Connecticut

state of the United States of America

Connecticut is a state in the United States. Its capital is Hartford, and its largest city is Bridgeport. It is one of the six states of New England.

Connecticut
State of Connecticut
Nicknames
  • The Constitution State (official)
  • The Nutmeg State
  • The Provisions State
  • The Land of Steady Habits
Mottoes
Anthem: "Yankee Doodle"
Map of the United States with Connecticut highlighted
Map of the United States with Connecticut highlighted
CountryUnited States
Before statehoodConnecticut Colony
Admitted to the UnionJanuary 9, 1788 (5th)
CapitalHartford[1]
Largest cityBridgeport
Largest metro and urban areasNew York (combined)
Greater Hartford (metro and urban)
Government
 • GovernorNed Lamont (D)
 • Lieutenant GovernorSusan Bysiewicz (D)
LegislatureConnecticut General Assembly
 • Upper houseConnecticut Senate
 • Lower houseConnecticut House of Representatives
JudiciaryConnecticut Supreme Court
U.S. senatorsRichard Blumenthal (D)
Chris Murphy (D)
U.S. House delegation5 Democrats (list)
Area
 • Total5,018 sq mi (13,023[2] km2)
 • Land4,849 sq mi (12,559 km2)
 • Water698 sq mi (1,809 km2)  12.6%
 • Rank48th
Dimensions
 • Length70 mi (113 km)
 • Width110 mi (177 km)
Elevation
500 ft (150 m)
Highest elevation
(Massachusetts border on south slope of Mount Frissell[3])
2,379 ft (725 m)
Lowest elevation0 ft (0 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total3,605,944[4]
 • Rank29th
 • Density739/sq mi (285/km2)
  • Rank4th
 • Median household income
$79,900[5]
 • Income rank
6th
Demonyms
(colloquial)
Language
 • Official languageNone
Time zoneUTC– 05:00 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC– 04:00 (EDT)
USPS abbreviation
CT
ISO 3166 codeUS-CT
Traditional abbreviationConn.
Latitude40°58′ N to 42°03′ N
Longitude71°47′ W to 73°44′ W
Websiteportal.ct.gov
Connecticut state symbols
Living insignia
BirdAmerican robin
FishAmerican shad
FlowerMountain laurel
InsectEuropean mantis
MammalSperm whale
TreeCharter Oak, a white oak
Inanimate insignia
DanceSquare dance
FossilDinosaur tracks
MineralGarnet
Motto
TartanConnecticut State Tartan
State route marker
Connecticut state route marker
State quarter
Connecticut quarter dollar coin
Released in 1999
Lists of United States state symbols
First Congregational Church in Cheshire

Geography change

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.

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

The state, although small, has regional variations in its landscape and culture from the wealthy 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 northwards to Hartford, as well as further up the coast near New London. Many towns center around a small park, known as a "green," (such as the New Haven Green). Near the green may stand a small white church, a town meeting hall, a tavern, and several colonial houses. Forests, rivers, lakes, waterfalls and a sandy shore add to the state's beauty.

The southwestern corner of Connecticut, where it touches New York State, includes Greenwich, Stamford, Fairfield, Westport, Wilton, and Darien. These places house some of the wealthiest residents in the world.

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

History change

The name "Connecticut" comes from the Mohegan Indian word "Quinnehtukqut". It means "Long River Place" or "Beside the Long Tidal River." The first explorer from Europe to come to Connecticut was Adriaen Block, from the Netherlands. After he explored this region in 1614, Dutch fur traders sailed up the Connecticut River (Named Versche Rivier by the Dutch) and built a fort near present-day Hartford, which they called "House of Hope" (Dutch: Huys de Hoop).

The first English settlers came in 1633. They were Puritans from Massachusetts, who were led by the Reverend Thomas Hooker. They founded the Connecticut Colony. Colonies were also established at Old Saybrook and New Haven, which later became part of Connecticut. Historically important colonial settlements included: Windsor (1633), Wethersfield (1634), Saybrook (1635), Hartford (1636), New Haven (1638), and New London (1646).

Because the Dutch were outnumbered by the English settlers, they left their fort in 1654. Connecticut's 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 western boundaries of Connecticut have changed over time. According to a 1650 agreement with the Dutch, the western boundary of Connecticut ran north from the west side of Greenwich Bay "provided the said line come not within 10 miles [16 km] of Hudson River." On the other hand, Connecticut's original Charter in 1662 granted it all the land to the "South Sea," i.e. the Pacific Ocean. This probably added confusion to the early forefathers because the Pacific Ocean is located on the west coast of the United States. Agreements with New York, the "Pennamite Wars" with Pennsylvania over Westmoreland County, followed by Congressional intervention, and the relinquishment and sale of the Western Reserve lands brought the state to its present boundaries.

Related pages change

References change

  1. "General Description and Facts". State of Connecticut. Archived from the original on October 16, 2015. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  2. "The Land".
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Highest and Lowest Elevations". Elevations and Distances in the United States. United States Geological Survey. 2001. Archived from the original on November 9, 2013. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
  4. "US Census Bureau QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  5. "Median Annual Household Income". The US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 28, 2020. Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  6. "Style Manual". U.S. Government Printing Office. 2000. §5.23. Archived from the original on August 31, 2008. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. "Connecticutian". Merriam-Webster Online. Archived from the original on December 31, 2015. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
  8. "State Resident's Names". eReference Desk. Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. Retrieved October 25, 2015.

Other websites change