Connecticut History
Connecticut Guide
Connecticut History
Connecticut Information
| State of Connecticut | |
| Connecticut Official Language(s) | De jure: None De facto: English |
| Connecticut Demonym | Connecticuter, Nutmegger |
| Connecticut Capital | Hartford |
| Connecticut Largest City | Bridgeport |
| Connecticut Largest Metro Area | Greater Hartford |
| Connecticut Area | Ranked 48th in the US |
| - Total | 5,543 sq mi (14,356 km2) |
| - Width | 70 miles (113 km) |
| - Length | 110 miles (177 km) |
| - % water | 12.6 |
| - Latitude | 40°58′ N to 42°03′ N |
| - Longitude | 71°47′ W to 73°44′ W |
| Connecticut Population | Ranked 29th in the US |
| - Total | 3,518,288 (2009 est.) 3,405,565 (2000) |
| - Density | 702.9/sq mi (271.40/km2) Ranked 4th in the US |
| - Median income | $55,970 (3rd) |
| Connecticut Elevation | |
| - Highest point | South slope of Mount Frissell 2,380 ft (726 m) |
| - Mean | 500 ft (152 m) |
| - Lowest point | Long Island Sound 0 ft (0 m) |
| Connecticut Before Statehood | Connecticut Colony |
| Connecticut Admission to Union | January 9, 1788 (5th) |
| Connecticut Governor | M. Jodi Rell (R) |
| Connecticut Lieutenant Governor | Michael Fedele (R) |
| Connecticut Legislature | General Assembly |
| - Upper house | Senate |
| - Lower house | House of Representatives |
| U.S. Senators | Christopher Dodd (D) Joe Lieberman (ID) |
| U.S. House delegation | 5 Democrats |
| Connecticut Time Zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Connecticut Abbreviations | CT Conn. US-CT |
| Connecticut Website | http://www.ct.gov |
Connecticut State Symbols
| Connecticut State Symbols | |
|---|---|
| Connecticut Animate insignia | |
| Connecticut Bird(s) | American Robin |
| Connecticut Fish | American shad |
| Connecticut Flower(s) | Mountain Laurel |
| Connecticut Insect | European Mantis |
| Connecticut Mammal(s) | Sperm whale |
| Connecticut Tree | Charter White oak |
| Connecticut Inanimate Insignia | |
| Connecticut Dance | Square dance |
| Connecticut Fossil | Dinosaur tracks |
| Connecticut Mineral | Garnet |
| Connecticut Shell | Eastern Oyster |
| Connecticut Ship(s) | USS Nautilus (SSN-571), Freedom Schooner Amistad |
| Connecticut Slogan(s) | Full of Surprises |
| Connecticut Song(s) | Yankee Doodle, The Nutmeg |
| Connecticut Tartan | Connecticut State Tartan |
Connecticut State History
The political outlook, and the enriched cultural flavor, the prominence of education, and the accomplishment in matters of industrialization, with their own way of friction and interaction with the socio-economic limitations of the state, has created a long, exciting and interestingly rich history of Connecticut.
The state derives its name from an Indian word “Quinnetukut” or (Quinnehtukqut) meaning “beside the long tidal river”. It actually signifies the river, Connecticut, which traverses through the whole stretch of the territorial land of Connecticut, from north to south. The river, from the early colonial times has been a broad highway for the export of surplus crops and goods because of its easy navigation facilities.
Dutch and English Exploration and Settlement
If we look back to the earliest stages of Connecticut History, the first European settlers of Connecticut were the Dutch. In 1614, the Dutch explorer Adriaen Block sailed through the Long Island Sound and happened to explore the Connecticut River. They also built a small fort at the confluence of the Park and Connecticut rivers, the site which is the present-day Hartford. That was named Huys de Goede Hoop. They started moving away when the English began to establish their major settlement at the place.
In the year of 1636, Thomas Hooker and his congregation started to establish their settlement near the Dutch trading post at Hartford. Though the Pequot people resisted them, they were defeated in the war that followed.
In 1638-39, the representatives from Hartford, Windsor, and Wethersfield, the three Connecticut River towns, gathered in a meeting at Hartford and formed the colony of Connecticut. They also put together the Fundamental Orders, which established a sort of government for the Connecticut colony. In the year of 1662, however the three colonies were merged, and Connecticut was made the crown colony. The Connecticut colony was one of those thirteen colonies which played a major role in the American Revolution in the upheaval against the British rule.
The New England Confederation
In 1643, the New England Confederation was formed with New Haven and Connecticut colonies joining Massachusetts Bay and the Plymouth colony. In 1662, Connecticut came to be known as a corporate colony through a royal charter. It also acquired New Haven.
However, the years from 1750 to 1776 were pretty disturbed, with major disagreements arising between the radicals and the conservatives. The state had been the principal supplier of the Continental army during the American Revolution, though during the revolution there were no major upheaval in Connecticut except little skirmishes at Stonington (1775), Danbury (1777), New Haven (1779), and New London (1781).
In 1792, according to the records of Connecticut history, part of the western land was given back to the Connecticut citizens, except for the Western Reserve which is an area in Ohio. However, the remaining was sold in 1795. In the year of 1799, the long dispute of Connecticut regarding the Wyoming Valley with Pennsylvania came to an end.
During the administration of Thomas Jefferson, the Embargo Act of 1807 was passed. This was a very important step in the history of Connecticut.
The War of 1812 made the New England Federalists who met up at the Hartford Convention in the late 1814, consider secession.
The Jeffersonians came into power in 1818. With them, a new constitution came up which replaced the old charter that was designed in 1662. However, the universal manhood suffrage was proclaimed as late as in 1845.
