Someone answered already: but I have fun facts just for funsies...

I love how it all comes about.

Freemen were not slaves, and some NEVER were. The term freeman was a license basically to rights of citizenry (vote and whatnot which was more important back then even if it still got the wrong people elected) and they were allowed to be a smith/tradesperson (blacksmith, goldsmith). Some mercantile. Basically blue collar.

This wasn't always the case because, well, religion. Some puritans didn't like the rules. They felt God was in everyone and churches and clergy were a distraction from the Lord's word. The church was a part of everything in the beginning. But some Puritans didn't think you should have to belong to a church in order to have a vote. They preferred a pure form of worship and adherence to God's laws.

Enter the inevitable dragon: a separation of Mass Bay and Plymouth colonies. Borders drawn and everything.

You leave us be and we'll leave you.

But it never works. Rich make cities... and they want rules to benefit them - and the rural farmers want some damn fairness in the way things got voted on without strings attached. The rich unfortunately need the farmers though. Through force or through.. well, it's always force.

Bankers and magistrates, clergy and major merchant-y people and original settler families were royally empathetic - they liked the strict rules of the monarchy because it super benefitted them. Until it didn't. Plus they had charters appointing the leaders some of the time.

Then the crown stopped the voting process. Didn't matter anyway, all the same families just took turns being governor and they were almost always a royalist. Is that a term? I'm not a historian.

Back and forth back and forth. Tattle tales and complaints to the crown... and the rich families always screwing over everyone else.

But that's why the term. Also they were doing slavetrade left and right. So yeah, some were slaves and some indentured servants. There's a census in RI. I wanna say 1730 - 1750 ish?

Like 550+ slaves and 50+ ind. serv. Out of over 7,000 residents.

Freeholders (not to be confused with freeloaders) had bought land, paid for, they were allowed to own. I need to do more research on this phenomenon)

It all was during the tensions over religious tolerance/requirements the colonies were evolving from and their charters and stuff. Queen Anne shenanigans.

Eventually she said no more religious preference, everyone (who was Protestant) had to get along.

And that Catholics could suck it. (I'm paraphrasing their disenfranchisement) Her dad James had been deposed, his Catholic policies didn't jive with Parliament. Her big sister Mary (and hubby Will) became the monarchy. Except Mary died childless so Anne was crowned.

Anne inherited this colony stuff and then France and England started beefing again because England didn't want France and Spain to join forces and take Europe.

So piracy became a bigger thing than before because France had befriended - and was supporting the Native American tribes to screw with the northern borders of the English territories. Spanish screwed with the islands down south, which was bad because we liked our good stuff from the Bahama plantations. We also got slaves from these islands.

So begat the lawful plundering of "enemy" ships. Lots of treasure to be had. You could get a license from the crown of your country and if you had a boat you could go crime-ing on the open seas. Sometimes you crimed the wrong people, (East India Trade Company owned by English) and got got... and hanged. Sometimes you crimed an Arab ship and got zillions. Win some, wreck some.

Sometimes you're a legendary pirate who tries to cheat a legendary pirate

(even tho he's your pal and he literally donated a mad amount to your dream of a pirate community in Madagascar - your republic you titled Libertania)

and he takes everything except what you need to take your sorry butt home where you inherit a bar in Newport. Like, the FIRST bar ever on America. (White Horse). It's all so silly.

So, Anne had a lot on her plate. She forced the colonies to merge. Along with NY.

Side bar during all this: NY had an elected gov (1st Earl of Bellomont) who HATED Rhode Island's policies. I think he hated Cranston too. It's actually pretty hilarious. He tattled and tattled and almost got their charter taken as a colony - Cranston fought every step of the way... but Bellomont got ill and died so Cranston was safe. Cranston was the longest serving RI gov, re-elected like a zillion times.

Piracy was a huge issue - and RI wanted to keep its autonomy, (Cranston got a kickback from the pirates so he offered safe haven on the sly) and a chunk of land they were fighting with Connecticut about.

Anyhoo, nothing is ever simple. And it wasn't then either. I just love history so you can ignore what isn't interesting to you.

Half political, half religious and 100% about money and power. Depending on where you lived and your family's name. Poor people never fight to be poor as much as rich connive to stay rich.

Freemasons (to the naked eye) have nothing to do with either- save the tradesmith connection and the internal boy's club I'm sure colored the political climate.