For other details see TheTownOfUnity
For general Rhode Island history: http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/studteaguide/RhodeIslandHistory/rodehist.html
1637 : Unity founded by refugees from the Massachusetts Bay Colony looking for greater religious freedom and tollerance.
1641 : Work begins on the oldest surviving building in Unity, The Unity Chapel. The Chapel, which has been extended over the years is now the FirstEpiscopalianChurch of Unity.
1643-3 : A parlimentary patent was granted to the five towns of Rhode Island, uniting them as a single colony
1663 : Rhode Island is granted a Royal Charter which guarantees religious liberty and allows for a self-governing colony with total autonomy. (NB Except for Catholics!)
1675-6 : King Philip's War. TheWampanoagIndians lead attempt to remove settlers from the lands that make up Rhode Island. Supported by TheNarragansettIndians and TheNipmuckIndians after settlers attack them too. Providence burnt down and massacres by both sides.
1686 : Arrival of Huguenot refugees
time passes
1776 : May 4: Rhode Island became the first colony to renounce allegiance to King George III. Newport occupied by British and besieged ...
1778 : Battle of Rhode Island. Large and inconcolusive. First action seen by French troops in the war.
1783 : Raising of restrictions on Catholics
1784 : Emancipation Act. Children of slaves born free.
1787 : Banning of slavery in Rhode Island
1790 : Ratifies constitution in tightest vote of any colony.
1790s: Extensive development of RiversideDistrict
1792 : JenkinUniversity founded
1805 : TextileMill founded
1810 : First murder trial in Unity. NathanielZane sentenced to "be hung from the neck until dead" for murder of ElizaHarwich.
1814 : *snigger* ( http://www.whitehousehistory.org/04_history/subs_timeline/frame_a01_chrono.html )
1823: The Unity Society founded. First meeting at 122.
1824: SandersonHouse (then owned by Boucher family) burns down killing all occupants.
1842: SilverFactory founded.
1847 : the first train ran over the Providence and Worcester. The town of Unity was a significant stop on the way.
1851 : The GasWorks founded
1865: FertiliserPlant founded
1868 : The GasWorks refounded
1870 : MolassesDistillery Founded
1881 : The SandersonHouse Massacre. See the SandersonGhost for details.
1885 : UnityPublicLibrary Founded
more time passes
1911 : JenkinUniversity admits first woman
1914-18 : War happens; US peripherally involved
1919 : JenkinUniversity admits women undergraduates
1919: LovettLoaves opens Unity factory
1920 : Prohibition begins (The 18th amendment wasn't ratified by Rhode Island, the only state not to do so see http://www.myrights.org/18th&21stAmends.htm -- MikePitt)
Events covering the period from 1922 (i.e., the period in which the game happens) are covered in PreviouslyInUnity.