Before Europeans arrived in Connecticut, Algonquian Indians inhabited the region, referring to it as Quinnetukut (note: I have seen it spelled two different ways: "Quinnetukut" and "Quinnehtukqut"), which means "beside the long tidal river"; the state's name is derived from this word. Dutchman Adriaen Block first explored Connecticut in 1614. The English came next, and settled in at Windsor in 1635. Interest in Connecticut's fertile soil and forests soon spread among Massachusetts colonists, and many of them relocated to the area. The largest migration was led by the Congregationalist clergyman Thomas Hooker in June 1636, when the Newtown community moved to Hartford. This influx aroused the local Pequot Indians, and they were subsequently exterminated in a war with settlers in 1636-37.
 Connecticut is known as the Constitution State, because its delegates played a crucial role in drawing up the U.S. Constitution at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. The state's delegates introduced the Connecticut Compromise, by which each state would have equal representation in the U.S. Senate and proportional representation in the U.S. House of Representatives. Connecticut entered the Union on January 9, 1788, as the fifth of the original 13 states.
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Connecticut abolished slavery in 1848. In the presidential election of 1860, it supported Abraham Lincoln, and during the American Civil War it supplied both men and ammunition to the Union. The war brought economic prosperity to the state, and the expansion of its industries, banking and railroads also changed the nature of its agricultural pursuits. Subsistence farming gave way to specialization, brought on by urbanization, increased population, industrialization and competition from farms in the Midwest. Industrialization was accompanied by an influx of immigrants, mostly from Ireland, Italy, Russia, Germany and Austria. By the mid-19th century the state's economy was dominated by manufacturing, and Hartford, its capital, had become one of the chief centers of the U.S. insurance industry.
Connecticut played a prominent role in the Revolutionary War, serving as the Continental Army's major supplier. Sometimes called the "Arsenal of the Nation," the state became one of the most industrialized in the nation.
The colony officially severed its ties with Great Britain in July 1776 and over 40,000 of its men served in the revolutionary army. Among them: Nathan Hale ~ American Revolutionary officer, Benedict Arnold ~ American Revolutionary general, and Ethan Allen ~ American Revolutionary Soldier.
Ethan Allen was a soldier in the American Revolution. He was also the leader of the Green Mountain Boys. Allen was born on January 10, 1738 in Litchfield, Connecticut. He fought in the French and Indian War and was one of the leaders in the Vermonters fight with New York.
When the American Revolution started, the Green Mountain Boys and Allen supported the patriots. On May 10, 1775, Allen and Colonel Benedict Arnold led a force of 83 men and attacked Fort Ticonderoga. Allen was appointed colonel in the Continental Army but he played no major role in the Revolution.
He settled in Burlington, Vermont in 1789 and died there two years later, and two years before Vermont became a part of the United States. A statue of Allen represents Vermont in Sanctuary Hall in the Capitol in Washington D.C.
Read more about the Revolutionary War:
American Revolution
Revolutionary War
Nathan Hale, American Patriot
American Revolution: Benedict Arnold
Ethan Allen, American Revolution Soldier
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- Connecticut's name is derived from an Indian word (Quinnehtukqut) meaning "beside the long tidal river". Nicknames: Constitution State (official, 1959); Nutmeg State. Residents are called Connecticuters or Nutmeggers.
- Geographically the third smallest state, land area of the state covers 4,844 sq mi. There are eight counties in the state. The 2005 resident population estimate: 3,510,297. The largest county by population is Fairfield--902,775 (2005); by area: Litchfield--920 sq mi.
- The ten largest cities (2005 est.): Bridgeport--139,008; New Haven--124,791; Hartford--124,397; Stamford--120,045; Waterbury--107,902; Norwalk--84,437; Danbury--78,736; New Britain--71,254; Bristol, 61,353; Meriden, 59,653
- The capital city of Connecticut, Hartford is also the Insurance Capital of the Nation.
- Present constitution adopted: Dec. 30, 1965
- State forests: 94 (170,000 ac); State parks: 94 (32,960 ac)
- Connecticut leads New England in the production of eggs, pears, peaches, and mushrooms, and its oyster crop is the nation's second largest. Poultry and dairy products also account for a large portion of farm income.
- Hartford has the oldest U.S. newspaper still being published - the Hartford Courant, established 1764.
