Why is providence the capital of rhode island?

Answer 1

Providence, Rhode Island was originally settled by the Puritan minister Roger Williams in June of 1936 after his exile from the colony of Massachusetts.

Due to his differing views from the established Puritan ministry in Boston, Williams was banished from the colony and traveled alone to find a new location for himself, his family, and any other individuals craving a true freedom of religion.

He named it Providence because after having wandered through the wilderness of present-day southeastern Massachusetts and northern Rhode Island he eventually came to the lands surrounding the mouth of the Providence River. He was so overjoyed at having come through such a journey that having found the beautiful landscape, he now had a sense of "God's merciful Providence".

Providence, in his words, meant care and guardianship, especially of a deity.

It became the capital city essentially because it was the first to be purchased from the local Native Americans and settled.