Gaspee Days: A Celebration of America's First Blow for Freedom

In June of 1772 brave colonists from Rhode Island burned the British revenue schooner, HMS Gaspee, during what has become recognized as the first bloodshed of the American Revolution. Each year, the village of Pawtuxet, RI, commemorates this act with the annual Gaspee Days Celebration, designed to celebrate the burning of the hated British revenue schooner, HMS Gaspee, by Rhode Island patriots in 1772 as America’s First Blow for Freedom.

Secretary of State Nellie M. Gorbea/Rhode Island Department of State developed this amazing timeline and more as part of their themed collection of the Gaspee Affair. We are linking to several parts of the collection below. You can find more themed Rhode Island history collections at the Secretary of State's website, and a treasure trove of Rhode Island history at the Rhode Island State Archives.