Island's PBS member station.

Sports

The city is home to the American Hockey League team Providence Bruins, which plays at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. From 1926 to 1977, the AHL's Providence Reds (renamed the Rhode Island Reds in their last years) played at the Rhode Island Auditorium, which stood on North Main Street. They regularly won the league and division championships. Providence has its own roller derby league. Formed in 2004, it currently has two teams: the Providence Mob Squad and Sakonnet River Roller Rats. The NFL's New England Patriots and MLS's New England Revolution play in Foxborough, Massachusetts, which is situated halfway between Providence and Boston. Providence was formerly home to two major league franchises: the NFL's Providence Steam Roller in the 1920s and 1930s, and the NBA's Providence Steamrollers in the 1940s. The city's defunct baseball team, the Providence Grays, won a national championship in 1884, and was later Babe Ruth's first professional team. Today, professional baseball is offered by the Pawtucket Red Sox, the AAA affiliate of the Boston Red Sox which plays in nearby Pawtucket. Most baseball fans — along with the local media — tend to follow the Boston Red Sox. Major colleges and universities fielding NCAA Division I athletic teams are Brown University and Providence College. The latter is a member of the Big East Conference. Much local hype is associated with games between these two schools or the University of Rhode Island. Providence has also hosted the Gravity Games alternative sports tournament during several recent summers.

Infrastructure

Health and medicine

Providence is home to Rhode Island Hospital, one of the largest medical centers in Rhode Island. The hospital is located in a complex along I-95 that includes Hasbro Children's Hospital and Women and Infants Hospital. The city is also home to the Roger Williams Medical Center and Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, which is associated with Brown University. A VA medical center is located in Providence.

Transportation

VA Providence is served by T. F. Green Airport, which is located in nearby Warwick. The railroad station, located between the Rhode Island State House and the downtown district, is served by Amtrak and MBTA commuter railroad services. I-95 runs from north to south through Providence while I-195 connects the city to eastern Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts, including New Bedford, Massachusetts and Cape Cod. I-295 encircles Providence while RI 146 provides a direct connection with Worcester, Massachusetts. The city has commissioned and begun a long-term project to move I-195 partially for safety reasons, but also to free up land and to unify the neighborhoods split by the highway. The city's Kennedy Plaza, in downtown Providence, is a public transportation hub for the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority, or RIPTA. RIPTA also operates the Providence LINK, a system of trolley buses in downtown Providence, as well as a ferry to Newport between May and October.

Notes

#[http://weather.yahoo.com/climo/USRI0050_f.html Records and Averages - Providence (2005)]. Yahoo! Weather. Accessed September 13, 2005. #[http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/ci/?id=101896 Providence, Rhode Island (2004)]. Emporis.com. Accessed November 7, 2005. #[http://www.azhockey.com/Pr.htm#Providence%20Reds Providence Reds (October 4, 2005)]. A to Z Encyclopedia of Ice Hockey. Accessed November 9, 2005. #[http://rittmann-art.com/graphics/riaud.jpg JPEG Image of Rhode Island Auditorium]. Karl Robert Rittmann...Rhode Island Artist. Accessed November 9, 2005.

References

- [http://www.riedc.com/riedc/ri_databank/31/266/ Profile: City of Providence (2005)]. Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation - RI Databank.
- [http://www.providenceri.com/history/centuries1.html Three and One-Half Centuries at a Glance (May 2002)]. ProvidenceRI.com - History and Fact.
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External links

- [http://www.provchamber.com/ Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce]
- [http://www.pwcvb.com/ Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau]
- [http://www.provport.com/ ProvPort, Inc. - Port of Providence]
- [http://wikitravel.org/en/Providence Providence travel guide at Wikitravel] Category:Providence, Rhode Island Category:U.S. state capitals ja:プロヴィデンス (ロードアイランド)

