Connecticut (i / k ə ˈ n ɛ t ɪ k ə t /)[8] (state code As early as October 1874, the United States Post Office recognized common abbreviations for states and territories. However, abbreviations were only accepted because of their popularity; the Post Office preferred all names spelled out in full to avoid confusion CT) is a state A U.S. state is any one of 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of commonwealth rather than state. State citizenship is in the New England In one of the earliest European settlements in the New World, Pilgrims from the Kingdom of England first settled in New England in 1620, in the colony of Plymouth. Ten years later, the Puritans settled north of Plymouth Colony in Boston, thus forming Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630. In the late 18th century, the New England colonies would be region of the northeastern United States The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States. According to the definition used by the United States Census Bureau, the Northeast region consists of nine states: the New England states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New York, New Jersey and. It is bordered by Rhode Island The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island ( /ˌroʊd ˈaɪlɨnd/ or /rɵˈdaɪlɨnd/), is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area. Rhode Island borders Connecticut to the west and Massachusetts to the north and east, and it shares a water to the east, Massachusetts Massachusetts has been significant throughout American history. Plymouth was the second permanent English settlement in North America. Many of Massachusetts's towns were founded by colonists from England in the 1620s and 1630s. The Merrimack Valley has been, since 1650, a center of creativity through the poetic word. America's first published poet to the north, and New York New York City, which is geographically the largest city in the state and most populous in the United States, is known for its history as a gateway for immigration to the United States and its status as a financial, cultural, transportation, and manufacturing center. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, it is also a destination of choice to the west and south (because various islands of New York span Connecticut's entire coast).

Southwestern Connecticut is part of the New York metropolitan area The New York metropolitan area, also known as Metropolitan New York, Greater New York, or the Tri-State Region/Area, is the most populous metropolitan area in the United States and is also one of the most populous in the world. The metropolitan area is defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget as the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long; three of Connecticut's eight counties, including most of the state's population, are in the New York City combined statistical area The New York metropolitan area, also known as Metropolitan New York, Greater New York, or the Tri-State Region/Area, is the most populous metropolitan area in the United States and is also one of the most populous in the world. The metropolitan area is defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget as the New York-Northern New Jersey-Long, commonly called the Tri-State Region The Tri-State Region is commonly used in the area surrounding New York City to refer to the greater metropolitan area, including satellite cities. Roughly speaking, the New York Tri-State area encompasses the populated areas in the states of New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut that are within a typical commuting distance of Manhattan , or. Connecticut's center of population is in Cheshire Cheshire is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 28,543 at the 2000 census. The center of population of Connecticut is located in Cheshire . In 2009 Cheshire was ranked 72 in Money Magazine's 100 Best Places to Live, New Haven County New Haven County is located in the south central part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. In 2000, the population was 824,008. Two of the state's largest cities, New Haven and Waterbury, are part of New Haven County.[9]

Connecticut is the 29th most populous state This is a list of U.S. states by population as of July 1, 2009, according to the 2009 estimates of the United States Census Bureau. The total population of the United States was 281,421,906 at the 2000 Census. As of July 1, 2009, the estimated population of the 50 states and District of Columbia was 307,006,550. The nine most populous states, with 3.4 million residents, and is ranked 48th in size by area This is a complete list of the states of the United States and its major territories ordered by total area, land area, and water area. The water area figures include inland, coastal, Great Lakes, and territorial waters. Glaciers and intermittent water features are counted as land area, making it the 4th most densely populated state This article is a list of the 50 U.S. States and the District of Columbia ordered by population density. The data are from the 2000 U.S. Census and 2007 population estimates. Called the Constitution State and the Nutmeg State,[1] Connecticut has a long history dating from early colonial times The term colonial history of the United Kingdom refers to the history from the start of European colonization of the Europe/European settlement to the time of independence from Europe, and especially to the history of the thirteen colonies of Britain which declared themselves independent in 1776. Starting in the late 16th century, England, and was influential in the development of the federal government The federal government of the United States is the central government entity established by the United States Constitution, which shares sovereignty over the United States of America with the governments of the individual U.S. states. For official purposes in U.S. courts, the government is sued as the United States of America, and is referred to.

Connecticut's first European settlers were Dutch Catholicism, Protestantism , Nontheism and established a small, short-lived settlement in present-day Hartford Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located in Hartford County on the Connecticut River, north of the center of the state, 24 miles south of Springfield, Massachusetts. Its 2006 population was 124,512. Hartford ranks as the state's third-largest city, after Bridgeport and New Haven, 40 miles (64 km) to the south at the confluence of the Park The Park River, sometimes called the Hog River, is a unique urban river that flows through and under the city of Hartford, Connecticut. It was diverted underground by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1940. The stated reason for this was to reduce the risk of spring seasonal floods which had occurred in the city due to the increase in surface runoff and Connecticut The Connecticut River is the largest river in New England, flowing south from the Connecticut Lakes in northern New Hampshire, along the border between New Hampshire and Vermont, through western Massachusetts and central Connecticut discharging into Long Island Sound at Old Saybrook and Old Lyme, Connecticut. It has a total length of 407 miles , rivers, called Huys de Goede Hoop Fort Hoop was a settlement in the seventeenth century colonial province of New Netherland that eventually developed into Hartford, Connecticut. Initially, half of Connecticut was a part of the Dutch colony, New Netherland New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the seventeenth-century colonial province on the East Coast of North America of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. The claimed territories were the lands from the Delmarva Peninsula to extreme southwestern Cape Cod. The settled areas are now part of the Mid-Atlantic States of New York,, which included much of the land between the Connecticut and Delaware The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States. The Delaware was explored by Adriaen Block as part of the New Netherlands Colony, and was named the South River to mark the southernmost reach of that colony rivers.

The first major settlements were established in the 1630s by the English Traditionally Christianity, mostly Anglicanism, but also non-conformists and also Roman Catholics (see Catholic Emancipation). Agnostics, atheist as well as other religions. (see Religion in England). Thomas Hooker Thomas Hooker was a prominent Puritan religious and colonial leader, who founded the Colony of Connecticut after dissenting with Puritan leaders in Massachusetts. He was known as an outstanding speaker and a leader of universal Christian suffrage. Hooker also had a role in creating the "Fundamental Orders of Connecticut", one of the led a band of followers overland from the Massachusetts Bay Colony The Massachusetts Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, centered around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The area is now in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, one of the 50 United States of America and founded what would become the Connecticut Colony The Colony of Connecticut was an English colony located in British America that became the U.S. state of Connecticut. Originally known as the River Colony, it was organized on March 3, 1636 as a haven for Puritan noblemen. After early struggles with the Dutch, the English gained control of the colony permanently by the late 1630s. The colony was; other settlers from Massachusetts founded the Saybrook Colony The Saybrook Colony was established in late 1635 at the mouth of the Connecticut River in what is today Old Saybrook, Connecticut, and environs. It was named for Puritan Lords Saye, or William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele and Brooke, or Robert Greville, 2nd Baron Brooke, prominent Parlamentarians. John Winthrop, the Younger, son of the and the New Haven Colony The New Haven Colony was an English colonial venture in present-day Connecticut in North America from 1637 to 1662. Both the Connecticut and New Haven Colonies established documents of Fundamental Orders The Fundamental Orders were adopted by the Connecticut Colony council on January 14, 1638/39 OS . The orders describe the government set up by the Connecticut River towns, setting its structure and powers, considered the first constitutions A constitution is a set of laws that a set of people have made and agreed upon for government—often codified as a written document—that enumerates and limits the powers and functions of a political entity. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is. In the case of countries and autonomous regions of federal countries the in North America. In 1662, the three colonies were merged under a royal charter In medieval Europe, royal charters were used to create cities . The date that such a charter was granted is considered to be when a city was "founded", regardless of when the locality originally began to be settled, making Connecticut a crown colony A Crown colony was a type of colonial administration of the British Empire. This colony was one of the Thirteen Colonies The Thirteen Colonies were British colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America, which declared their independence in the American Revolution and formed the United States. The colonies, whose territory ranged from what is now Maine to the north and Georgia to the south, were Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, that revolted against British rule in the American Revolution The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America. They first rejected the authority of the Parliament of Great Britain to govern them from overseas without.

