Picture this: it's May 4, 1776, and while the other colonies are still hemming and hawing about whether to break up with King George, little Rhode Island says, "You know what? We're done." Just like that, we became the first colony to officially tell Britain to take a hike... a full two months before the big shots in Philadelphia got around to signing that famous Declaration.

When word of the Declaration finally made its way to Newport on July 20, Major John Handy climbed up onto the Colony House balcony in Newport like he was announcing the winner of a prizefight. The crowd below hung on every word. When he finished reading, people didn't just clap politely... they roared. Then came the exclamation point: thirteen cannons booming across Newport Harbor, one for each colony brave enough to thumb their nose at the most powerful empire in the world.

But here's the thing about Rhode Islanders... we've never been the type to sit around waiting for someone else to make the first move. We saw what needed doing, and we did it.

That gutsy spirit? It's alive and well today in Bristol, where they've been throwing the same Fourth of July party since 1785. We're talking 240 years of red, white, and blue painted down the center of Hope Street. Nearly two and a half centuries of kids with streamers, marching bands that make your heart swell, and neighbors who've been saving the same spot on the curb since they were kids themselves.

They call Bristol "America's most patriotic town," and honestly, it's hard to argue. Walk those flag-lined streets in July, and you'll feel something that goes deeper than pageantry. You'll feel the weight of all those generations who understood that freedom isn't just something you declare once... it's something you choose to celebrate, protect, and pass on, year after year.

So, as we gear up for America's 250th birthday party next year (2026), remember this: Rhode Island didn't just help start this country. We led the charge. And in places like Bristol, we're still leading; still showing up, still celebrating, still proving that the smallest state can have the biggest heart.

Because that's what we do here as Rhode Islanders. We don't wait for history to happen. We make it. That is why we are Made From RI.