Rhode Island

:"RI" redirects here. For alternate uses: see RI (disambiguation) The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (commonly known as Rhode Island) is geographically the smallest state in the United States, and the state with the longest official name. Rhode (pronounced "Road") Island is part of the New England region, and was one of the thirteen original American colonies that declared independence against British rule to begin the American Revolution. The state's common name, Rhode Island, actually refers to the largest island in Narragansett Bay, also known as Aquidneck Island, on which the city of Newport is located. The origin of the name is unclear. Some historians think that Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, upon discovering Block Island, just southwest in the Atlantic Ocean, named it Rhode Island because of its similarity in shape to the Greek island of Rhodes. Later settlers, mistaking which island Verrazzano was referring to, gave the name to Aquidneck Island instead. Other historians believe that the name is derived from Roodt Eylandt, Dutch for "red island," given to the island by Dutch explorer Adriaen Block due to the red clay on the island's shore. Despite the fact that most of the state is part of the mainland, the name Rhode Island leads some out-of-staters to erroneously believe that the entire state is an island. Nicknamed "The Ocean State," every point in the state is within 30 miles of sea water.

History

In 1614 the Dutch explorer Adriaen Block visited the island that is now called Block Island. Native American inhabitants included the Naragansett tribe, occupying most of the state, and the closley-related Niantic tribe. Some Wampanoags lived near the Massachusetts border, and other tribes, usually associated with Connecticut, such as the Mohegan were found in the west. Near the border with both Connecticut and Massachusetts, some bands of Nipmuc Indians were found. Most of the Native Americans were decimated by introduced diseases, intertribal warfare, and the disastrous King Philip's War, but remnants of the Niantic merged into the Naragansett tribe, where they remain on a federally recognized reservation. In 1636 Roger Williams, after being banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his religious views, settled at the tip of Narragansett Bay near the Moshassuck River. He called the site Providence and declared it a place of religious freedom for Baptist settlers. Historically, the land is unique because it was purchased twice, once from the King of England, and once from the Native American tribes who lived on the land. This is the article of agreement Roger Williams and others made, and every person who decided to live in Providence must sign it: “We, whose names are hereunder written, being desirous to inhabit the town of Providence, do promise to submit ourselves, in active or passive obedience, to all such orders or agreements as shall be made for public good by the body in an orderly way by the major consent of the inhabitance, masters of families, incorporated together into a township, and such others as they shall admit into the same only in civil things.” Rhode Island was a charter colony, Roger Williams received a charter to build the colony. In 1637 Anne Hutchinson was banished from Massachusetts for expressing her beliefs that people could talk to God by themselves, not necessarily through a minister. She and some others, including William Coddington and John Clarke, founded the town of Portsmouth on Aquidneck Island. In 1639 Coddington left Portsmouth and founded Newport on Aquidneck Island. In that same year a formal government was established for the island. William Coddington was the first governor and Philip Sherman was the first Secretary. In 1643 Samuel Gorton founded Shawomet, which is now called Warwick. In 1644 the name of Aquidneck Island was changed to Rhode Island. On May 18, 1652 Rhode Island passed the first law in North America making slavery illegal. At one point, however, child labor was used greatly. John Clarke was granted a Charter on July 8, 1663 for Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, which effectively united the two colonies into one. As Britain was under the control of the short-lived republic at that time, no Royal Charter was granted to Rhode Island, instead the House of Commons was the only governing body available to issue a charter. This is unique to Rhode Island and the only colony to be issued a charter without the consent of the crown. Under the terms of the charter, only landowners could vote. Before the Industrial Revolution, when most people were employed as farmers, this was considered democratic. The original charter was used as the state constitution until 1842. In 1664 the seal of the colony was adopted. It pictured an anchor and the word HOPE. The relationship between the New Englanders and the Native Americans was at first strained, but did not result in much bloodshed. The largest tribes that lived near Rhode island were the Wampanoag, Pequots, Narragansett, and Nimpuc. One native named Squanto, from the Wampanoag tribe, stayed with the pilgrims and taught them many valuable skills needed to survive in the area. He also helped greatly with the eventual peace between the colonists and the natives. Roger Williams had won the respect of his colonial neighbors for his skill in keeping the powerful Narragansett on friendly terms with local white settlers. In 1637, the Narragansett were even persuaded to form an alliance with the English in carrying out an attack that nearly extinguished the warlike Pequots. However, this peace did not last long. By 1670 even the friendly tribes who had greeted Williams and the Pilgrims became estranged from the colonists, and smell of war began to cover the New England countryside. The most important and traumatic event in 17th century Rhode Island was King Philip's War,which occurred during 1675–1676. King Philip (his British nickname, his real name was Metacomet) was the chief of the Wampanoag Indians. The settlers of Portsmouth had purchased their land from his father, Massasoit. King Philip rebelled against the English. The first attacks were around Narrangansett Bay but spread throughout New England. Rhode Island was the first of the British colonies in America to declare its independence on May 4, 1776. Rhode Island was the last of the original 13 states to ratify the United States Constitution (May 29, 1790) - doing so after being threatened of having its exports taxed as a foreign nation. As the Industrial Revolution moved large numbers of workers into the cities, a permanently landless, and therefore voteless class developed. By 1829, 60% of the state's free white males were ineligible to vote. Several attempts had been made to address this problem, but none passed. In 1842 Thomas Dorr drafted a liberal constitution which was passed by popular referendum. However the conservative sitting governor, Samuel Ward King, opposed the people's wishes, leading to the Dorr Rebellion. Although this collapsed, a modified version of the constitution was passed in November, which allowed any white male to vote that owned land or could pay a $1 poll tax. Since the Great Depression, the Rhode Island Democratic Party has dominated local politics. For years, the Speaker of the House, always a Democrat, has been one of the most powerful figures in government. The Democratic Party represented a coalition of labor unions, working class immigrants, intellectuals, college students, and the rising ethnic middle class. The Republican Party has been restricted to the rural and suburban parts of the state, and occasional "good government" reform candidates, who criticize the state's high taxes and the excesses of Democratic domination. Cranston Mayor Stephen Laffey, Governor Donald Carcieri of East Greenwich, and former Mayor Vincent A. "Buddy" Cianci of Providence ran as Republican reform candidates. Cianci ended up being indicted on racketeering charges in 2001. Despite a perceived culture of corruption, Rhode Islanders overwhelmingly support and re-elect Democrats to positions of authority, where issues involving education, health care, and liberal causes are promoted.

