Did Rhode Island Really Declare Independence First? The May 4th Myth Explained

On May 4th, 1776, two months before the Declaration of Independence, Rhode Island renounced its allegiance to King George III. No other colony had done it. So why isn't Rhode Island celebrated as the first to declare independence from Great Britain? The answer reveals something surprising: what the General Assembly actually did that day was bolder and more complicated than a simple declaration. And buried in that act is a warning to the Continental Congress itself, a warning that tells us everything about who Rhode Islanders were, and still are. This is the story of May 4th, 1776. Chapters: 00:00 Rhode Island's Bold Move 01:23 America in 1776 04:36 The Case For May 4th 07:13 The Problem 09:08 What Really Happened 10:29 The Deeper Story 📬 Subscribe to the free Story of Rhode Island newsletter: https://www.storyofrhodeisland.com/en... 📲 Follow on Instagram for more Rhode Island history: storyofrhodeisland #RhodeIsland #AmericanRevolution #America250 #RhodeIslandHistory #May4th