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Dorr Rebellion, Rhode Island (U.S.)

Historical

image by Randy Young, 16 October 2004

Description of the flag

See also:

Description of the flag

Redrawn from the book "Flags to Color, Washington to Lincoln," and is on page 10. It's listed as "Dorr War color, c.1842."

Quoted from the book -
"Colors: Field, light blue-green; motto and border, gold."

"A fascinating but little-known part of American history was the civil war in Rhode Island in 1841 when Thomas Dorr and others sought to introduce a constitution that would allow a greater number of people to vote. Operating under its 1663 charter, Rhode Island at that time restricted voting to landholders and their eldest sons, thus excluding urban dwellers and factor workers. The anti-Dorr government declared a new constitution illegally adopted, but its partisans created a separate government and displayed flags such as the one shown here. Dorr was eventually overthrown and convicted of treason, but in 1842 Rhode Island adopted a more liberal constitution."

Randy Young, 11 October 2004