I have chosen Rhode Island because it is one of those original 13 that many people forget about. This is due in part to its size, Rhode Island being only 1,544 square miles, the smallest state of all. It is also partly due to the fact it is geographically sandwiched between Connecticut and Massachusetts, meaning it's not a state many people would drive through. However it is home to some of the wealthiest people in the country, with some house prices in excess of $10 million (Zillow).
Rhode Island was originally founded in 1636 by Roger Williams who had fled for religious reasons from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The state itself had originally been home to the Narrangansett Tribe who were the biggest in the area that was also home to the Nipmuc Tribes. Both of whom were slowly pushed out of the region westward. Rhode Island then became a haven for people being exiled for religious reasons, predominantly by the Massachusetts Bay Colony. 'Plantations' or Colonies, were built up around the area, particularly nearer the bay area. One of the plantations was one of the first to abolish slavery among other things including witchcraft trials and capital punishment, very ahead of its time compared to many other states.
Rhode Island had been the first to renounce its allegiance to the Crown in 1776 and was the last of the original 13 states to ratify the US Constitution. Rhode Island had actually boycotted the original meeting to draw up the proposed Constitution.
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