Law and government

The capital of Rhode Island is Providence and its current governor is Donald Carcieri (Republican). Its two U.S. Senators are John "Jack" Reed (Democrat) and Lincoln Chafee (Republican). Its two U.S. Congressmen are Patrick J. Kennedy (Democrat, district one) and Jim Langevin (Democrat, district two). (See list of Rhode Island Governors.) Rhode Island tends to vote Democratic in presidential elections and has done so consistently from 1988 through 2004. The state supported Republicans until 1908, in 1916–1924, 1952 and 1956, in 1972, and in 1984. In 2004, Rhode Island gave John Kerry a greater than 20 percentage point margin of victory (the third highest of any state) with 59.4% of its vote. All but two of Rhode Island's 39 cities and towns voted for the Democratic candidate. The only exceptions were East and West Greenwich.

Geography

West Greenwich See: List of Rhode Island counties Rhode Island is bordered on the north and east by Massachusetts, on the west by Connecticut, and on the south by Rhode Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean. It shares a water border with New York. Narragansett Bay is a major feature of the state's topography. Block Island, known for its beaches, lies approximately 12 miles (19 km) off the southern coast of the mainland. Within the Bay, there are over 30 islands. The largest is Aquidneck Island, shared by the municipalities of Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth. Among the other islands in the Bay are Hope, Prudence, and Despair. Rhode Island is mostly flat with no real mountains. Rhode Island's highest point is Jerimoth Hill, only 812 feet (247 m) above sea level. Rhode Island was one of the Northern colonies (aka "New England" colonies).

Economy

Rhode Island's 2000 total gross state product was $33 billion, placing it 45^th in the nation. Its 2000 per capita Personal Income was $29,685, 16^th in the nation. Rhode Island's agricultural outputs are nursery stock, vegetables, dairy products, and eggs. Its industrial outputs are fashion jewelry, fabricated metal products, electric equipment, machinery, shipbuilding and boatbuilding, and tourism.

Demographics

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2004, Rhode Island's population was estimated at 1,080,632 people. The racial makeup of the state is:
- 81.9% White
- 8.7% Hispanic
- 4.5% Black
- 2.3% Asian
- 0.5% Native American
- 2.7% Mixed race The five largest ancestry groups in Rhode Island are: Italian (19%), Irish (18.4%), English (12%), French (10.9%), Portuguese (8.7%). 6.1% of Rhode Island's population were reported as under 5, 23.6% under 18, and 14.5% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 52% of the population. Rhode Island has a higher percentage of Italian-Americans (concentrated in the city of Providence) and a higher percentage of Americans of Portuguese ancestry (who dominate Bristol county) than any other state in the nation. French Canadians form a large part of Northern Providence county whereas Irish-Americans have strong presence Newport and Kent county. Yankees of English ancestry still have a presence in the state as well, especially in Washington county.