Connecticut enjoys a temperate In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold. But in continental areas, such as central North America the variations between summer and winter can be extreme. In regions climate due to its long coastline on Long Island Sound Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean and numerous rivers located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded to the north by Westchester County, New York. This has given the state a strong maritime tradition. Modern Connecticut is also known for its wealth. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Connecticut had ready access to raw materials which helped to develop a strong manufacturing industry The history of Connecticut Industry is a major part of the history of Connecticut. Between the birth of the U.S. patent system in 1790 and 1930, Connecticut had more patents issued per capita than any other state; in the 1800s, when the U.S. as a whole was issued one patent per three thousand population, Connecticut inventors were issued one, and financial organizations flourished: first insurance In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the insurance; an insured or policyholder is the person or companies in Hartford, then hedge funds A hedge fund is an investment fund open to a limited range of investors that undertakes a wider range of investment and trading activities than traditional long-only investment funds, and that, in general, pays a performance fee to its investment manager. Every hedge fund has its own investment strategy that determines the type of investments and in Fairfield county Fairfield County is located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. Its population according to the 2000 census was 882,567, but a 2008 survey put the population at 895,030. It is the most populous county in the State of Connecticut, and contains four of the State's largest cities. When combined, Bridgeport , Stamford (4th),. This prosperity has helped give Connecticut the highest per capita Per capita is a term adapted from Latin phrase pro capite meaning "per head" with pro meaning "per" or "for each", and capite (caput ablative) meaning "head." Both words together equate to the phrase "for each head", i.e. per individual or per person. The term is used in a wide variety of social income, Human Development Index The Human Development Index is a composite statistic used as an index to rank countries by level of "human development" and separate developed (high development), developing (middle development), and underdeveloped (low development) countries. The statistic is composed from statistics for Life Expectancy, Education, and GDP collected at, and median household income Household income is a measure commonly used by the United States government and private institutions. That measure counts all the income of all residents over the age of 18 in each household, including not only all wages and salaries, but such items as unemployment insurance, disability payments, child support payments, regular rental receipts, as in the country.[10][11][12]

Contents

Geography

Further information: Geology of Connecticut As part of New England, Connecticut has undergone much geologic change shaped by plate tectonics, volcanism, and glacial activity New Haven New Haven is the second-largest municipality in Connecticut and the sixth-largest municipality in New England with a core population of about 124,000 people. "New Haven" may also refer to the wider Greater New Haven area, which has nearly 600,000 inhabitants in the immediate area. It is located in New Haven County, on New Haven Harbor,. New London New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States. It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut. Hartford Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located in Hartford County on the Connecticut River, north of the center of the state, 24 miles south of Springfield, Massachusetts. Its 2006 population was 124,512. Hartford ranks as the state's third-largest city, after Bridgeport and New Haven, 40 miles (64 km) to the south. Stamford Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to 2007 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 118,475, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England Stamford is part of the New York metropolitan area.

Connecticut is bordered on the south by Long Island Sound, on the west by New York State, on the north by Massachusetts, and on the east by Rhode Island. The state capital is Hartford, and the other major cities (by population) include Bridgeport, New Haven, Stamford, Waterbury, Norwalk, Danbury, New Britain and Bristol. There are 169 incorporated towns in Connecticut.

Bear Mountain, highest peak in Connecticut.

The highest peak in Connecticut is Bear Mountain in Salisbury in the northwest corner of the state. The highest point is just east of where Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York meet (42° 3' N; 73° 29' W), on the southern slope of Mount Frissell, whose peak lies nearby in Massachusetts.[13]

The Connecticut River cuts through the center of the state, flowing into Long Island Sound, Connecticut's outlet to the Atlantic Ocean.

Further information: List of Connecticut rivers Highest point in Connecticut on slope of Mount Frissell, as seen from Bear Mountain.

Despite its size, the state has regional variations in its landscape and culture from the estates of Fairfield County's "Gold Coast" to the rolling mountains and horse-farms of the Litchfield Hills of northwestern Connecticut. Connecticut's rural areas and small towns in the northeast and northwest corners of the state contrast sharply with its industrial cities, located along the coastal highways from the New York border to New Haven, then northward to Hartford, as well as further up the coast near New London. Many towns center around a "green", such as the New Haven Green, Litchfield Green, Simsbury Green, Lebanon Green (the largest in the state), and Wethersfield Green (the oldest in the state). Near the green typically stand historical visual symbols of New England towns, such as a white church, a colonial meeting house, a colonial tavern or "inne", several colonial houses, etc., establishing a scenic historic appearance maintained for both historic preservation and tourism.

Due to the climate, degree of urbanization, and economic status of the state, it offers easily accessed forests, rivers, lakes, waterfalls and a coastline, all developed for recreation.

Further information: List of Connecticut state forests

The northern boundary of the state with Massachusetts is marked by the distinctive Southwick Jog or Granby Notch, an approximately 2.5 mile (4.0 km) square detour into Connecticut. The actual origin of this anomaly is clearly established in a long line of disputes and temporary agreements which was finally concluded in 1804, when southern Southwick, (whose residents sought to leave Massachusetts), was split in half.[14][15]

Although Connecticut has a long maritime history, and a reputation based on that history, Connecticut has no direct access to the sea. The jurisdiction of New York actually extends east at Fishers Island, where New York shares a sea border with Rhode Island dividing Narragansett Bay. Although Connecticut has easy access to the Atlantic, between Long Island Sound and Block Island Sound, Connecticut has no direct ocean coast.

Windsor's Town Hall and Fountain on the Town Green.

The southwestern border of Connecticut, where it abuts New York State, is marked by a panhandle in Fairfield County, containing the towns of Greenwich, Stamford, New Canaan, Darien and part of Norwalk. This irregularity in the boundary is the result of territorial disputes in the late 1600s, culminating with New York giving up its claim to the area, whose residents considered themselves part of Connecticut, in exchange for an equivalent area extending northwards from Ridgefield to the Massachusetts border as well as undisputed claim to Rye, New York.[16]

Further information: Connecticut Panhandle

Areas maintained by the National Park Service include: Appalachian National Scenic Trail; Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor; and Weir Farm National Historic Site.[17]

The Scoville Memorial Library is the United States oldest public library.[citation needed] The library collection began in 1771, when Richard Smith, owner of a local blast furnace, used community contributions to buy 200 books in London. Patrons could borrow and return books on the third Monday of every third month. Fees were collected for damages, the most common being "greasing" by wax dripped from the candles by which the patrons read.

Climate

Interior portions of Connecticut have a humid continental climate, while other parts, especially the Connecticut shoreline (southern four counties), have a humid subtropical climate with seasonal extremes tempered by proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. The city of Bridgeport (on Long Island Sound), like most other areas in metropolitan New York, has a humid subtropical climate under the Koppen Climate Classification system. Hartford (35 miles inland) has a humid continental climate. The coast of Southern Connecticut is often considered to be the farthest north on the U.S. east coast that subtropical "indicator" species such as the Dwarf Palmetto, Needle Palm, Windmill Palm, Crape Myrtle and the Southern Magnolia can be successfully cultivated.

