Providence is a city located in the territory of Rhode Island and is the most populous city in Rhode Island. It is the capital of the state. Providence is one of the first cities established in the United States. The city of Providence is in Providence County. The population is about 178 000 people.
The city is located in the Providence River estuary. The modern city of Providence is a place known for its high quality hospitals, senior centers and industrial enterprises. Providence proudly bears the nickname hive of industry.
The city was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams. He named the city in honor of God's providence. Williams was convinced that this is where he should settle with his followers, who professed his religion. Providence became one of the first industrial centers of the country, it focused on the manufacture of jewelry and silver.
Providence was one of the famous Thirteen U.S. colonies. Before Roger Williams came, the area was inhabited by Pokanoket Indians. Williams entered into an agreement with the Indians to build the city Providence. The city began to flood with many religious people who were expelled from other cities. Providence in the early years was a city that was growing very slowly. Cultivating the land was difficult and that further hindered the development of the city.
In the seventies of the eighteenth century the British government created charges that included tax on agricultural industry, on fisheries and on other main components of the livelihood of the townspeople. One of the most famous taxes was the Sugar Act, which prohibits abuse of sale of sugar. These fees forced Providence to join the other colonies and it was one of the first cities to be included in the American revolution in 172 in the bloody Gaspee affair.
After leaving Newport, French soldiers passed through Providence while joining the attackers, who fought with British soldiers.
After the war, Providence became the ninth largest city in the U.S. with a population of seven thousand six hundred and fourteen people. The city began production of jewelry, textiles and silver objects. In the early nineteenth century, Providence had been recognized as one of the largest industrial centers of agricultural production. To the city began to flood many immigrants from Sweden, England, Portugal, French Canada, Italy and Ireland. In the twenties of the nineteenth century, in the town was much friction between blacks and whites.
In the thirties of the nineteenth century, the city's population grew to seventeen thousand. Population continued to grow throughout the nineteenth century and early twentieth century, the town had a population of over one hundred seventy-five thousand people. In the twenties of the twentieth century, booming population growth ended after a decline in the industrial development of the city.
However, many hospitals were open and the jewelry industry dropped. A new wave of immigrants from Poland, Lithuania and Italy followed. The Great Depression reflected very badly on Providence. In 1938 the city had another misfortune - the center of the city was literally submerged by flooding caused by the New England Hurricane. During World War II, the city flourished again in economic terms, but that ended with the war.
From the mid-twentieth century to the eighties, the city became a center of organized crime. Then began the revival of the city, more than six hundred million dollars were invested, and the population began to grow. More new investments and construction of new buildings followed.