The state is named after theConnecticut River, the longest in New England, which roughly bisects the state and drains into the Long Island Sound between the towns ofOld Saybrook andOld Lyme. The name of the river is in turn derived from anglicized spellings ofQuinnetuket, aMohegan-Pequot word for "long tidal river".[13] Before the arrival of the first European settlers, the region was inhabited by variousAlgonquian tribes. In 1633, theDutch West India Company established a small, short-lived settlement calledHouse of Hope in Hartford. Half of Connecticut was initially claimed by the Dutch colonyNew Netherland, which included much of the land between the Connecticut andDelaware Rivers, although the first major settlements were established by the English around the same time.Thomas Hooker led a band of followers from theMassachusetts Bay Colony to form theConnecticut Colony, while other settlers from Massachusetts founded theSaybrook Colony and theNew Haven Colony; both had merged into the first by 1664.
A map of the Connecticut, New Haven, and Saybrook colonies
First people
The name Connecticut is derived from theMohegan-Pequot word that has been translated as "long tidal river" and "upon the long river",[17] both referring to theConnecticut River. Evidence of human presence in the Connecticut region dates to as far back as 10,000 years ago. Stone tools were used for hunting, fishing, and woodworking.[18][19] Semi-nomadic in lifestyle, these peoples moved seasonally to take advantage of various resources in the area.[20][21] They shared languages based onAlgonquian.[22] The Connecticut region was inhabited by manyNative American tribes that can be grouped into theNipmuc, the Sequin or "River Indians" (which included theTunxis,Schaghticoke,Podunk,Wangunk,Hammonasset, andQuinnipiac), theMattabesec or "Wappinger Confederacy" and thePequot-Mohegan.[23] Some of these groups still reside in Connecticut, including theMohegans, thePequots, and thePaugusetts.[24]
DutchmanAdriaen Block was the first European explorer in Connecticut.[25] He explored the region in 1614.Dutch fur traders then sailed up theConnecticut River, calling it Versche Rivier ("Fresh River") and building a fort at Dutch Point in Hartford, which they named "House of Hope" (Dutch:Huis van Hoop).[26]
On April 26, 1935, the U.S. Post Office issued a postage stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the initial settlement of the Connecticut colony.
The Connecticut Colony originally consisted of several smaller settlements in Windsor, Wethersfield, Saybrook, Hartford, and New Haven. The first English settlers came in 1633 and settled at Windsor, then at Wethersfield the following year.[27]John Winthrop the Younger of Massachusetts received a commission to createSaybrook Colony at the mouth of the Connecticut River in 1635.[28]
The Quinnipiack Colony[31] was established byJohn Davenport,Theophilus Eaton, and others at New Haven in March 1638. The New Haven Colony had its own constitution called "The Fundamental Agreement of the New Haven Colony", signed on June 4, 1639.[32]
Each settlement was an independent political entity, established without official sanction of the English Crown.[33] In 1662, Winthrop traveled to England and obtained a charter fromCharlesII which united the settlements of Connecticut.[34] Historically significant colonial settlements includedWindsor (1633),Wethersfield (1634),Saybrook (1635),Hartford (1636),New Haven (1638),Fairfield (1639),Guilford (1639),Milford (1639),Stratford (1639),Farmington (1640),Stamford (1641), andNew London (1646).
ThePequot War marked the first significant clash between colonists and Native Americans in New England. The Pequot had been aggressively extending their area of control at the expense of the Wampanoag to the north, Narragansett (east), Connecticut River Valley Algonquian tribes and the Mohegan (west), and Lenape Algonquian people (south).[35] Meanwhile, the Pequot had been reacting with increasing aggression to colonial territorial expansion. In response to the 1636 murder of an English privateer and his crew, followed by the murder of a trader,[36] colonists raided a Pequot village onBlock Island. The Pequots laid siege to Saybrook Colony's garrison that autumn, then raided Wethersfield in the spring of 1637. Organizing a band of militia and allies from the Mohegan and Narragansett tribes, colonists declared war and attacked a Pequot village on theMystic River. Death toll estimates range between 300-700 Pequots. After suffering another major loss at a battle inFairfield, the Pequots sued for peace.[37]
Connecticut's original Charter in 1662 granted it all the land to the "South Sea"—that is, to the Pacific Ocean.[38] TheHartford Treaty with the Dutch was signed on September 19, 1650, but never ratified by the British, stated the western boundary of Connecticut ran north fromGreenwich Bay for a distance of 20 miles (32 km),[39][40] "provided the said line come not within 10 miles [16 km] of Hudson River".[39][40] This agreement was observed by both sides until war erupted between England and The Netherlands in 1652. Conflict continued concerning colonial limits until theDuke of York capturedNew Netherland in 1664.[39][40]
Yale College was established in 1701, providing Connecticut with an important institution to educate clergy and civil leaders.[42] The Congregational church dominated religious life in the colony and, by extension, town affairs in many parts.[43]
With more than 600 miles (970 km) of coastline including along its navigable rivers,[44] Connecticut developed during its colonial years the antecedents of a maritime tradition that would later produce booms in shipbuilding, marine transport, naval support, seafood production, and leisure boating.
