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Rhode Island

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Rhode Island

This jurisdictional hub aggregates FRC holdings related to Rhode Island. It supports research on the state’s firearms history, technology, law, policy, and culture from the colonial period through statehood to the present.

  • Legal sources: statutes and session laws, administrative code, attorney general opinions, appellate decisions, and select municipal ordinances.
  • Historical materials: newspapers, photographs, maps, catalogs, maritime, manufacturing, and militia records, and oral histories tied to Rhode Island people and places.
  • Research outputs: technical reports, academic studies, training manuals, and curated datasets relevant to the state.

Cite the Firearms Research Center and the item’s handle/DOI when using materials. Rights and licensing vary by item.

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Jurisdiction: search.filters.coverage.Rhode IslandEnd date: 1822

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Now showing 1 - 14 of 14
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    Item type:Item,
    1 Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England 94 (John Russell Bartlett ed., 1856)
    (1639)
    Ordered that "no man" shall go two miles from town unarmed. Also ordered that none shall come to any public meeting without his weapon. Penalty of five shillings per violation.
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    Item type:Item,
    1779 R.I. Laws, Oct. Reg. Sess. 32
    (1779)
    "[E]ach and every effective Man as aforesaid [had to] provide, and at all times be furnished, at his own Expence (excepting such Persons as the Town-Councils of the Towns in which they respectively dwell or reside shall adjudge unable to purchase the same) with one good Musquet, and a Bayonet fitted thereto, with a Sheath and Belt, or Strap, for the same, one Ram-rod, Worm, Priming-wire and Brush, and one Cartouch-Box."
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    Item type:Item,
    1781 R.I. Laws, Feb. Adjourned Sess. 8
    (1781)
    Raised a militia force of 1,200 men, with the statutory guarantee that the term of service would be only one month, and they were "not to be marched out of" the state.623 The number of men each county raised depended on the number of militia-aged men (16 to 50) within that county.624 "[E]ach of the non-commissioned Officers and Soldiers" had to "furnish himself with a good Musket, Bayonet, Cartouch- Box, Knapsack, and Blanket."
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    7 Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England 567 (1862)
    (1776)
    Required any male citizen age sixteen or above to take a loyalty oath and failure to do so without providing proper justificaiton results in disarmament
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    Item type:Item,
    1762 R.I. Pub. Laws 132
    (1762)
    An Act of June 1762: That every person who shall import gunpowder into the town of Newport aforesaid shall cause the same to be conveyed immediately to the powder house at the North Easterly part of town, before the vessel in which the said Powder shall be imported, be brought to any Wharf; upon the penalty of paying into the Town-Treasury of the said Town of Newport, a Fine of Ten Shillings Lawful Money, for every cask which shall not be conveyed to the Powder House as aforesaid
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    Item type:Item,
    1794 R.I. Pub. Laws 21
    (1794)
    An Act To Organize The Militia Of This State, § 10: That every Corporal who shall neglect to warn the Men to appear at every Rendezvous mentioned in this Act, when thereunto required as aforesaid without sufficient excuse, shall forfeit the Sum of Twelve Shillings, Lawful Money: That every non-commissioned officer or private who shall neglect to appear at the regimental Rendezvous, shall forfeit the sum of Six Shillings and for every day he shall neglect to appear at the company parade, he shall forfeit Four Shillings and Sixpence. And if he shall not be armed and equipped according other said Act of congress, when so appearing, without sufficient excuse, he shall, for appearing without a gun, forfeit one shilling and sixpence; without bayonet and belt six pence; without a Bayonet and Belt, Sixpence; without a Cartouch-Box and Cartridges, Sixpence. . .
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    Item type:Item,
    1636-1748 R.I. Pub. Laws 31
    (1679)
    That if any person or persons shall presume to sport game or play at any manner of game or games or shooting out any gun or shall set tipling & drinking in any tavern alhouse ordinary or vitling house on the first day of the week more than neccesity requireth and upon examination of the fact it shall be judged by any Justice of the Peace and the Person or Persons so offending as aforesaid. Upon conviction before one Justice of Peace Shall by the said Justice of the Peace be sentenced for every the aforesaid offences to set in the stocks three hours or pay five shillings in money for the use of the poor of the town or place where the offence was committed.
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    1 Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England 79–80 (John Russell Bartlett ed., 1856)
    (1643)
    reiterated an earlier order "for every man to have so much powder, and so many bullets, and so the forwarning is to stand still in force; and also that every man do come armed unto the meeting upon every sixth day"
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    Item type:Item,
    Acts and Orders of 1647, in Colonial Origins of the American Constitution: A Documentary History 183–84 (Donald S. Lutz ed., 1998)
    (1647)
    Every inhabitant above sixteen or under sixty years of age shall be provided a musket, one pound of powder, twenty bullets, two fathoms match, sword rest, and bandaleers.
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    Item type:Item,
    Acts and Laws of His Majesties Colony of Rhode-Island, and Providence Plantations in America 86-87 (1179 [1719])
    (1718)
    That every Listed Soldier of the said Militia, shall be always provided with one good Musket, or Fuzee, the Barrel whereof not to be less than three foot and an half in length, to the satisfaction of the Commission Officers of the Company; also one pound of good Gunpowder, thirty Bullets, fit for his Gun, six good Flints, fit for Service; one good Sword, or Baionet, a Cartouch Box, ready
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    2 Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, in New England 561 (1857)
    (1677)
    Required seizure of guns and ammunition from "any Indian."
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    Item type:Item,
    1731 R.I. Pub. Laws 240-241
    (1731)
    Restricted the firing of any gun, pistol, squib, rocket, or firework on any street or in any tarvern after dark. Violators fined five shillings on first offense, ten shillings on second offense, twenty shillings for offenses beyond the second.
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    Acts and Orders of 1647, in Colonial Origins of the American Constitution: A Documentary History 39 (Donald S. Lutz ed., 1998)
    (1647)
    Prohibited the giving, selling, repairing guns, ammunition, or weapons to or for "the Indians."
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    3 Records of the Colony of Rhode Island, and Providence Plantations, in New England 31 (1858)
    (1679)
    And bee it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That any person or persons shall presume to sport, game or play at any manner of game or games, or shooting on the first day of the weeke as aforesaid, or shall sit tippling and drinking in any tavern, ale-house, ordinary or victualling house on the first day of the weeke, more than necessity requireth;