Winters are generally considered to be cold, with average temperatures ranging from 31 °F (−1 °C) in the maritime influenced southeast to 23 °F (−5 °C) in the northwest in January. The average yearly snowfall is about 25–100" (64–254 cm) across the state, with higher totals in the northwest. Spring has variable temperatures with frequent rainfall. Summer is hot and humid throughout the state, with average highs in New London of 81 °F (27 °C) and 87 °F (31 °C) in Windsor Locks. Fall months are mild and bring colorful foliage across the state in October and November. During hurricane season, tropical cyclones occasionally affect the region. Thunderstorms are most frequent during the summer, occurring on average 30 times annually. These storms can be severe, and the state usually averages one tornado per year.[18]

Monthly Normal High and Median Temperatures for Various Connecticut Cities
City Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Bridgeport 37/23 39/25 47/32 57/41 67/51 76/60 82/66 81/65 74/58 63/46 53/38 42/28
Hartford 34/17 38/20 48/28 60/38 72/48 80/57 85/62 82/61 74/52 63/41 51/33 39/23
[19]

History

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This section requires expansion.
Main article: History of Connecticut A map of the Connecticut, New Haven, and Saybrook colonies.

The Connecticut region was inhabited by the Mohegan tribe prior to European colonization. The first European explorer in Connecticut was the Dutch explorer Adriaen Block. After he explored this region in 1614, Dutch fur traders sailed up the Connecticut River (then known by the Dutch as Versche Rivier—" Fresh River") and built a fort at Dutch Point near present-day Hartford, which they called "House of Hope" (Dutch: Huis van Hoop).

John Winthrop, then of Massachusetts, received permission to create a new colony at Old Saybrook at the mouth of the Connecticut River in 1635. This was the first of three distinct colonies that later would be combined to make up Connecticut. Saybrook Colony was a direct challenge to Dutch claims. The colony was not more than a small outpost and never matured. In 1644, the Saybrook Colony merged itself into the Connecticut Colony.

The first English settlers came in 1633 and settled at Windsor, and then at Wethersfield the following year.[20] However, the main body of settlers came in one large group in 1636. The settlers were Puritans from Massachusetts, led by Thomas Hooker. Hooker had been prominent in England and was a professor of theology at Cambridge. He was also an important political writer and made a significant contribution to Constitutional theory. He broke with the political leadership in Massachusetts, and, just as Roger Williams created a new polity in Rhode Island, Hooker and his cohort did the same and established the Connecticut Colony at Hartford in 1636. This was the second of the three colonies.

The third colony was founded in March 1638. New Haven Colony (originally known as the Quinnipiack Colony) was established by John Davenport, Theophilus Eaton, and others at New Haven. The New Haven Colony had its own constitution, "The Fundamental Agreement of the New Haven Colony", which was signed on 4 June 1639.

Because the Dutch were outnumbered by the flood of English settlers from Massachusetts, they left their fort in 1654.

Neither the establishment of the Connecticut Colony or the Quinnipiack Colony was carried out with the sanction of the English Crown, and they were independent political entities. They naturally were presumptively English, but in a legal sense, they were only secessionist outposts of Massachusetts Bay. In 1662, Winthrop took advantage of this void in political affairs and obtained in England the charter by which the colonies of Connecticut and Quinnipiack were united. Although Winthrop's charter favored the Connecticut colony, New Haven remained a seat of government with Hartford until after the American Revolution.

Winthrop was very politically astute and secured the charter from the newly restored Charles II, who granted the most liberal political terms.

Historically important colonial settlements included:

Windsor (1633)
Wethersfield (1634)
Saybrook (1635)
Hartford (1636)
New Haven (1638)
Fairfield (1639)
Guilford (1639)
Milford (1639)
Stratford (1639)
Farmington (1640)
Stamford (1641)
New London (1646)

Its first constitution, the "Fundamental Orders", was adopted on January 14, 1639, while its current constitution, the third for Connecticut, was adopted in 1965. Connecticut is the fifth of the original thirteen states. The original constitutions influenced the US Constitution as one of the leading authors was Roger Sherman of New Haven.

The western boundaries of Connecticut have been subject to change over time. According to the Hartford Treaty with the Dutch, signed on September 19, 1650, but never ratified by the British, the western boundary of Connecticut ran north from Greenwich Bay for a distance of 20 miles[21][22] "provided the said line come not within 10 miles (16 km) [16 km] of Hudson River. This agreement was observed by both sides until war erupted between England and The Netherlands in 1652. No other limits were found. Conflict over uncertain colonial limits continued until the Duke of York captured New Netherland in 1664."[21][22] On the other hand, Connecticut's original Charter in 1662 granted it all the land to the "South Sea", i.e. the Pacific Ocean.[23][24] Most colonial royal grants were for long east-west strips. Connecticut took its grant seriously, and established a ninth county between the Susquehanna and Delaware Rivers, named Westmoreland County. This resulted in the brief Pennamite Wars with Pennsylvania.

Connecticut's lands also extended across northern Ohio, called the Western Reserve lands. The Western Reserve section was settled largely by people from Connecticut, and they brought Connecticut place names to Ohio. Agreements with Pennsylvania and New York extinguished the land claims by Connecticut within its neighbors, and the Western Reserve lands were relinquished to the federal government, which brought the state to its present boundaries.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1790 237,946 —
1800 251,002 5.5%
1810 261,942 4.4%
1820 275,248 5.1%
1830 297,675 8.1%
1840 309,978 4.1%
1850 370,792 19.6%
1860 460,147 24.1%
1870 537,454 16.8%
1880 622,700 15.9%
1890 746,258 19.8%
1900 908,420 21.7%
1910 1,114,756 22.7%
1920 1,380,631 23.9%
1930 1,606,903 16.4%
1940 1,709,242 6.4%
1950 2,007,280 17.4%
1960 2,535,234 26.3%
1970 3,031,709 19.6%
1980 3,107,576 2.5%
1990 3,287,116 5.8%
2000 3,405,565 3.6%
Est. 2009[6] 3,518,288 3.3%
Sources:[25][26]
Connecticut Population Density Map.

As of 2005, Connecticut has an estimated population of 3,510,297,[27] which is an increase of 11,331, or 0.3%, from the prior year and an increase of 104,695, or 3.1%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 67,427 people (that is 222,222 births minus 154,795 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 41,718 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 75,991 people, and migration within the country produced a net loss of 34,273 people. Based on the 2005 estimates, Connecticut moves from the 29th most populous state to 30th.[27]

6.6% of its population was reported as being under 5 years old, 24.7% under 18 years old, and 13.8% were 65 years of age or older. Females made up approximately 51.6% of the population, with 48.4% male.

In 1790, 97% of the population in Connecticut was classified as "rural". The first census in which less than half the population was classified as rural was 1890. In the 2000 census, it was only 12.3%. Most of western and southern Connecticut is strongly associated with New York City; this area is the most affluent and populous region of the state. Eastern Connecticut is more culturally influenced by the greater New England area, including the cities of Boston and Providence. Some cite this cultural split when noting the state's lack of professional sports teams, i.e., NHL (hockey) since the mid 1990s, NFL (football), MLS (soccer), and men's basketball.