Historical records list theTryall as the first vessel built in Connecticut Colony, in 1649 at a site on the Connecticut River in present-day Wethersfield.[45] In the two decades leading up to 1776 and the American Revolution, Connecticut boatyards launched about 100sloops,schooners andbrigs according to a database of U.S. customs records maintained online by theMystic Seaport Museum, the largest being the 180-tonPatient Mary launched in New Haven in 1763.[46] Connecticut's firstlighthouse was constructed in 1760 at the mouth of theThames River with theNew London Harbor Lighthouse.[47]
In 1777, the British got word ofContinental Army supplies inDanbury, and they landed an expeditionary force of some 2,000 troops inWestport. This force then marched to Danbury and destroyed homes and much of the depot. Continental Army troops and militia led by GeneralDavid Wooster and GeneralBenedict Arnold engaged them on their return march atRidgefield in 1777.[51] For the winter of 1778–79, GeneralGeorge Washington decided to split the Continental Army into three divisions encirclingNew York City, where British General SirHenry Clinton had taken up winter quarters.[52] Major GeneralIsrael Putnam chose Redding as the winter encampment quarters for some 3,000 regulars and militia under his command. The Redding encampment allowed Putnam's soldiers to guard the replenished supply depot inDanbury and to support any operations along Long Island Sound and theHudson River Valley.[53] Some of the men were veterans of the winter encampment atValley Forge,Pennsylvania, the previous winter. Soldiers at the Redding camp endured supply shortages, cold temperatures, and significant snow, with some historians dubbing the encampment "Connecticut's Valley Forge".[54]
The state was also the launching site for a number of raids against Long Island orchestrated bySamuel Holden Parsons andBenjamin Tallmadge,[55] and provided soldiers and material for the war effort, especially to Washington's army outside New York City. GeneralWilliam Tryonraided the Connecticut coast in July 1779, focusing on New Haven, Norwalk, and Fairfield.[56] New London and Groton Heightswere raided in September 1781 by Benedict Arnold, who had turned traitor to the British.[57]
At the outset of the American Revolution, the Continental Congress assignedNathaniel Shaw Jr. of New London as its naval agent in charge of recruitingprivateers to seize British vessels as opportunities presented, with nearly 50 operating out of the Thames River which eventually drew the reprisal from the British force led by Arnold.[58]
The state prospered during the era following the American Revolution, as mills and textile factories were built and seaports flourished from trade[60] and fisheries. After Congress established in 1790 the predecessor to theU.S. Revenue Cutter Service that would evolve into the U.S. Coast Guard, President Washington assigned Jonathan Maltbie as one of seven masters to enforce customs regulations, with Maltbie monitoring the southern New England coast with a 48-footcutter sloop namedArgus.[61]
In 1786, Connecticut ceded territory to the U.S. government that became part of theNorthwest Territory. The state retained land extending across the northern part of present-day Ohio called theConnecticut Western Reserve.[62] The Western Reserve section was settled largely by people from Connecticut, and they brought Connecticut place names to Ohio.
Connecticut made agreements with Pennsylvania and New York which extinguished the land claims within those states' boundaries and created theConnecticut Panhandle. The state then ceded the Western Reserve in 1800 to the federal government,[62] which brought it to its present boundaries (other than minor adjustments with Massachusetts).
19th century
For the first time in 1800, Connecticut shipwrights launched more than 100 vessels in a single year. Over the following decade to the doorstep of renewed hostilities with Britain that sparked the War of 1812, Connecticut boatyards constructed close to 1,000 vessels, the most productive stretch of any decade in the 19th century.[46]
During the war, the British launched raids inStonington andEssex andblockaded vessels in the Thames River.Derby nativeIsaac Hull became Connecticut's best-known naval figure to win renown during the conflict, as captain of theUSS Constitution.