Early Manufacturing
Connecticut’s shipping industry was totally rampaged by the embargo and the war, and the state had no other choice than turning its attention to manufacturing. Eli Whitney, who is still remembered in history for his contribution to change the face of the Connecticut economy, established a firearms factory in 1798. The enterprising Yankee Peddler was also born at the same time. The insurance industry of Connecticut started to flourish during this time. The Hartford Fire Insurance Company was established in 1810.
Wars and Industrial Expansion
The industries of Connecticut flourished greatly after the war. Large numbers of English, Scottish, Irish and French Canadians began to immigrate to Connecticut and were the chief source of cheap labor.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Italians and poles also arrived in large numbers.
Connecticut chiefly prospered between the World War I and the World War II, as, providing arms, ammunitions and other supplies for the war had been the chief industry.
The Great Depression however left many unemployed.
Connecticut’s growth curve continued to move up in the years that followed the Second World War. The first nuclear-power based submarine was launched in 1954 at Groton. The guns, helicopters and the jet-engines were the other important manufactures of the period.
In the late 1970s, Connecticut saw the state of decline, when the manufacturing industry started to decay. But the financial, insurance, real estate and service sectors contributed their best to make Connecticut one of the most prosperous countries of the nation.
Connecticut Sports
Connecticut Professional Sports Teams
| Club | Sport | League |
|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport Sound Tigers | Ice hockey | American Hockey League |
| Danbury Mad Hatters | Ice hockey | Eastern Professional Hockey League |
| Hartford Wolf Pack | Ice hockey | American Hockey League |
| New Britain Rock Cats | Baseball | Minor League Baseball (AA) |
| Connecticut Tigers | Baseball | Minor League Baseball (A) |
| Bridgeport Bluefish | Baseball | Atlantic League |
| Manchester Silkworms | Baseball | New England Collegiate Baseball League |
| Danbury Westerners | Baseball | New England Collegiate Baseball League |
| Torrington Titans | Baseball | Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League |
| Connecticut Sun | Basketball | Women's National Basketball Association |
| New Haven Warriors | Rugby League | American National Rugby League |
| Connecticut Wildcats | Rugby League | American National Rugby League |
| Hartford Wanderers | Rugby Union | New England Rugby Football Union |
| New Haven Old Black | Rugby Union | New England Rugby Football Union |
| Hartford Colonials | Football | United Football League |
| Connecticut Yankees | Rugby Union | Metropolitan New York Rugby Union New England Rugby Football Union |
| Nutmeg BMX | BMX Racing | National Bicycle League |
| CT RollerGirls | Roller derby | Women's Flat Track Derby Association |
Connecticut State Insignia and Historical Figures
| State Hero | Nathan Hale |
| State Heroine | Prudence Crandall |
| State Composer | Charles Edward Ives |
| State Statues in Statuary Hall | Roger Sherman and Jonathan Trumbull |
| State Poet Laureate | John Hollander |
| Connecticut State Troubadour | Lara Herscovitch |
| State Composer laureate | Jacob Druckman |
Public and Private Liberal Arts Colleges
- Albertus Magnus College - New Haven
- Connecticut College - New London
- Eastern Connecticut State University - Willimantic
- Central Connecticut State University - New Britain
- Charter Oak State College - New Britain
- Southern Connecticut State University - New Haven
- Western Connecticut State University - Danbury
- Saint Joseph College - West Hartford (woman's college)
- Trinity College - Hartford
- Wesleyan University - Middletown
Private colleges and universities
- Berkeley Divinity School - New Haven
- Briarwood College - Southington
- University of Bridgeport - Bridgeport
- Fairfield University - Fairfield
- Hartford Seminary - Hartford
- University of Hartford - West Hartford
- Holy Apostles College and Seminary - Cromwell
- Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts - Old Lyme
- Mitchell College - New London
- University of New Haven - West Haven
- Paier College of Art - Hamden
- Post University - Waterbury
- Quinnipiac University - Hamden
- Rensselaer at Hartford - Hartford
- Sacred Heart University - Fairfield
- Yale University - New Haven
- Goodwin College - East Hartford
Public Colleges and Universities
Federal-Level Military Academy
- United States Coast Guard Academy - New London
Bachelor's
- Central Connecticut State University - New Britain
- Charter Oak State College - New Britain
- Eastern Connecticut State University - Willimantic
- University of Connecticut - Storrs (main campus); Avery Point, Stamford, Torrington, Waterbury, West Hartford (regional campuses)
- Southern Connecticut State University - New Haven
- Western Connecticut State University - Danbury (main campus); Waterbury (secondary campus)
Associate's
- Asnuntuck Community College - Enfield est. 1969
- Capital Community College - Hartford est. 1967
- Charter Oak State College - New Britain est. 1973
- Gateway Community College - New Haven est. 1992
- Housatonic Community College - Bridgeport est. 1967
- Manchester Community College - Manchester est. 1963
- Middlesex Community College - Middletown est. 1966
- Naugatuck Valley Community College - Waterbury est. 1962
- Northwestern Connecticut Community College - Winsted est. 1965
- Norwalk Community College - Norwalk est. 1961
- Quinebaug Valley Community College - Danielson est. 1971
- Three Rivers Community College - Norwich est. 1992
- Tunxis Community College - Farmington est. 1969
Closed Colleges and Universities
- Litchfield Law School, Litchfield
- Mount Sacred Heart College, Hamden
- New Haven State Technical College, North Haven
- Norwalk State Technical College
- South Central Community College, New Haven
Annhurst College, South Woodstock