The center of population of Connecticut is located in the town of Cheshire.[28]

Most populated cities

Race, ancestry, and language

Demographics of Connecticut (csv)
By race White Black AIAN* Asian NHPI*
2000 (total population) 87.09% 10.46% 0.73% 2.83% 0.13%
2000 (Hispanic only) 8.31% 1.04% 0.14% 0.07% 0.04%
2005 (total population) 86.09% 10.88% 0.76% 3.56% 0.15%
2005 (Hispanic only) 9.74% 1.09% 0.16% 0.07% 0.05%
Growth 2000–05 (total population) 1.89% 7.19% 6.59% 29.77% 15.41%
Growth 2000–05 (non-Hispanic only) -0.11% 7.16% 3.74% 30.12% 16.21%
Growth 2000–05 (Hispanic only) 20.87% 7.40% 18.36% 14.98% 13.68%
* AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native; NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

As of 2004, 11.4% of the population (400,000) was foreign-born, and 10% of the foreign-born in the state were illegal aliens (about 1.1% of the population). In 1870, native-born Americans had accounted for 75% of the state's population, but that had dropped to 35% by 1918.

As of 2000, 81.69% of Connecticut residents age 5 and older spoke English at home and 8.42% spoke Spanish, followed by Italian at 1.59%, French at 1.31% and Polish at 1.20%.[29]

The largest ancestry groups are:[30]

Connecticut has large Italian American, Irish American and English American populations, as well as German American and Portuguese American populations, second highest percentage of any state behind Rhode Island (19.3%). Italian is the largest ancestry group in five of the state's counties, while the Irish are the largest group in Tolland county, French Canadians the largest group in Windham county. African Americans and Hispanics (mostly Puerto Ricans) are numerous in the urban areas of the state. Like Ohio and New York, Connecticut is also known for its relatively large Hungarian American population, the majority of which live in and around Fairfield, Stamford, Naugatuck and Bridgeport. Connecticut also has a sizable Polish American population, with New Britain containing the largest Polish American population in the state.

More recent immigrant populations include those from Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, Guatemala, Panama, Jamaica, Haiti, Cape Verde and former Soviet countries.

Religion

A 2001 survey of Connecticut residents' religious self-identification showed the following distribution of affiliations:[31]

Jewish congregations had 108,280 (3.2%) members in 2000;[32] The Jewish population is concentrated in the towns near Long Island Sound between Greenwich and New Haven, in Greater New Haven and in Greater Hartford, especially the suburb of West Hartford. According to the Association of Religion Data Archives, the largest Christian denominations, by number of adherents, in 2000 were: the Catholic Church, with 1,372,562; the United Church of Christ, with 124,770; and the Episcopal Church, with 73,550.[32]

Recent immigration has brought other non-Christian religions to the state, but the numbers of adherents of other religions are still low.

Connecticut is also home to New England's largest Protestant Church: The First Cathedral in Bloomfield, Connecticut located in Hartford County.

Hartford is seat to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford, which is soverign over the Diocese of Bridgeport and the DIocese of Norwich. The Catholic paternal organization Knights of Columbus was founded and is headquartered in New Haven, and counted among its membership United States President John F. Kennedy.[citation needed]

Economy

Connecticut welcome sign being updated as Rell takes office on July 1, 2004.
Connecticut state welcome sign. Entering Enfield, CT.
Entering the Merritt Parkway from New York. Entering Greenwich, CT.

The total gross state product for 2006 was $204 billion. The per capita income for 2007 was $54,117, ranking first among the states.[33] There is, however, a great disparity in incomes throughout the state; although New Canaan has one of the highest per capita incomes in America, Hartford is one of the ten cities with the lowest per capita incomes in America. As with Bridgeport, New Haven and other cities in the state, Hartford is surrounded by wealthier suburbs.

New Canaan is the wealthiest town in Connecticut, with a per capita income of $85,459. Darien, Greenwich, Weston, Westport and Wilton also have per capita incomes over $65,000. Hartford is the poorest municipality in Connecticut, with a per capita income of $13,428 in 2000.[34] There are other lower-income and blue-collar towns, mostly parts of towns, in the eastern part of the State.

Taxation

Prior to 1991, Connecticut had an investment-only income tax system. Income from employment was untaxed, but income from investments was taxed at 13%, the highest rate in the U.S., with no deductions allowed for costs of producing the investment income, such as interest on borrowing. The system made it an attractive haven for high-salaried earners fleeing the heavy taxes of New York State, but highly unattractive for members of Wall Street partnerships.[citation needed] It put an enormous burden on Connecticut property tax payers, particularly in the cities with their more extensive municipal services.[citation needed]

In 1991, under Governor Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., an Independent, the system was changed to one in which the taxes on employment income and investment income were equalized at a maximum rate of 4%. Since then, Greenwich, Connecticut, has become the headquarters for a large number of America's largest hedge funds. As of 2009, the income tax rates on Connecticut individuals are divided into three tax brackets of 3%, 5% and 6.5%.[35] All wages of Connecticut residents are subject to the state's income tax, even if earned outside the state. However, in those cases, Connecticut income tax must be withheld only to the extent the Connecticut tax exceeds the amount withheld by the other jurisdiction. Since New York and Massachusetts have higher tax rates than Connecticut, this effectively means that Connecticut residents that work in those states have no Connecticut income tax withheld. Connecticut permits a credit for taxes paid to other jurisdictions, but since residents who work in other states are still subject to Connecticut income taxation, they may owe taxes if the jurisdictional credit does not fully offset the Connecticut tax amount.

Connecticut levies a 6% state sales tax on the retail sale, lease, or rental of most goods. Some items and services in general are not subject to sales and use taxes unless specifically enumerated as taxable by statute. Specifically, clothing under $50 is excluded from sales tax. There are no additional sales taxes imposed by local jurisdictions. During the summer, there is one week during which sales tax on certain items and quantities of clothing is not imposed in order to assist those with children returning to school.

All real and personal property located within the state of Connecticut is taxable unless specifically exempted by statute. All assessments are at 70% of fair market value. Another 20% of the value may be taxed by the local government though. The maximum property tax credit is $500 per return and any excess may not be refunded or carried forward.[35] Connecticut does not levy an intangible personal property tax.

Real estate

Homes in Connecticut vary widely with a median price of approximately $226,000. By contrast, the median value for a home in Fairfield County, for example, is about $370,000.[36][37] Connecticut has the most multi-million dollar homes in the Northeast, and the second most in the nation after California, with 3.3% of homes in Connecticut priced over $1 million in 2003.[38]

Industries

The agricultural produce of the state includes nursery stock; eggs; clams and lobster (shellfish); dairy products; cattle; and tobacco. Its industrial output includes transportation equipment, especially helicopters, aircraft parts, and nuclear submarines; heavy industrial machinery and electrical equipment; military weaponry; fabricated metal products; chemical and pharmaceutical products; and scientific instruments.

Due to the prominence of the aircraft industry in the state, Connecticut has an official state aircraft, the F4U Corsair, and an official Connecticut Aviation Pioneer, Igor Sikorsky. The state officially recognizes aircraft designer Gustav Whitehead as "Father of Connecticut Aviation" for his research into powered flight in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1901, two years before the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.[39] Governor John Dempsey also declared August 15 to be "Gustave Whitehead Day".[40]

A report issued by the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism on December 7, 2006, demonstrated that the economic impact of the arts, film, history and tourism generated more than $14 billion in economic activity and 170,000 jobs annually. This provides $9 billion in personal income for Connecticut residents and $1.7 billion in state and local revenue.[41]

As of January 2010, the states unemployment rate is 9%.[42]

Transportation

Map of Connecticut showing major highways.

Roads

The Interstate highways in the state are I-95 (the Connecticut Turnpike) running southwest to northeast along the coast, I-84 running southwest to northeast in the center of the state, I-91 running north to south in the center of the state, and I-395 running north to south near the eastern border of the state. The other major highways in Connecticut are the Merritt Parkway and Wilbur Cross Parkway, which together form State Route 15, running from the Hutchinson River Parkway in New York State parallel to I-95 before turning north of New Haven and running parallel to I-91, finally becoming a surface road in Berlin, Connecticut. Route 15 and I-95 were originally toll roads; they relied on a system of toll plazas at which all traffic stopped and paid fixed tolls. A series of terrible crashes at these plazas eventually contributed to the decision to remove the tolls in 1988.[43] Other major arteries in the state include U.S. Route 7 in the west running parallel to the NY border, State Route 8 farther east near the industrial city of Waterbury and running north-south along the Naugatuck River Valley nearly parallel with U.S. 7, and State Route 9 in the east. See List of State Routes in Connecticut for an overview of the state's highway system.

Between New Haven and the New York City, I-95 is one of the most congested highways in the United States. Many people now drive longer distances to work in the New York City area. This strains the three lanes of traffic capacity, resulting in lengthy rush hour delays. Frequently, the congestion spills over to clog the parallel Merritt Parkway. The state has encouraged traffic reduction schemes, including rail use and ride-sharing.[44]

Connecticut also has a very active bicycling community, with one of the highest rates of bicycling ownership and use in the United States. New Haven's cycling community, organized in a local advocacy group called ElmCityCycling, is particularly active. According to the U.S. Census 2006 American Community Survey, New Haven has the highest percentage of commuters who bicycle to work of any major metropolitan center on the East Coast.

Public transportation

Rail

Southwestern Connecticut is served by MTA's Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line, providing commuter service to New York City and New Haven, with branches servicing New Canaan, Danbury, and Waterbury. Connecticut lies along Amtrak's Northeast Corridor which features frequent Northeast Regional and Acela Express service. Towns between New Haven and New London are also served by the Shore Line East commuter line. Operation of commuter trains from New Haven to Springfield on Amtrak's New Haven-Springfield Line is under consideration.[45][46] Amtrak also operates a shuttle service between New Haven and Springfield, Massachusetts, servicing Hartford and other towns on the corridor.

Bus

Statewide bus service is supplied by Connecticut Transit, owned by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, with smaller municipal authorities providing local service. Bus networks are an important part of the transportation system in Connecticut, especially in urban areas like Hartford, Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport and New Haven. A three-year construction project to build a busway from New Britain to Hartford began in August 2009.[47][48]

Air

Bradley International Airport is located in Windsor Locks, 15 miles (24 km) north of Hartford. Regional air service is provided at Tweed New Haven Regional Airport. Larger civil airports include Danbury Municipal Airport and Waterbury-Oxford Airport in western Connecticut. Sikorsky Memorial Airport is located in Stratford and mostly services cargo, helicopter and private aviation. The Westchester County Airport in Harrison, New York serves much of southwestern Connecticut.

Law and government

See also: Administrative divisions of Connecticut The Connecticut State Capitol in downtown Hartford.

Hartford has been the sole capital of Connecticut since 1875. Before then, New Haven and Hartford alternated as capitals.[49]

Constitutional history

Main article: Connecticut Constitution

Connecticut is known as the "Constitution State". While the origin on this title is uncertain, the nickname is assumed to refer to the Fundamental Orders of 1638–39. These Fundamental Orders represent the framework for the first formal government written by a representative body in Connecticut. The government has operated under the direction of four separate documents in the course of Connecticut Constitutional History. After the Fundamental Orders, Connecticut was granted governmental authority by King Charles II of England through the Connecticut Charter of 1662. While these two documents acted to lay the ground work for the state’s government, either document could be altered simply by a majority vote of the General Assembly.[citation needed]

Separate branches of government did not exist during this period, and the General Assembly acted as the supreme authority. A constitution similar to the modern U.S. Constitution was not adopted in Connecticut until 1818. Finally, the current state constitution was implemented in 1965. The 1965 constitution absorbed a majority of its 1818 predecessor, but incorporated a handful of important modifications. Another possible source of the nickname "constitution state" comes from Connecticut's pivotal role in the federal constitutional convention of 1787, during which Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth helped to orchestrate what became known as the Connecticut Compromise, or the Great Compromise. This plan combined the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan to form a bicameral legislature, a form copied by almost every state constitution since the adoption of the federal constitution.

Executive

The governor heads the executive branch. The current Governor of Connecticut is M. Jodi Rell (Republican). The current Lieutenant Governor is Michael Fedele. From 1639 until the adoption of the 1818 constitution, the governor presided over the General Assembly. Connecticut was the first state in the United States to elect a woman as governor without electing her husband first, Ella Grasso in 1974.

There are several executive departments: Administrative Services, Agriculture, Banking, Children and Families, Consumer Protection, Correction, Economic and Community Development, Developmental Services, Education, Environmental Protection, Higher Education, Information Technology, Insurance, Labor, Mental Health and Addiction Services, Military, Motor Vehicles, Public Health, Public Safety, Public Utility Control, Public Works, Revenue Services, Social Services, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs. In addition to these departments, there are other independent bureaus, offices and commissions.[50]

In addition to the Governor and Lieutenant Governor, there are four other executive officers named in the state constitution that are elected directly by voters: Secretary of the State, Treasurer, Comptroller and Attorney General. All executive officers are elected to four year terms.[49]

Legislative

The legislature is the General Assembly. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of an upper body, the State Senate (36 senators); and a lower body, the House of Representatives (151 representatives).[49] Bills must pass each house in order to become law. The governor can veto the bill, but this veto can be overridden by a two-thirds majority in each house. Senators and representatives, all of whom must be at least eighteen years of age, are elected to two-year terms in November on even-numbered years. The Lieutenant Governor presides over the Senate, except when absent from the chamber, when the President pro tempore presides. The Speaker of the House presides over the House; Chris Donovan is the current Speaker of the House of Connecticut. The Democrats currently hold a two-thirds super-majority in both houses of the General Assembly.

Connecticut's U.S. senators are Christopher J. Dodd (Democrat) and Joseph I. Lieberman (Connecticut for Lieberman, Independent Democrat) who is part of the Democratic Caucus. Connecticut currently has five representatives in the U.S. House, all of whom are Democrats. Connecticut and Vermont remain the only two states with Independent Senators.

Judicial

The highest court of Connecticut's judicial branch is the Connecticut Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice of Connecticut. The Supreme Court is responsible for deciding on the constitutionality of the law or cases as they relate to the law. Its proceedings are similar to those of the United States Supreme Court, with no testimony given by witnesses, and the lawyers of the two sides each present oral arguments no longer than thirty minutes. Following a court proceeding, the court may take several months to arrive at a judgment. The current Chief Justice is Chase T. Rogers.

In 1818, the court became a separate entity, independent of the legislative and executive branches.[51] The Appellate Court is a lesser state-wide court and the Superior Courts are lower courts that resemble county courts of other states.

Local government

See also: Administrative divisions of Connecticut
and several lists: List of municipalities of Connecticut by population, List of towns in Connecticut, List of cities in Connecticut, Borough (Connecticut), List of counties in Connecticut

Connecticut has 169 towns, which serve as the fundamental local political subdivision of the state; the entire state is divided into towns.[49] Connecticut shares a local form of government with the rest of New England called the New England town. There are also 21 cities,[49] most of which are coterminous with their namesake towns and have a merged city-town government. There are two exceptions: City of Groton, which is a subsection of the Town of Groton and the City of Winsted in the Town of Winchester. There are also nine incorporated boroughs which may provide additional services to a section of town.[49][52] One, Naugatuck, is a consolidated town and borough.

Unlike most other states, Connecticut does not have county government. Connecticut county governments were mostly eliminated in 1960, with the exception of sheriffs elected in each county.[53] In 2000, the county sheriff was abolished and replaced with the state marshal system, which has districts that follow the old county territories. The judicial system is divided, at the trial court level, into judicial districts which largely follow the old county lines.[54] The eight counties are still widely used for purely geographical and statistical purposes, such as weather reports, and census reporting.

The state is divided into 15 planning regions defined by the state Office of Planning and Management.[55] The Intragovernmental Policy Division of this Office coordinates regional planning with the administrative bodies of these regions. Each region has an administrative body known as either a regional council of governments, a regional council of elected officials, or a regional planning agency. The regions are established for the purpose of planning "coordination of regional and state planning activities; redesignation of logical planning regions and promotion of the continuation of regional planning organizations within the state; and provision for technical aid and the administration of financial assistance to regional planning organizations."[55]

Same-sex Marriage

On November 12, 2008 Connecticut became the second state (after Massachusetts) to allow marriages of same-sex couples. Connecticut was the third state to do so, but only the second where the decision was not repealed.

See also: Same-sex marriage in Connecticut

Politics

Further information: U.S. presidential election, 2004, in Connecticut and Political party strength in Connecticut
Presidential elections results[56]
Year Republican Democratic
2008 38.77% 620,210 61.23% 979,316
2004 43.95% 693,826 54.31% 857,488
2000 38.44% 561,094 55.91% 816,015
1996 34.69% 483,109 52.83% 735,740
1992 35.78% 578,313 42.21% 682,318
1988 51.98% 750,241 46.87% 676,584
1984 60.73% 890,877 38.83% 569,597
1980 48.16% 677,210 38.52% 541,732
1976 52.06% 719,261 46.90% 647,895
1972 58.57% 810,763 40.13% 555,498
1968 44.32% 556,721 49.48% 621,561
1964 32.09% 390,996 67.81% 826,269
1960 46.27% 565,813 53.73% 657,055

Connecticut recently leans strongly towards the Democratic Party. However, Connecticut has a high number of voters who are not registered with a major party. As of 2004, 33.7% of registered voters were registered Democratic, 22.0% were registered Republican, and 44.0% were unaffiliated with any party, with 0.2% registered with a minor party.[57]

Many Connecticut towns show a marked preference for moderate candidates of either party. Democrats hold a registration edge especially in the cities of Hartford; New Haven; and Bridgeport, where Democratic machines have held power since the great immigration waves of the 1800s.[citation needed] The state's Republican-leaning areas are the rural Litchfield County and adjoining towns in the west of Hartford County, the industrial towns of the Naugatuck River Valley, and some of the affluent Fairfield County towns near the New York border.

The suburban towns of New Canaan and Darien in Fairfield County are considered the most Republican areas in the state. Westport, a wealthy town a few miles to the east, is often considered one of the most loyally-Democratic, liberal towns in Fairfield County. The historically Republican-leaning wealthy town of Wilton voted in the majority for Barack Obama in the 2008 Presidential Election. Norwalk and Stamford, two larger, affluent communities in Fairfield County, have in many elections favored moderate Republicans including former Governor John G. Rowland and former Congressman Chris Shays, however they have favored Democrats in recent US presidential candidates, the latter being defeated by Democrat Jim Himes in the 2008 election year.

Waterbury has a Democratic registration edge, but usually favors conservative candidates in both parties. In Danbury unaffiliated voters outnumber voters registered with either major party. Other smaller cities including Meriden, New Britain, Norwich and Middletown favor Democratic candidates.

Democrats hold veto-proof majorities in both houses of the Connecticut General Assembly. In July, 2009 the Connecticut legislature overrode a veto by Governor M. Jodi Rell to pass SustiNet, the first significant public-option health care reform legislation in the nation.[58]

In 2008, Democrats controlled all five federal congressional seats. The remaining Republican, Chris Shays, lost his seat to Democrat Jim Himes in the Congressional Election of that year. Christopher Dodd and Joseph Lieberman are Connecticut's U.S. senators. The senior Dodd is a Democrat while the junior Lieberman serves as an Independent Democrat caucusing with Senate Democrats after his victory on the Connecticut for Lieberman ballot line in the 2006 general election.

Lieberman's predecessor, Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., was the last Connecticut Republican to serve as Senator. Weicker was known as a liberal Republican. He broke with President Richard Nixon during Watergate and successfully ran for governor in 1990 as an independent, creating A Connecticut Party as his election vehicle. Before Weicker, the last Republican to represent Connecticut in the Senate was Prescott Bush, the father of former President George H.W. Bush and the grandfather of former President George W. Bush. He served from 1953–1963.

Voter Registration and Party Enrollment as of October 27, 2009[59]
Party Active Voters Inactive Voters Total Voters Percentage
Democratic 751,612 41,322 792,934 36.84%
Republican 412,746 20,311 433,057 20.12%
Unaffiliated 853,607 61,286 914,893 42.51%
Minor Parties 10,709 727 11,436 0.53%
Total 2,028,674 123,646 2,152,320 100%

Education

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Connecticut is well known as the home of Yale University (1701), which maintains a consistent ranking as one of the world's most renowned universities and has one of the most selective undergraduate programs of any university in the United States (a 7.5% acceptance rate in 2009).[60] Yale is one of the largest employers in the state, and its research activity has recently spun off dozens of growing biotechnology companies.[citation needed]

Connecticut is also the host of many other academic institutions, including Trinity College (1823), Wesleyan University (1832), University of Hartford (1877), Post University (1890), Connecticut College (1911), the United States Coast Guard Academy (1915), Albertus Magnus College (1925), University of Bridgeport (1927), American School for the Deaf (1817), Quinnipiac University (1929), Fairfield University (1942), Sacred Heart University (1964), and the Connecticut State University System. The University of Connecticut (1881) has been the highest ranked public university in New England for eight years running, according to U.S. News and World Report.[citation needed]

The state has many noted boarding schools, including Avon Old Farms (1927), Canterbury School (1915), Cheshire Academy (1794), Choate Rosemary Hall (1890), Ethel Walker School (1911), The Gunnery (1850), Hotchkiss School (1891), Kent School (1906), Loomis Chaffee (1874), Miss Porter's School (1843), Pomfret School (1894), Salisbury School (1901), Suffield Academy (1833), The Taft School (1890), and the Westminster School (1888), which draw students from all over the world.

Connecticut has many noted private day schools such as Brunswick School (1902) in Greenwich, Fairfield College Preparatory School (1942) in Fairfield, Academy of Our Lady of Mercy Lauralton Hall (1905) in Milford, Greens Farms Academy (1925) in Greens Farms, Watkinson School (1888) in Hartford, Hamden Hall Country Day School (1912) in Hamden, Holy Cross High School (1968) in Waterbury, Hopkins School (1660) in New Haven, Kingswood-Oxford School (1909) in West Hartford, Notre Dame Catholic High School (1955) in Fairfield, King Low Heywood Thomas (1865) in Stamford, Talcott Mountain Academy in Avon, the Norwich Free Academy (1854) in Norwich, St. Lukes School (1928) in New Canaan, St. Joseph High School (1962) in Trumbull, Renbrook School in West Hartford and the Williams School (1891) in New London.

Connecticut was also home to the nation's first law school, Litchfield Law School, which operated from 1773 to 1833 in Litchfield. Hartford Public High School (1638) is the third-oldest secondary school in the nation after the Collegiate School (1628) in Manhattan and the Boston Latin School (1635). The Hopkins School (1660) is the fifth-oldest after these three and the Roxbury Latin School (1645) in Boston.

See also: List of colleges and universities in Connecticut

for a comprehensive listing.

See also: List of school districts in Connecticut

Sports

Since 1952, a PGA Tour golf tournament has been played in the Hartford area. Originally called the "Insurance City Open" and later the "Greater Hartford Open," the event is now known as the Travelers Championship.

Lime Rock Park is a motorsport track home of American Le Mans Series, Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series and NASCAR Camping World East Series races.

The Pilot Pen Tennis Tournament is held annually at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale University.

The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) is the state's sanctioning body for high school sports.

New Haven had minor league hockey teams from 1936 through 1993, and also from 1997 to 2001, but does not have a suitable arena following the demise of the New Haven Coliseum in 2001.

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
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Names and symbols

Connecticut State Symbols
The Flag of Connecticut.
Animate insignia
Bird(s) American Robin
Fish American shad
Flower(s) Mountain Laurel
Insect European Mantis
Mammal(s) Sperm whale
Tree Charter White oak
Inanimate insignia
Dance Square dance
Fossil Dinosaur tracks
Mineral Garnet
Shell Eastern Oyster
Ship(s) USS Nautilus (SSN-571), Freedom Schooner Amistad
Slogan(s) Full of Surprises
Song(s) Yankee Doodle, The Nutmeg
Tartan Connecticut State Tartan
Route marker(s)
State Quarter
Released in 1999
Lists of United States state insignia

The name "Connecticut" originates from the Mohegan word quonehtacut, meaning "place of long tidal river".[49] Connecticut's official nickname, adopted in 1959, is "The Constitution State," based on its colonial constitution of 1638–1639 which was the first in America and, arguably, the world.[1] Unofficially (but popularly) Connecticut is also known as "The Nutmeg State".[1] The origins of the nutmeg connection to Connecticut are unknown. It may have come from its sailors returning from voyages with nutmeg (which in the 18th and 19th centuries was a very valuable spice). It may have originated in the early machined sheet tin nutmeg grinders sold by early Connecticut peddlers. It is also facetiously said to come from Yankee peddlers from Connecticut who would sell small carved nobs of wood shaped to look like nutmeg to unsuspecting customers.[62] George Washington gave Connecticut the title of "The Provisions State"[1] because of the material aid the state rendered to the Revolutionary War effort. Connecticut is also known as "The Land of Steady Habits".[1]

The Charter Oak. The USS Nautilus (SSN-571).

According to Webster's New International Dictionary, 1993, a person who is a native or resident of Connecticut is a "Connecticuter". There are numerous other terms coined in print, but not in use, such as: "Connecticotian" - Cotton Mather in 1702. "Connecticutensian" - Samuel Peters in 1781. "Nutmegger" is sometimes used,[63] as is "Yankee" (the official State Song is "Yankee Doodle"), though this usually refers someone from the wider New England region (and in the Southern United States, to anyone who lives north of the Mason-Dixon Line).[64] Linguist Allen Walker Read reports a more playful term, 'connecticutie.' The traditional abbreviation of the state's name is "Conn."; the official postal abbreviation is CT.

Commemorative stamps issued by the United States Postal Service with Connecticut themes include Nathan Hale, Eugene O'Neill, Josiah Willard Gibbs, Noah Webster, Eli Whitney, the whaling ship the Charles W. Morgan which is docked in Mystic Seaport, and a decoy of a broadbill duck.

Connecticut state insignia and historical figures[1] except where noted
State hero Nathan Hale
State heroine Prudence Crandall
State composer Charles Edward Ives
State statues in Statuary Hall Roger Sherman and Jonathan Trumbull[65]
State poet laureate John Hollander
Connecticut State Troubadour Lara Herscovitch[66]
State composer laureate Jacob Druckman

Famous residents

This article may contain excessive, poor or irrelevant examples. You can improve the article by adding more descriptive text. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for further suggestions. (March 2009)
Main article: List of people from Connecticut

See also

North America portal
United States portal
Connecticut portal
Main articles: Outline of Connecticut and Index of Connecticut-related articles