The British blockade during theWar of 1812 hurt exports and bolstered the influence of Federalists who opposed the war.[63] The cessation of imports from Britain stimulated the construction of factories to manufacture textiles and machinery. Connecticut came to be recognized as a major center for manufacturing, due in part to the inventions ofEli Whitney and other early innovators of theIndustrial Revolution.[64]
The war led to the development of fastclippers that helped extend the reach of New England merchants to the Pacific and Indian oceans. The first half of the 19th century saw as well a rapid rise in whaling, with New London emerging as one of the New England industry's three biggest home ports afterNantucket andNew Bedford.[65]
The state was known for its political conservatism, typified by its Federalist party and the Yale College ofTimothy Dwight. The foremost intellectuals were Dwight andNoah Webster,[66] who compiled his great dictionary in New Haven. Religious tensions polarized the state, as the Congregational Church struggled to maintain traditional viewpoints, in alliance with the Federalists. The failure of theHartford Convention in 1814 hurt the Federalist cause, with theDemocratic-Republican Party gaining control in 1817.[67]
Connecticut had been governed under the "Fundamental Orders" since 1639, but the state adopted a new constitution in 1818.[68]
Connecticut manufacturers played a major role in supplying the Union forces with weapons and supplies during theCivil War. The state furnished 55,000 men, formed into thirty full regiments of infantry, including two in theU.S. Colored Troops, with several Connecticut men becoming generals. The Navy attracted 250 officers and 2,100 men, and Glastonbury nativeGideon Welles was Secretary of the Navy.James H. Ward of Hartford was the first U.S. Naval Officer killed in the Civil War.[69] Connecticut casualties included 2,088 killed in combat, 2,801 dying from disease, and 689 dying in Confederate prison camps.[70][71][72]
A surge of national unity in 1861 brought thousands flocking to the colors from every town and city. However, as the war became a crusade to end slavery, many Democrats (especially Irish Catholics) pulled back. The Democrats took a pro-slavery position and included manyCopperheads willing to let the South secede. The intensely fought 1863 election for governor was narrowly won by the Republicans.[73][74]
Connecticut's extensive industry, dense population, flat terrain, and wealth encouraged the construction of railroads starting in 1839. By 1840, 102 miles (164 km) of line were in operation, growing to 402 miles (647 km) in 1850 and 601 miles (967 km) in 1860.[75]
TheNew York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, called theNew Haven or "The Consolidated", became the dominant Connecticut railroad company after 1872.J. P. Morgan began financing the major New England railroads in the 1890s, dividing territory so that they would not compete. The New Haven purchased 50 smaller companies, including steamship lines, and built a network of light rails (electrified trolleys) that provided inter-urban transportation for all of southern New England. By 1912, the New Haven operated over 2,000 miles (3,200 km) of track with 120,000 employees.[76]
As steam-powered passenger ships proliferated after the Civil War,Noank would produce the two largest built in Connecticut during the 19th century, with the 332-foot wooden steampaddle wheelerRhode Island launched in 1882, and the 345-foot paddle wheelerConnecticut seven years later. Connecticut shipyards would launch more than 165 steam-powered vessels in the 19th century.[46]
In 1875, the first telephone exchange in the world was established in New Haven.[77]
20th century
World War I
When World War I broke out in 1914, Connecticut became a major supplier of weaponry to the U.S. military; by 1918, 80% of the state's industries were producing goods for the war effort.[78]Remington Arms in Bridgeport produced half the small-arms cartridges used by the U.S. Army,[79] with other major suppliers includingWinchester in New Haven andColt in Hartford.[80]
Connecticut was also an important U.S. Navy supplier, withElectric Boat receiving orders for 85 submarines,[81]Lake Torpedo Boat building more than 20 subs,[82] and theGroton Iron Works building freighters.[83] On June 21, 1916, the Navy made Groton the site for its East Coast submarine base and school.
The state enthusiastically supported the American war effort in 1917 and 1918 with large purchases of war bonds, a further expansion of industry, and an emphasis on increasing food production on the farms. Thousands of state, local, and volunteer groups mobilized for the war effort and were coordinated by the Connecticut State Council of Defense.[84] Manufacturers wrestled with manpower shortages; Waterbury's American Brass and Manufacturing Company was running at half capacity, so the federal government agreed to furlough soldiers to work there.[85]
Interwar period
In 1919, J. Henry Roraback started theConnecticut Light & Power Co.[86] which became the state's dominant electric utility. In 1925,Frederick Rentschler spurred the creation ofPratt & Whitney in Hartford to develop engines for aircraft; the company became an important military supplier in World WarII and one of the three major manufacturers of jet engines in the world.[87]
On September 21, 1938, the most destructive storm in New England history struck eastern Connecticut, killing hundreds of people.[88] The eye of the"Long Island Express" passed just west of New Haven and devastated the Connecticut shoreline between Old Saybrook and Stonington from the full force of wind and waves, even though they had partial protection by Long Island. The hurricane caused extensive damage to infrastructure, homes, and businesses. In New London, a 500-foot (150 m) sailing ship was driven into a warehouse complex, causing a major fire. Heavy rainfall caused the Connecticut River to flood downtown Hartford and East Hartford. An estimated 50,000 trees fell onto roadways.[89]
World War II
The advent oflend-lease in support of Britain helped lift Connecticut from the Great Depression,[90] with the state a major production center for weaponry and supplies used inWorld WarII. Connecticut manufactured 4.1% of total U.S. military armaments produced during the war, ranking ninth among the 48 states,[91] with major factories includingColt[92] for firearms,Pratt & Whitney for aircraft engines,Chance Vought for fighter planes,Hamilton Standard for propellers,[93] andElectric Boat for submarines and PT boats.[94] In Bridgeport, General Electric produced a significant new weapon to combat tanks: thebazooka.[95]
On May 13, 1940,Igor Sikorsky made an untethered flight of the first practicalhelicopter.[96] The helicopter saw limited use in World War II, but future military production madeSikorsky Aircraft'sStratford plant Connecticut's largest single manufacturing site by the start of the 21st century.[97]
Post-World War II economic expansion
Connecticut lost some wartime factories following the end of hostilities, but the state shared in a general post-war expansion that included the construction of highways[98] and resulting in middle-class growth in suburban areas.
In 1968, commercial operation began for the Connecticut Yankee Nuclear Power Plant inHaddam; in 1970, theMillstone Nuclear Power Station began operations inWaterford.[101] In 1974, Connecticut elected Democratic GovernorElla T. Grasso, who became the first woman in any state to be elected governor without being the wife or widow of a previous governor.[102]
Connecticut's dependence on the defense industry posed an economic challenge at the end of theCold War. The resulting budget crisis helped electLowell Weicker as governor on a third-party ticket in 1990. Weicker's remedy was a state income tax which proved effective in balancing the budget, but only for the short-term. He did not run for a second term, in part because of this politically unpopular move.[103]
In 1992, initial construction was completed onFoxwoods Casino at theMashantucket Pequots reservation in eastern Connecticut, which became the largest casino in the Western Hemisphere.Mohegan Sun followed four years later.[104]
Early 21st century
In 2000, presidential candidateAl Gore chose SenatorJoe Lieberman as his running mate, marking the first time that a major party presidential ticket included someone of the Jewish faith.[105] Gore and Lieberman fell five votes short ofGeorge W. Bush andDick Cheney in the Electoral College. In the terroristattacks of September 11, 2001, 65 state residents were killed, mostlyFairfield County residents who were working in theWorld Trade Center.[106] In 2004, Republican GovernorJohn G. Rowland resigned during a corruption investigation, later pleading guilty to federal charges.[107][108]
Connecticut was hit by three major storms in just over 14 months in 2011 and 2012, with all three causing extensive property damage and electric outages.Hurricane Irene struck Connecticut August 28, and damage totaled $235 million.[109] Two months later, the"Halloween nor'easter" dropped extensive snow onto trees, resulting in snapped branches and trunks that damaged power lines; some areas were without electricity for 11 days.[110]Hurricane Sandy hit New Jersey and passed over Connecticut with hurricane-force winds and tides up to 12 feet above normal. Many coastal buildings were damaged or destroyed.[111] Sandy's winds drove storm surges into streets and cut power to 98% of homes and businesses, with more than $360 million in damage.[112]
In the summer and fall of 2016, Connecticut experienced a drought in many parts of the state, causing some water-use bans. As of November 15, 2016 (2016-11-15), 45% of the state was listed at Severe Drought by the U.S. Drought Monitor, including almost all ofHartford andLitchfield counties. All the rest of the state was in Moderate Drought or Severe Drought, includingMiddlesex,Fairfield,New London,New Haven,Windham, andTolland counties. This affected the agricultural economy in the state.[115][116][117]
Reference Map showing major highways and settlements
The highest peak in Connecticut isBear Mountain inSalisbury 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 ofMount Frissell, whose peak lies nearby in Massachusetts.[119] At the opposite extreme, many of the coastal towns have areas that are less than 20 feet (6.1 m) above sea level.