Religion

The religious affiliations of the people of Rhode Island are:
- Christian – 81%
- Roman Catholic – 52%
- Protestant – 28%
- Episcopal – 8%
- Baptist – 6%
- Other Protestant – 14%
- Other Christian – 1%
- Jewish – 2%
- Other Religions – 1%
- Non-Religious – 16% Rhode Island has the highest percentage of Catholics in the nation due to large Irish, Italian, French Canadian, Portuguese, Puerto Rican, and Cape Verdean communities in the state.

Landmarks

French Canadian The state capitol building is made of white Georgian marble. On top is what is thought to be the world's fourth largest self-supported marble dome. [http://www.visitrhodeisland.com/attractions/propertyDetail.aspx?id=1251&ref=/attractions/index.aspx] It houses the Rhode Island Charter of 1663 and other state treasures. Rhode Island is home to the famous roadside attraction Nibbles Woodaway, the Big Blue Bug, the world's largest termite. The seaside city of Newport is home to many famous mansions, including The Breakers.

Major Cities

The Breakers

- Providence
- Newport
- Warwick
- Cranston
- Pawtucket
- Woonsocket

: See also: :
- List of cities in Rhode Island :
- List of towns in Rhode Island :
- List of Rhode Island locations ranked by per capita income

Education

Providence is home to a number of schools including Brown University, the Rhode Island School of Design, and Providence College. Rhode Island has several state colleges and universities, the University of Rhode Island, located in Kingston in the southern part of the state and Rhode Island College in Providence.

Colleges and universities

- Brown University
- Bryant University (a business school)
- Gibbs College
- Johnson & Wales University
- Naval War College
- New England Institute of Technology
- Community College of Rhode Island

- Providence College
- Rhode Island College
- Rhode Island School of Design
- Roger Williams University
- Salve Regina University
- University of Rhode Island
- Zion Bible Institute

Primary and secondary schools

See Rhode Island schools l

Arts

- WaterFire Providence
- Convergence art festival
- First Night Providence
- Trinity Repertory Company
- Newport Jazz Festival
- Fort Thunder
- AS220

Professional sports teams

- Pawtucket Red Sox, AAA (minor league baseball) affiliate of the Boston Red Sox
- Providence Bruins, AHL (minor league hockey) affiliate of the Boston Bruins

Miscellaneous information

Boston Bruins :Area: 1,545 mile² (4,002 km²) :Population: 1,048,319 (2000) :Capital: Providence :Counties: 5 (see: List of Rhode Island counties) :Highest Point: Jerimoth Hill (812 ft) :State motto: Hope :State bird: Rhode Island Red (A hen) :State flower: Violet :State tree: Red Maple :State fish: Striped Bass :State fruit: Rhode Island greening (Apple) : State nicknames: The Ocean State, Little Rhody, The Littlest State :State rock: Cumberlandite :State mineral: Bowenite (a variety of serpentine) :State shell: Quahog :State drink: Coffee Milk

Famous Rhode Islanders

- Harry Anderson, comedian, born in Newport
- Vin De Bona, creator of America's Funniest Home Videos, born in Central Falls
- Ambrose Burnside, general and governor but not a native
- Vincent "Buddy" Cianci, indicted former mayor of Providence
- George M. Cohan, dramatist, born in Providence
- Nelson Eddy, entertainer, born in Providence
- Bobby Farrelly, writer, director born in Cumberland
- Spalding Gray, writer, actor born in Barrington
- Nathanael Greene, Revolutionary War general, second in command to Washington, born in Potowomut, Warwick
- Bobby Hackett, trumpet player, born in Providence
- David Hartman, television newscaster, born in Pawtucket
- Van Johnson, entertainer, born in Newport
- Napoleon Lajoie, baseball player, born in Woonsocket
- Davey Lopes, baseball player, born in East Providence
- H. P. Lovecraft, author, born in Providence
- Oliver Hazard Perry, naval officer, born in South Kingstown
- Gilbert Stuart, painter, born in Saunderstown
- Mena Suvari, actress, born in Newport
- Meredith Vieira, television personality, born in East Providence
- Abraham Whipple, prominent naval commander during the American Revolution
- Roger Williams (theologian), co-founder of colony and early proponent of religious freedom and separation of church and state
- James Woods, film actor
- Debra Messing, actress, raised in East Greenwich