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "SOTS: Sites, Seals & Symbols". http://www.sots.ct.gov/sots/cwp/view.asp?A=3188&QUESTION_ID=392608. Retrieved 2008-06-12.
  2. ^ United States Government Printing Office Style Manual (2000), §5.23, http://www.gpoaccess.gov/stylemanual/index.html
  3. ^ SHG Resources, http://www.shgresources.com/resources/symbols/names/residentnames/
  4. ^ Population Estimates for All Places: 2000 to 2006: Connecticut SUB-EST2006-04-09.xls. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
  5. ^ State Data from the State and Metropolitan Area Data Book: 2006. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2007-10-16.
  6. ^ a b "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2009". United States Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/popest/states/NST-ann-est.html. Retrieved 2009-12-23.
  7. ^ a b "Elevations and Distances in the United States". U.S Geological Survey. 29 April 2005. http://erg.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#Highest. Retrieved 2006-11-03.
  8. ^ "Connecticut - Definitions from Dictionary.com". http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/connecticut. Retrieved 2007-09-17.
  9. ^ "State of Connecticut Center of Population - From ngs.noaa.gov". http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/INFO/COP/ct_links.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-30.
  10. ^ Ohlemacher, Stephen (29 November 2005). "Highest wages in East, lowest in South". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/2005-11-29-wage_x.htm. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
  11. ^ "Census 2000". United States Census Bureau. 18 March 2000. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=01000US&-_box_head_nbr=GCT-P14&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF3_U&-format=US-9.
  12. ^ "US slips down development index". BBC. 17 July 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7511426.stm.
  13. ^ "Mount Frissell-South Slope, Connecticut/Massachusetts". Peakbagger.com. http://www.peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=7083.
  14. ^ "The Southwick Jog" (PDF). http://www.southwickma.org/Public_Documents/F000102F9/S00476B50-00476B5B.0/The%20Southwick%20Jog.pdf.
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  16. ^ "Connecticut's "Panhandle"". Connecticut State Library. http://www.cslib.org/panhandle.htm.
  17. ^ "Connecticut". National Park Service. http://www.nps.gov/state/ct. Retrieved 2008-07-15.
  18. ^ "Annual average number of tornadoes". NOAA National Climatic Data Center. http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/img/climate/research/tornado/small/avgt5304.gif. Retrieved 2006-10-24.
  19. ^ http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-connecticut/
  20. ^ "Early Settlers of Connecticut - Connecticut State Library". Cslib.org. http://www.cslib.org/earlysettlers.htm. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  21. ^ a b Bowen, Clarence Winthrop: Boundary Disputes of Connecticut: Boston, Massachusetts: 1882. P. 17–18.
  22. ^ a b Flick, Alexander C., Editor: History of the State of New York. Volume 2: New York, New York: Columbia University Press, 1933–1937: P. 50–57.
  23. ^ James Callison, LCITS (2006-03-14). "Connecticut Colony Charter of 1662". Law.ou.edu. http://www.law.ou.edu/ushistory/colony.shtml. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  24. ^ Migration from Connecticut By Barbara Lacey, Connecticut's Heritage Gateway website.
  25. ^ Population: 1790 to 1990 census.gov
  26. ^ Resident Population of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico: Census 2000 census.gov
  27. ^ a b "Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States and States, and for Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2005" (CSV). 2005 Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. June 21, 2006. http://www.census.gov/popest/states/tables/NST-EST2005-01.csv. Retrieved 2006-11-17.
  28. ^ "Population and Population Centers by State - 2000". United States Census Bureau. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/statecenters.txt. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  29. ^ "Most spoken languages in Connecticut". MLA Language Map. The Modern Language Association. http://www.mla.org/map_data_results&state_id=9&mode=state_tops&order=r. Retrieved 2007-01-16.
  30. ^ American FactFinder, United States Census Bureau. "American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates". Factfinder.census.gov. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-context=adp&-qr_name=ACS_2008_3YR_G00_DP3YR2&-ds_name=ACS_2008_3YR_G00_&-tree_id=3308&-redoLog=false&-_caller=geoselect&-geo_id=04000US09&-format=&-_lang=en. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  31. ^ Mayer, Egon; Kosmin, Barry A., Keysar, Ariela (2001). "American Religious Identification Survey, Key Findings, Exhibit 15". City University of New York. http://www.gc.cuny.edu/faculty/research_briefs/aris/key_findings.htm. Retrieved 2007-01-04.
  32. ^ a b The Association of Religion Data Archives Maps & Reports - State Membership Report / Kansas / Denominational Groups, 2000
  33. ^ "CT Named Richest State". The Hartford Courant. 2008-03-26. http://www.courant.com/news/custom/topnews/hcu-ctrichstate,0,6885224.story.
  34. ^ "Connecticut per capita income, median household income, and median family income at State, County and Town level: Census 2000 data". http://www.ct.gov/ecd/lib/ecd/economic_data/income/2000_median_hh,_family_&_per_cap_income.xls. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  35. ^ a b "Connecticut income tax instructions" (PDF). http://www.ct.gov/drs/lib/drs/forms/2009forms/incometax/ct-1040booklet.pdf. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  36. ^ "Conn. Median Home Prices Down 18% in First Quarter". Thewarrengroup.com. 2009-05-04. http://www.thewarrengroup.com/portal/Solutions/PressReleases/tabid/190/newsid751/2311/Default.aspx. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  37. ^ "CT house prices continue to fall". Hartford Business. http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/news8814.html. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  38. ^ Christie, Les (2006-02-23). "Million Dollar Homes". CNN.com. http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/22/real_estate/february_million_dollar_homes/index.htm?section=money_topstories. Retrieved 2007-01-23.
  39. ^ O'Dwyer, Maj. William J. (October 1998). "The "Who Flew First" Debate" ( – Scholar search). Flight Journal (Air Age Media). http://www.flightjournal.com/articles/wff/wff2.asp. Retrieved 2007-01-23.
  40. ^ Delear, Frank (March 1996). "Gustave Whitehead and the First-Flight Controversy". Aviation History. http://www.historynet.com/air_sea/aviation_history/3032816.html?page=7&c=y. Retrieved 2007-01-23.
  41. ^ The Economic Impact of the Arts, Film, History, and Tourism Industries in Connecticut (Highlights) Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism
  42. ^ Bls.gov; Local Area Unemployment Statistics
  43. ^ Connecticut Turnpike (I-95) nycroads.com
  44. ^ "ctrides.com". ctrides.com. 2010-04-15. http://www.ctrides.com/. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  45. ^ Reitz, Stephanie (2006-07-30). "Conn. looks into building rail line from Springfield to New Haven". The Boston Globe (The New York Times Company). http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/07/30/conn_looks_into_building_rail_line_from_springfield_to_new_haven/. Retrieved 2007-01-29.
  46. ^ "NHHS Rail". NHHS Rail. 2010-07-19. http://www.nhhsrail.com/. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  47. ^ State of Connecticut (2006-10-31). "New Britain-to-Hartford ‘Busway’ Receives Final Federal Design Approval". Press release. http://www.ct.gov/governorrell/cwp/view.asp?Q=326626&A=2425. Retrieved 2007-01-29.
  48. ^ "New Britain-Hartford Rapid Transit Project Schedule". Ctrapidtransit.com. http://www.ctrapidtransit.com/ct_schedule.asp. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  49. ^ a b c d e f g "CT.gov: About Connecticut". http://www.ct.gov/ctportal/cwp/view.asp?a=843&q=246434. Retrieved 2005-12-18.
  50. ^ "Connecticut's Executive Branch of Government". ct.gov. http://www.ct.gov/ctportal/cwp/view.asp?a=843&q=246450.
  51. ^ History of the Connecticut Courts. Last retrieved 2007-02-20.
  52. ^ Connecticut's Boroughs and Cities. Connecticut State Library. Retrieved 20 January 2007.
  53. ^ "Connecticut State Register and Manual: Counties". http://www.sots.ct.gov/RegisterManual/SectionVI/SecVICounty.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-07.
  54. ^ "State of Connecticut Judicial Branch". Jud.ct.gov. http://www.jud.ct.gov/directory/directory/location/Default.htm. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  55. ^ a b Enter your Company or Top-Level Office. "Regional Planning Coordination at the CT Office of Planning and Management". Ct.gov. http://www.ct.gov/opm/cwp/view.asp?a=2985&q=383124. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
  56. ^ "Presidential General Election Results Comparison - Connecticut". Dave Leip's Atlas of United States Presidential Elections. 2005. http://www.uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/compare.php?year=2004&fips=9&f=0&off=0&elect=0&type=state. Retrieved 2007-01-20.
  57. ^ Party Enrollment in Connecticut. Connecticut Office of the Secretary of State. Last retrieved 2007-02-22.
  58. ^ [1]
  59. ^ "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 27, 2009" (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. http://www.sots.ct.gov/sots/lib/sots/electionservices/registration_and_enrollment_stats/2009_registration_and_enrollment_statistics.pdf. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
  60. ^ "Admit rate falls to record-low 7.5 percent". Yale Daily News. 31 March 2009. http://www.yaledailynews.com/articles/view/28392. Retrieved 2009-04-23.
  61. ^ Branch, John (2006-08-18). "Where Do Rivals Draw the Line?". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/18/sports/baseball/18fans.html?ei=5088&en=6f3f651e40bd2179&ex=1313553600&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&pagewanted=print. Retrieved 2010-04-30.
  62. ^ "roadscape.com/nutmeg.html". http://www.roadescape.com/nutmeg.html.
  63. ^ "Connecticut's Nicknames". Connecticut State Library. http://www.cslib.org/nicknamesCT.htm.
  64. ^ See Yankee main article.
  65. ^ See National Statuary Hall Collection
  66. ^ Connecticut State Troubadour; CT Commission on Culture & Tourism Arts Division website. Retrieved January 4, 2007.
  67. ^ [2].

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'Connecticut' News
Sun suffer worst loss in franchise history - TheDay.com
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TheDay.com Mohegan - Kerri Gardin, Allison Hightower, Anete Jekabsone-Zogota and DeMya Walker stood in front of the Connecticut Sun bench to start the ... Dream Hand Sun Worst Loss In Team History Hartford Courant McCoughtry leads Dream to 94-82 win over Sun The Associated Press McCoughtry, Dream rout Sun Sports Network Norwich Bulletin
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region is rich of historical and cultural traditions Its early history is the history of the United States itself The first settlers arrived to this territory and created their own colony Photo Connecticut River Connecticut USA flickr com by altopower

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'Connecticut' Answers
Where do you find flint rocks in connecticut?
Q. Where can you find chert or flint rocks in connecticut? I live in Avon, Connecticut and i'm attempting to find some of these rocks. Does anyone know where they can be found? If not, are there any other fire starting rocks?
Asked by Nate S - Fri Aug 10 14:53:27 2007 - - 2 Answers - 0 Comments

A. There is not any flint in CT but you can try quartz. There are some good rock collecting sites in the south Glasonbury/portland area that you might like. you can find chert which is like a dirty flint in albany county in New york state.
Answered by michael971 - Fri Aug 10 21:52:46 2007

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