Connecticut has a long maritime history and a reputation based on that history—yet the state has no direct oceanfront (technically speaking). The coast of Connecticut sits onLong Island Sound, which is anestuary. The state's access to the open Atlantic Ocean is both to the west (toward New York City) and to the east (toward the "race" near Rhode Island). Due to this unique geography, Long Island Sound and the Connecticut shoreline are relatively protected from high waves from storms.[120]
TheConnecticut River cuts through the center of the state, flowing into Long Island Sound. The most populous metropolitan region centered within the state lies in theConnecticut River Valley. Despite Connecticut's relatively small size, it features wide regional variations in its landscape; for example, in the northwesternLitchfield Hills, it features rolling mountains and horse farms, whereas in areas to the east of New Haven along the coast, the landscape features coastalmarshes,beaches, and large scale maritime activities.
Connecticut's rural areas and small towns in the northeast and northwest corners of the state contrast sharply with its industrial cities such as Stamford, Bridgeport, and New Haven, located along the coastal highways from the New York border to New London, then northward up the Connecticut River to Hartford. Many towns in northeastern and northwestern Connecticut center around agreen. Near the green typically stand historical visual symbols ofNew England towns, such as a whitechurch, acolonial meeting house, a colonialtavern orinn, severalcolonial houses, and so on, establishing a scenic historical appearance maintained for bothhistoric preservation and tourism. Many of the areas in southern and coastal Connecticut have been built up and rebuilt over the years, and look less visually like traditional New England.
The northern boundary of the state with Massachusetts is marked by the Southwick Jog or Granby Notch, an approximately 2.5 miles (4.0 km) square detour into Connecticut. The origin of this anomaly is clearly established in a long line of disputes and temporary agreements which were finally concluded in 1804, when southernSouthwick's residents sought to leave Massachusetts, and the town was split in half.[121][122]
Connecticut lies at the rough transition zone between the southern end of thehumid continental climate, and the northern portion of thehumid subtropical climate. Northern Connecticut generally experiences a climate with hot, humid summers and moderataely cold winters with periodic snowfall. Far southern and coastal Connecticut has a climate with cool winters with a mix of rain and infrequent snow, and the long hot and humid summers typical of the middle and lowerEast Coast.
Precipitation
Connecticut sees a fairly even precipitation pattern with rainfall/snowfall spread throughout the 12 months.[125] Connecticut averages 56% of possible sunshine (higher than the U.S. national average), averaging 2,400 hours ofsunshine annually.[126][125] Occasionally, some months may see extremes in precipitation, either much higher or lower than normal, though long term droughts and floods are rare.[125]
Early spring can range from slightly cool (40s to low 50s F) to warm (65 to 70 F), while mid and late spring (late April/May) is warm. By late May, the buildingBermuda High creates a southerly flow of warm and humid tropical air, bringing hot weather conditions throughout the state. Average highs are 81 °F (27 °C) in New London and 85 °F (29 °C) in Windsor Locks at the peak of summer in late July. On occasion, heat waves with highs from 90 to 100 °F (38 °C) occur across Connecticut. Connecticut's record high temperature is 106 °F (41 °C) which occurred inDanbury on July 15, 1995.[127] Although summers are sunny in Connecticut, quick moving summer thunderstorms can bring brief downpours with thunder and lightning. Occasionally these thunderstorms can be severe, and the state usually averages one tornado per year.[128] During hurricane season, the remains of tropical cyclones occasionally affect the region, though a direct hit is rare. Some notable hurricanes to impact the state include the1938 New England hurricane,Hurricane Carol in 1954,Hurricane Sandy in 2012, andHurricane Isaias in 2020.[129][130]
Weather commonly associated with the fall season typically begins in October and lasts to the first days of December. Daily high temperatures in October and November range from the 50s to 60s F. Winters (December through mid-March) are moderately generally cold from south to north in Connecticut. The coldest month (January) has average high temperatures ranging from 38 °F (3 °C) in the coastal lowlands to 33 °F (1 °C) in the inland and northern portions on the state. The lowest temperature recorded in Connecticut is −32 °F (−36 °C) which has been observed twice: inFalls Village on February 16, 1943, and inCoventry on January 22, 1961.[127] The average yearly snowfall ranges from about 60 inches (1,500 mm) in the higher elevations of the northern portion of the state to only 20–25 inches (510–640 mm) along the southeast coast of Connecticut (Branford to Groton). Most of Connecticut has less than 60 days of snow cover, while coastal areas often only see 30 days or so of snowcover. Annually, 95% of seasonal snowfall in Connecticut falls from early December to late March. On occasion in winter, Connecticut can occasionally get heavy snowstorms, callednor'easters, which may produce as much as two feet of snow on rare occasions.[125][131] Although rare,Ice storms also occur on occasion, such as theSouthern New England ice storm of 1973.
