Following the 1660 restoration of royal rule in England, it was necessary to gain a Royal Charter from King Charles II.
Charles was a Catholic sympathizer in staunchly Protestant England, and he approved of the colony's promise of religious freedom.
He granted the request with the Royal Charter of 1663, uniting the four settlements together into the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
In the following years, many persecuted groups settled in the colony, notably Quakers and Jews.
The Rhode Island colony was very progressive for the time, passing laws abolishing witchcraft trials, imprisonment for debt, most capital punishment, and slavery of both blacks and whites, enacting the first law prohibiting slavery in America on May 18, 1652, more than 210 years before the Emancipation Proclamation.

Rhode Island remained at peace with local Indians, but the relationship was more strained between other New England colonies and certain tribes and sometimes led to bloodshed, despite attempts by the Rhode Island leadership to broker peace.
During King Philip's War (1675–1676), both sides regularly violated Rhode Island's neutrality.
The war's largest battle occurred in Rhode Island on December 19, 1675 when a force of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Plymouth militia under General Josiah Winslow invaded and destroyed the fortified Narragansett village in the Great Swamp.
The Narragansetts also invaded and burned several towns in Rhode Island, including Providence.
Roger Williams knew both Metacom (Philip) and Canonchet as children.
He was aware of the tribe's activities and promptly sent letters informing the Governor of Massachusetts of enemy movements.
Providence Plantations made some efforts at fortifying the town, and Williams even started training recruits for protection.
In one of the final actions of the war, troops from Connecticut killed King Philip (Metacom) in Mount Hope, Rhode Island.
Following the 1660 restoration of royal rule in England, it was necessary to gain a Royal Charter from King Charles II. Charles was a Catholic sympathizer in staunchly Protestant England, and he approved of the colony's promise of religious freedom. He granted the request with the Royal Charter of 1663, uniting the four settlements together into the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. In the following years, many persecuted groups settled in the colony, notably Quakers and Jews. The Rhode Island colony was very progressive for the time, passing laws abolishing witchcraft trials, imprisonment for debt, most capital punishment, and slavery of both blacks and whites, enacting the first law prohibiting slavery in America on May 18, 1652, more than 210 years before the Emancipation Proclamation.
Rhode Island remained at peace with local Indians, but the relationship was more strained between other New England colonies and certain tribes and sometimes led to bloodshed, despite attempts by the Rhode Island leadership to broker peace. During King Philip's War (1675–1676), both sides regularly violated Rhode Island's neutrality. The war's largest battle occurred in Rhode Island on December 19, 1675 when a force of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Plymouth militia under General Josiah Winslow invaded and destroyed the fortified Narragansett village in the Great Swamp. The Narragansetts also invaded and burned several towns in Rhode Island, including Providence. Roger Williams knew both Metacom (Philip) and Canonchet as children. He was aware of the tribe's activities and promptly sent letters informing the Governor of Massachusetts of enemy movements. Providence Plantations made some efforts at fortifying the town, and Williams even started training recruits for protection. In one of the final actions of the war, troops from Connecticut killed King Philip (Metacom) in Mount Hope, Rhode Island.
Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations