Historedia
AmericasEvent

Granting of the Charter of Rhode Island

When
1663
Where
Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Episodes
1

In July 1663, King Charles II granted a Royal Charter to the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. This document superseded the 1643 patent, establishing self-governance, religious freedom, and specific protections for Native Americans. It served as the colony's guiding legal framework for nearly two centuries.

Episodes

  1. July 1663 · Colony of Rhode Island and Providence PlantationsGranting of the Royal Charter

    King Charles II approved the Royal Charter for Rhode Island in July 1663, superseding the 1643 patent and establishing the colony's legal framework.

Background and detail

Charter Terms. The 1663 charter confirmed the rights of the 1643 patent while granting the colony power to make its own laws. It guaranteed religious freedom, prohibiting punishment for differences in opinion, and did not require oaths of allegiance. It also defined boundary lines and required neighboring colonies to allow Rhode Islanders to pass unmolested.

People involved

  • Charles II · King of England who approved the charter
  • John Clarke · Colony agent who advocated for the charter in England

Sources

  1. Rhode Island Royal Charter Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-30

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.