External links

- [http://www.ri.gov/index.php RI.gov], Official State Government site
- [http://www.visitrhodeisland.com/ Visit Rhode Island] Official Site of the Rhode Island Tourism Division
- [http://newenglandtowns.org/rhode-island/ Rhode Island Counties, Towns, Rivers, and Lakes, from Hayward's Gazetteer of 1839]
- [http://www.gotBlockIsland.com Block Island's best business directory]
- [http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/44000.html U.S. Census Bureau]
- [http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/ Rhode Island laws]
- [http://quahog.org/ Quahog.org, a guide to Rhode Island]
- [http://www.hiddenvacations.com/li/Rhode_Island.html Rhode Island Vacations & Tourism]
- Category:States of the United States ko:로드아일랜드 주 ja:ロードアイランド州

U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, together with the District of Columbia and Palmyra Atoll (an uninhabited incorporated unorganized territory), form the United States of America. The separate state governments and the U.S. federal government share sovereignty, in that an "American" is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of residence. The United States Constitution allocates power between the two levels of government in general terms; the general idea is that by ratifying the Constitution, each state has transferred certain aspects of its sovereign powers to the federal government while retaining the remainder for itself. The tasks of education, health, transportation, and other infrastructure are generally the responsibility of the states. Over time, the Constitution has been amended, and the interpretation and application of its provisions have changed. The general tendency has been toward centralization, with the federal government playing a much larger role than it once did.

Legal relationship

At the time of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain in 1776, the 13 colonies became 13 independently sovereign states, which became fourteen in 1777 with the formation of the Vermont Republic; for a brief period, they were in effect legally separate nations. But upon the adoption of the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, the states became a single sovereign political entity as defined by international law, empowered to levy war and to conduct international relations, albeit with a very loosely structured and inefficient central government. After the failure of the union under the Articles of Confederation, the thirteen states joined the modern union via ratification of the United States Constitution, beginning in 1789. Under Article IV of the Constitution, which outlines the relationship between the states, the Congress has the power to admit new states to the union. The states are required to give "full faith and credit" to the acts of each other's legislatures and courts, which is generally held to include the recognition of legal contracts, marriages, criminal judgments, and - at the time - slave status. The states are guaranteed military and civil defense by the federal government, which is also required to ensure that the government of each state remains a republic. The Constitution is silent on the issue of the secession of a state from the union. The Articles of Confederation had stated that the earlier union of the colonies "shall be perpetual", and the preamble to the Constitution states that Constitution was intended to "form a more perfect union". In 1860 and 1861, several states attempted to secede, but were brought back into the Union by force of arms during the Civil War. Subsequently, the federal judicial system, in the case of Texas v. White, established that states do not have the right to secede without the consent of the other states.
- Four of the states bear the formal title of Commonwealth: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. In these cases, this is merely a name and has no legal effect. However, the United States has non-state areas called commonwealths (Puerto Rico and the Northern Marianas) which do have a legal status different from the states.
- States are free to organize their judicial systems differently from the federal judiciary, as long as due process is protected. See state supreme court for more information. For example, most lawsuits in the state of New York are filed in the Supreme Court, and then appealed to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. The highest court in New York is the Court of Appeals.
- The joint resolution which admitted the Republic of Texas to the Union as a state guaranteed Texas the right to divide itself up into up to 5 states. This clause may be redundant, however, as any such state would arguably require Congressional approval, just as when Maine was split off from Massachusetts; it may also be unconstitutional, as reducing the equal suffrage of the other states in the United States Senate.