- Connecticut's state ship is the USS Nautilus, which was the first atomic-powered submarine. Nautilus was designated a National Historic Landmark by the United States Secretary of the Interior on 20 May 1982. She was named as the official state ship of Connecticut in 1983. Nautilus now serves as a museum of submarine history, and attracts some 250,000 visitors annually to her present berth at the U.S. Navy Submarine Force Museum and Library in Groton.
- Connecticut is renowned for its many private schools and colleges. Yale University (1701), an Ivy League school, is regarded as one of the world's great universities; other private institutions, such as Wesleyan University (1831) in Middletown, also have national recognition.
- America's first cigars, man-made combs, factory-made hats, plows, friction matches and the nation's first commercial telephone exchange were all products of the small state of Connecticut.
- West Cornwall Bridge, in the northwest corner of Connecticut, was built in 1864 to connect two rural communities - Sharon and Cornwall. Prior to the bridge, a ferry was used to cross the Housatonic River. It is one of only three remaining covered bridges in Connecticut, a state where hundreds once existed.
- Connecticut factories produce weapons, sewing machines, jet engines, helicopters, motors, hardware and tools, cutlery, clocks, locks, silverware, and submarines.
- Famous "Nutmeggers" include American Revolutionary officer Nathan Hale, American Revolutionary general Benedict Arnold, American revolutionary leader Ethan Allen, showman Phineas T. Barnum, Olympic ice skater Dorothy Hamill, firearms inventor Samuel Colt, actress Katharine Hepburn, financier John Pierpont Morgan, consumer advocate Ralph Nader, inventor Charles Goodyear, abolitionist John Brown, pediatrician Benjamin Spock, writer Mark Twain and lexicographer Noah Webster.
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Tradition has it that "Yankee Doodle" had its origins in the French and Indian War when New England troops joined Braddock's forces at Niagara. In contrast to the spit and polish of the British army, the colonials were a motley crew, some wearing buckskins and furs. Dr. Richard Schuckburg, a British Army surgeon reportedly wrote the tune ridiculing the Americans in the early 1750s. Some scholars believe it is a variant of the nursery rhyme "Lucy Locket".
Despite the fact it began as ridicule, the colonials took the song for their own. Countless versions and parodies evolved, many of which made fun of their officers, including George Washington. These verses are included at the end of the tune. When Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown it is said while the British played "The World Turned Upside Down", the Americans played "Yankee Doodle".
There are said to be as many as 190 verses of Yankee Doodle.
Where do colonial history, maritime heritage, casinos and the Ivy League meet? In Connecticut, one of the smallest, but most densely populated states. Connecticut is a popular resort area with its 250-mile Long Island Sound shoreline and many inland lakes.
The rippling Housatanic river cuts through the forested peaks and green valleys, offering ample opportunity for canoeing, kayaking and other outdoor pursuits.
In the northwest corner of the Nutmeg state, an area called the Litchfield Hills has become a favored retreat for TV and film stars. Mia Farrow, Merril Streep, Kevin Bacon, and Sam Waterston are among the celebrities who call the rolling countryside of this tucked-away corner of New England home.
Long known as a weekend escape for New Yorkers (its about a two hour trip from the city), the Litchfield Hills also abound with pleasurable activities for ordinary folk -- from antiquing to cross-country skiing. The area is dotted with charming bed and breakfasts and small villages with colonial-era houses and churches.
Among some of Connecticut's major points of interest are Yale University's Gallery of Fine Arts and Peabody Museum. Don't miss Mark Twain's home in Hartford and be sure to visit other famous museums throughout this historic state, including the P. T. Barnum, Winchester Gun, and American Clock and Watch.
Throughout Connecticut, wherever you go, the countrysides of rolling hills with its charming farmhouses, climbing roses and peaceful ponds beckon you to look closer.
I think I'll just stay here for awhile. :) The owners are having Yankee Pot Roast for dinner, and it smells soooooo good!
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And for dessert, there's nothing quite like a poundcake - eat it plain, or dress it up with a glaze, and fresh fruit. I found this recipe for Butternut Pound Cake when searching the net for New England/Connecticut recipes to share with you today. As with the Yankee Pot Roast mentioned above, if you'd like to print the recipes, just click on the links.
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