Dorr Rebellion

Dorr Rebellion
"Upper room of the Arsenal, on the night of the 17th of May," 1842
Date 1841–1842 Location Rhode Island Result Charterite victory
Belligerents
Charter government Law and Order Party Massachusetts New York Supported by:  United States	Dorrites Suffrage Party Suffrage Association Spartan Association
Commanders and leaders
Samuel Ward King William Gibbs McNeil	Thomas Wilson Dorr Colonel Wheeler Colonel Dispeau (AWOL) Jedediah Sprague (POW) Michael Walsh (Spartans)
Strength
~3,500 (peak) 200 black militiamen	~300 (peak) 12 Spartans
Casualties and losses
1 killed 2 spies captured	0 Killed Many arrested
1 civilian killed 1 civilian shot 100–200 civilians captured as Dorrites 2 civilians captured as Algerine spies

The Dorr Rebellion (1841–1842) (also referred to as Dorr's Rebellion, Dorr's War or Dorr War) was an attempt by residents to force broader democracy in the state of Rhode Island. Led by Thomas Wilson Dorr, the movement mobilized his followers to demand changes to the state's electoral rules. Rhode Island was still using its 1663 colonial charter as a constitution, which required land ownership as a qualification to vote. The rebellion established a parallel government alongside the existing chartered government and wrote a new constitution for Rhode Island. Although the rebellion failed, it forced the rewriting of the state constitution to expand voter eligibility.