List of states

The states, with their U.S. postal abbreviations, traditional abbreviations, capitals and largest cities, are as follows. For a complete list of non-state dependent areas and other territory under control of the U.S., see United States dependent areas. State names speak to the circumstances of their creation. (See the lists of U.S. state name etymologies and U.S. county name etymologies for more detail.)
- Southern states on the Atlantic coast originated as British colonies named after British monarchs: Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland. Some northeastern states, also former British colonies, take their names from places in the British Isles: New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York.
- Many states' names are those of Native American tribes or are from Native American languages: Kansas, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Connecticut, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Mississippi, Texas, Utah, and others.
- Because they are on territories previously controlled by Spain or Mexico, many states in the southeast and southwest have Spanish names. They include Colorado, New Mexico, Florida, and Nevada.
- Because it was previously a French colony, Louisiana is named after the Louis XIV (King of France at the time).
- The origins of the names of California, Oregon, Idaho, and Rhode Island are unknown, although various theories exist.

Trivia

Names

- "Georgia" can refer to either a U.S. state or to an independent country in the Caucasus.
- The name "New York" can refer to any one of three geographical levels: a state, a city in that state, or a county (coterminous with the borough of Manhattan) in that city.
- "Washington" is a state, a city corresponding to the District of Columbia (and thus not part of any state), and a number of cities and counties in various states. See the list of places named for George Washington.
- The state of Washington is the only state named after a U.S. President (or after a person born within the area now comprising the U.S., for that matter).
- The official name of Rhode Island is "the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations."
- Only two states have state capitals named for the state (however, such name-sharing occurs commonly with states and provinces in some other countries, where the state or province actually often takes its name from a capital city): Oklahoma, with capital Oklahoma City, and Indiana, with capital Indianapolis (which means Indiana City). Iowa City, Iowa was the first state capital of Iowa but the capital was later moved to Des Moines, Iowa.
- Maine is the only state with a one-syllable name.

Geography

- Colorado and Wyoming are bounded by two circles of latitude and two meridians each, i.e. they appear to be rectangles in a cylindrical map projection.
- Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming are the only states whose borders are made up of only straight lines (taking meridians and circles of latitude as straight lines) and, thus, the only states whose borders completely ignore natural features.
- Every state—except Hawaii, which has no land boundaries—has straight lines as at least part of its boundaries. These are usually combined with rivers (see river borders of U.S. states), ridge lines and other natural boundaries. Pennsylvania and Delaware are unique in that their common border is an arc of a circle, see The Twelve-Mile Circle.
- The lower peninsula of Michigan is shaped like a mitten; Louisiana is shaped like a boot.
- Alaska, Florida, Idaho, Maryland, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia have panhandles.
- Alabama, Missouri, New Mexico and Mississippi have bootheels.
- Alaska and Hawaii are the only states that are not physically connected to other states; Maine is the only state that borders only one other state. Missouri and Tennessee each border eight other states, the most for any state.
- Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah are the only four states to share a common border, known as the "Four Corners."
- Appearances given by the stereographic projection to the contrary, Minnesota is the northernmost of the forty-eight contiguous United States, as a northern spur of the state contains a portion of Lake of the Woods. At one time it was thought that Lake of the Woods contained the headwaters of the Mississippi River (now known to be at Lake Itasca).
- Alaska is the northernmost state and the westernmost state. Some would argue that it is also the easternmost state, as the Aleutian island chain crosses the 180º line of longitude.

Grouping of the states in regions

Alaska, The South and The Northeast. Note that Alaska and Hawaii are shown at different scales, and that the Aleutian Islands and the uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are omitted from this map.]] States may be grouped in regions; there are endless variations and possible groupings, as most states are not defined by obvious geographic or cultural borders. For further discussion of regions of the U.S., see the list of regions of the United States.

State lists

References

External links

- [http://factfinder.census.gov/bf/_lang=en_vt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1R_US9S_geo_id=01000US.html Tables with areas, populations, densities and more (in order of population)]
- [http://factfinder.census.gov/bf/_lang=en_vt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1_US9_geo_id=01000US.html Tables with areas, populations, densities and more (alphabetical)]
- [http://www.usnewspapers.org US Newspapers by State]
- [http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0854966.html Origin of State Names] United States, States of the Category:Subdivisions of the United States
- U.S. State ja:アメリカ合衆国の地方行政区画 ko:미국의 주 simple:List of U.S. states th:มลรัฐของสหรัฐอเมริกา zh-min-nan:Bí-kok ê hêng-chèng-khu

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<