>> like many of us first families take they take that take vacation time. a good read could be the perfect companion for summer journeys. first ladies, presidential historians on the lives of five iconic american women. a great summertime read, available from public affairs as a hardcover or e-book through

your favorite bookstore or online bookseller. on june 9, 1772, a furnace that a british ship entered waters in providence rhode island. when the ship went aground local rhode islanders set higher and took the captain and crew prisoner. up next, rhode island senator sheldon whitehouse talks about the role in the gas be a fair the american revolution. this is 13 minutes. >> i'm here to celebrate a significant event. every student of american history knows the story of the boston tea party. we learned about samuel adams

and the sons of liberty dumping chests of tea into boston harbor to protest british taxation without representation. what many students don't know is down in rhode island more than a year earlier a group of rhode island patriots made an even harsher challenge to the british empire. one dark night in june of 1772. i'm here to tell their story. the episode began amid growing tensions with columnists. into rhode island's bank. the gas be -- the gaspee was

known for destroying fishing vessels, seizing cargo, and flagging down ships only to harass, humiliate, and interrogate the colonials. as nick bunker, author of the book empire on the edge, wrote. "this harassment did not sit well with rhode islanders, who had grown accustomed to personal freedom unique in that time. even by american standards rhode island was an extreme case of popular government. a chapter in his book in which he describes this is entitled this dark affair by the gaspee incident. out of all the colleagues, rhode island was the one that entered most deeply into the lives of people. and we want to did free. in july of 1663, 100 years

before the incident, king charles the second granted a royal charter. the charter said this was to hold forth a lively experiment. a most flourishing civil state may stand and best be maintained full liberty in religious concerns. the lively experiment in rhode island-based of the path for american freedom of religion, a fundamental right of our great nation. in rhode island, what with then considered radical ideologies of freedom ran very deep. a century later william betting stem would learn how as he went about confiscating cargo.

the british armed forces have come to regard all most every local merge as a smuggler rhode islanders were fed up with the abuse. something was bound to give. local see men and traders led by john brown signed a petition. she brought it to stephen hopkins, a political leader in providence and an advocate for liberty. for brown and hopkins, the only law would recognize our affairs with eight by their assembly and local courts. this in 1772.

british officers needed to present their orders and commission to ally on the governor before entering local waters. they are indeed threatened -- they indeed threatened to hang with any man who tried to oppose them. the fuse was lit. it all came to a head in june 9. benjamin lindsay failing to providence. they yield to inspection by gaspee. captain lindsay refused. despite warning shots fired.

steered his ship toward the co-. right over the shallow waters. they shot over the shallows. the gaspee ran aground and stuck firm. the british ship and her crew was caught. stranded in a falling tide. they would need to wait many hours for a rising tide. according to nick bunker come as might fell the gaspee crew turned in, leaving only one person on the deck. spotting an irresistible opportunity captain lindsay sailed on the providence. there he enlisted the help of john brown who had led that

petition against the gaspee back in march. brown was from one of the most prominent families in the city. he ultimately found what he hopes to be the browns university. down in what is known as the east side of providence along the weather -- along the waterfront. refreshments were served. the group resolved to end the menace in rhode island waters. those graders, led by what to nick bunker called for maritime elite providence set out with blackened faces, long boats, and rode down the day.

they make their way to the stranded gaspee and surrounded it. as daniel harrington recounted in the providence journal captain abraham spoke first for the rhode islanders. there's a warrant to apprehend you, expletive. it was, as harrington, a classic rhode island greeting. i consent that his article be added to the record at the end of my remarks. the lieutenant refused his command and ordered his men to fire upon anyone who attempted to lord -- attempted to board.

the rhode islanders outnumbered the british and swore on. shots rang out in the dark. the lieutenant felt wounded. that's night the very first blood in the conflict that was to become the american revolution was drawn by american arms. a little bit more than just tea in the side of the boston harbor. as the patriots commandeered the ship brown ordered one of its rhode islanders to tend to dotting stint's wounds. brown took the captain of the english crew -- -- english crew ashore.

they set her a fire. blaze spread, reaching the ship's charges of gunpowder and the canon, setting off explosions like fireworks. ultimately the flames red -- flames reached the gaspee's powder. fragments of the gaspee splashed down beneath a moonless sky. nick bunker wrote the british have never seen anything quite like the gaspee affair. their attack on the ship amounted to a complete rejection of the empire's right to rule according to dan harrington's op-ed king george the third was furious inquiries were made and

nooses were fashioned. in the end not one name was produced. thousands of rhode islanders remained true to silence. the site of this historic victory is now named gaspee point. in honor of this incident and the audacious rhode islanders who accomplished it. according to bunker, the rhode island patriots successfully organized a military operation three years ahead of its time that arose not merely from a private quarrel but a matrix of ideas. the ideas of liberty. rhode islanders have made it a tradition of celebrating the incident and this year marks the 50th annual gaspee day celebration.

we march in the annual parade as we recall the courage of the men who fired the first shot and through the first blood -- and drew the first blood. i like to thank the committee for their continuing efforts in hosting this annual celebration. and to my friend for his work each year in making this event so special. as proud as i am what those brave rhode islanders did i'm also disappointed their story needed -- their story had been large -- their story had been lost to history.

as mr. harrington wrote, through the ages noble rhode islanders named their daughters hannah in honor of the ship that long ago what a fledgling love -- fledgling country toward independence and help create the finest nation ever born of man. >> none attracted more conspiracy theories then-president john f. kennedy. ralph nurnberg or discuss the events when kennedy was shot and killed while riding in his motorcade.