Monthly normal high and low temperatures for various Connecticut cities (°F)
Forests consist of a mix ofNortheastern coastal forests of oak in southern areas of the state, to the uplandNew England-Acadian forests in the northwestern parts of the state. Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia) is the state flower and is native to low ridges in several parts of Connecticut. Rosebay rhododendron (Rhododendron maximum) is also native to eastern uplands of Connecticut andPachaug State Forest is home to the Rhododendron Sanctuary Trail. Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides), is found in wetlands in the southern parts of the state. Connecticut has one native cactus (Opuntia humifusa), found in sandy coastal areas and low hillsides. Several types of beach grasses and wildflowers are also native to Connecticut.[134] Connecticut spansUSDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5b to 7a. Coastal Connecticut is the broad transition zone where more southern and subtropical plants are cultivated. In some coastal communities,Magnolia grandiflora (southern magnolia),crape myrtles, scrub palms (Sabal minor), needle palms (Rhapidophyllum hystrix), and other broadleaved evergreens are cultivated in small numbers.[citation needed]
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, only 12.3% was considered rural. Most of western and southern Connecticut (particularly theGold Coast) is strongly associated with New York City; this area is the most affluent and populous region of the state and has high property costs and high incomes. Thecenter of population of Connecticut is located in the town ofCheshire.[139]
In common with the majority of the United States, non-Hispanic whites have remained the dominant racial and ethnic group in Connecticut. From being 98% of the population in 1940, however, they have declined to 63% of the population as of the 2020 census.[138][147] These statistics have represented fewer Americans identifying as non-Hispanic white, which has given rise to the Hispanic and Latino American population and Asian American population overall.[148][149] As of 2011[update], 46.1% of Connecticut's population younger than age1 were minorities.[150] As of 2004, 11.4% of the population (400,000) was foreign-born. In 1870, native-born Americans had accounted for 75% of the state's population, but that had dropped to 35% by 1918. Also as of 2000, 81.69% of Connecticut residents age5 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%.[151]
Since 2016, data for births ofWhite Hispanic origin are not collected, but included in oneHispanic group; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.
By a 2020Public Religion Research Institute survey, 71% of the population identified as some form of Christian.[167] It found the state to be 21%non-religious and specifically 19% whitemainline Protestant, 19% white Catholic, 9% white evangelical Protestant, 7% black Protestant, and 7% Hispanic Catholic. In contrast to the 2014 Pew survey,[c] the 2020 PRRI survey found Connecticut to be 40% Protestant and 28% Catholic (with the remainder of Christians being Mormon at 2%, and Orthodox at 1%). The PRRI survey found Jewish citizens to be 2% of the population and, like the Pew survey: Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims to be 1% each.
The total 2023gross state product for Connecticut was $345.9 billion, up from $321.7 billion in 2022.[168]
Connecticut'sadjusted per capita personal income in 2022 was estimated at $77,940, third-highest among states.[169] There is a large disparity in incomes throughout the state; Connecticut was tied with California and Massachusetts for the second highest (after New York's 0.52)Gini coefficient, at 0.50, as of 2020.[170] According to a 2018 study by Phoenix Marketing International, Connecticut had the third-largest number of millionaires per capita in the United States, with a ratio of 7.75%.[171]New Canaan is the wealthiest town in Connecticut, with a per capita income of $105,846.Hartford is the poorest municipality in Connecticut, with a per capita income of $16,798 in 2020.[172]At the county level, per capita income ranged from $48,295 inFairfield County to $26,585 inWindham County, which is close to the United States average.[172]
As of December 2019, Connecticut's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.8%, with U.S. unemployment at 3.5% that month. Dating back to 1982, Connecticut recorded its lowest unemployment in 2000 between August and October, at 2.2%. The highest unemployment rate during that period occurred in November and December 2010 at 9.3%,[173] but economists expected record new levels of layoffs as a result of business closures in the spring of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.[174]
Taxation
Tax is collected by the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services[175] and by local municipalities.[176]
As of 2012, Connecticut residents had the second highest rate in the nation of combined state and local taxes after New York, at 12.6% of income compared to the national average of 9.9% as reported by theTax Foundation.[177]
Before 1991, Connecticut had an investment-onlyincome 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.
In 1991, under GovernorLowell 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%. The new tax policy drew investment firms to Connecticut; as of 2019[update],Fairfield County was home to the headquarters for 16 of the 200 largesthedge funds in the world.[178]
As of 2019[update], the income tax rates on Connecticut individuals were divided into seven tax brackets of 3% (on income up to $10,000); 5% ($10,000–$50,000); 5.5% ($50,000–$100,000); 6% ($100,000–$200,000); 6.5% ($200,000–$250,000); 6.9% ($250,000–$500,000); and 6.99% above $500,000, with additional amounts owed depending on the bracket.[179]
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.[180] Since New York has higher income tax rates than Connecticut,[181] this effectively means that Connecticut residents who work in New York 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.[180]
Connecticut levies a 6.35% statesales tax on the retail sale, lease, or rental of most goods.[182] Some items and services in general are not subject to sales and use taxes unless specifically enumerated as taxable bystatute. A provision excluding clothing under $50 from sales tax was repealed as of July 1, 2011[update].[182] There are no additional sales taxes imposed by local jurisdictions. In 2001, Connecticut instituted what became an annual sales tax "holiday" each August lasting one week, when retailers do not have to remit sales tax on certain items and quantities of clothing that has varied from year to year.[183]
State law authorizes municipalities to tax property, including real estate, vehicles and other personal property, with state statute providing varying exemptions, credits and abatements. All assessments are at 70% offair market value.[176] The maximum property tax credit is $200 per return[184] and any excess may not be refunded or carried forward.[185] According to the Tax Foundation, on a per capita basis in the 2017 fiscal year Connecticut residents paid the 3rd highest average property taxes in the nation afterNew Hampshire and New Jersey.[186]
As of January 1, 2020[update], gasoline taxes and fees in Connecticut were 40.13 cents per gallon, 11th highest in the United States which had a nationwide average of 36.13 cents a gallon excluding federal taxes. Diesel taxes and fees as of January 2020 in Connecticut were 46.50 cents per gallon, ninth highest nationally with the U.S. average at 37.91 cents.[187]
Real estate
In 2019, sales of single-family homes in Connecticut totaled 33,146 units, a 2.1 percent decline from the 2018 transaction total. The median home sold in 2019 recorded a transaction amount of $260,000, up 0.4 percent from 2018.[188]
Connecticut had the seventh highest rate of home foreclosure activity in the country in 2019 at 0.53 percent of the total housing stock.[189]
The combined educational, health and social services sector was the largest single industry as ranked by employment, with a combined workforce of 342,600 people at the end of 2019,[195] ranking fourth the year before in GDP at $28.3 billion.
The broad business and professional services sector had the second highest GDP total in Connecticut in 2018 at an estimated $33.7 billion.[190]
Manufacturing was the third biggest industry in 2018 with GDP of $30.8 billion,[190] dominated byRaytheon Technologies formed in the March 2020 merger of Hartford-basedUnited Technologies and Waltham, Mass.-based Raytheon Co. As of the merger, Raytheon Technologies employed about 19,000 people in Connecticut through subsidiariesPratt & Whitney andCollins Aerospace.[196]Lockheed Martin subsidiarySikorsky Aircraft operates Connecticut's single largest manufacturing plant inStratford,[194] where it makes helicopters.
Connecticut historically was a center of gun manufacturing, and four gun-manufacturing firms continued to operate in the state as of December 2012[update], employing 2,000 people:Colt,Stag,Ruger, andMossberg.[200]Marlin, owned byRemington, closed in April 2011.[201]
Other large components of the Connecticut economy in 2018 included wholesale trade ($18.1 billion in GDP); information services ($13.8 billion); retail ($13.7 billion); arts, entertainment and food services ($9.1 billion); and construction ($8.3 billion).[190]
Tourists spent $9.3 billion in Connecticut in 2017 according to estimates as part of a series of studies commissioned by the state of Connecticut.[202]Foxwoods Resort Casino andMohegan Sun are the two biggest tourist draws and number among the state's largest employers;[203] both are located on Native American reservations in the southeastern Connecticut.
Connecticut's agricultural production totaled $580 million in 2017, with just over half of that revenue the result ofnursery stock production. Milk production totaled $81 million that year, with other major product categories includingeggs,vegetables andfruit,tobacco andshellfish.[204]
Connecticut's economy uses less energy to produce each dollar of GDP than all other states except California, Massachusetts, and New York. It uses less energy on a per-capita basis than all but six other states. It has no fossil-fuel resources, but does have renewable resources. Average retail electricity prices are the highest among the 48 contiguous states. While most of the state's energy consumption is generated using fossil fuels,nuclear power delivered over 40% of state's electricity generation in 2019.Refuse-derived fuels and otherbiomass provided the largest share of renewable electricity at about a 3% share. Solar and wind generation have grown in recent years. More than three-quarters of solar generation came from distributed small-scale installations such as rooftop solar in 2019, and there is planning underway to significantly increase renewable generation with the state's offshore wind resource.[205]
TheInterstate highways in the state areInterstate 95 (I-95) traveling southwest to northeast along the coast,I-84 traveling southwest to northeast in the center of the state,I-91 traveling north to south in the center of the state, andI-395 traveling north to south near the eastern border of the state. The other major highways in Connecticut are theMerritt Parkway andWilbur Cross Parkway, which together formConnecticut Route 15 (Route 15), traveling from theHutchinson River Parkway inNew York parallel to I-95 before turning north ofNew Haven and traveling parallel to I-91, finally becoming a surface road inBerlin. I-95 and Route 15 were originallytoll roads; they relied on a system oftoll plazas at which all traffic stopped and paid fixed tolls. A series of major crashes at these plazas eventually contributed to the decision to remove the tolls in 1988.[206] Other major arteries in the state includeU.S. Route7 (US7) in the west traveling parallel to the New York state line,Route8 farther east near the industrial city of Waterbury and traveling north–south along the Naugatuck River Valley nearly parallel with US7, andRoute9 in the east.
Between New Haven and New York City, I-95 is one of the most congested highways in the United States. Although I-95 has been widened in several spots, some areas are only three lanes and this strains traffic capacity, resulting in frequent and lengthyrush hour delays. Frequently, the congestion spills over to clog the parallel Merritt Parkway and even US1. The state has encouraged traffic reduction schemes, including rail use andride-sharing.[207]
Connecticut also has a very active bicycling community, with one of the highest rates of bicycle ownership and use in the United States, particularly in New Haven. 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.[208]
Rail
A Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line train leavingStamford Station
In June 2018, a commuter rail service called theHartford Line began operating between New Haven and Springfield on Amtrak'sNew Haven-Springfield Line.[210] Hartford Line service is provided by both Amtrak and the Connecticut Department of Transportation'sCT Rail, and in addition to its termini servesNew Haven State Street, Wallingford, Meriden, Berlin,Hartford, Windsor, and Windsor Locks. Several infill stations are planned to be added in the near future as of 2021. Amtrak'sVermonter runs from Washington to St. Albans, Vermont via the same line. In July 2019, Amtrak launched theValley Flyer, which runs between New Haven andGreenfield, Massachusetts.[211]
Statewidebus service is supplied byConnecticut Transit, owned by theConnecticut 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. Connecticut Transit also operatesCTfastrak, abus rapid transit service betweenNew Britain andHartford, which opened to the public on March 28, 2015.[213][214][215]
Connecticut is known as the "Constitution State". The origin of this nickname is uncertain, but it likely comes from Connecticut's pivotal role in the federal constitutional convention of 1787, during whichRoger Sherman andOliver Ellsworth helped to orchestrate what became known as theConnecticut Compromise, or the Great Compromise. This plan combined theVirginia Plan and theNew Jersey Plan to form a bicameral legislature, a form copied by almost every state constitution since the adoption of the federal constitution. Variations of the bicameral legislature had been proposed by Virginia and New Jersey, but Connecticut's plan was the one that was in effect until the early 20th century, when Senators ceased to be selected by their state legislatures and were instead directly elected. Otherwise, it is still the design of Congress.
The nickname also might refer to theFundamental Orders of 1638–39. These Fundamental Orders represent the framework for the first formal Connecticut state government written by a representative body in Connecticut. The State of Connecticut government has operated under the direction of four separate documents in the course of the state'sconstitutional history. After the Fundamental Orders, Connecticut was granted governmental authority by KingCharles II of England through the Connecticut Charter of 1662.
Separate branches of government did not exist during this period, and the General Assembly acted as the supreme authority. A constitution similar to the modernU.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.
Executive
The governor heads the executive branch. As of 2020[update],Ned Lamont is theGovernor[217] andSusan Bysiewicz is theLieutenant Governor;[218] both are Democrats. From 1639 until the adoption of the 1818 constitution, the governor presided over the General Assembly. In 1974,Ella Grasso was elected as the governor of Connecticut. This was the first time in United States history when a woman was a governor without her husband being governor first.[102]
There are several executive departments: Administrative Services, Agriculture, Banking, Children and Families, Consumer Protection, Correction, Economic and Community Development,Developmental Services, Construction Services, Education, Emergency Management and Public Protection, Energy & Environmental Protection, Higher Education, Insurance, Labor, Mental Health and Addiction Services, Military, Motor Vehicles, Public Health, Public Utility Regulatory Authority, Public Works, Revenue Services, Social Services,Transportation, and Veterans Affairs. In addition to these departments, there are other independent bureaus, offices and commissions.[219]
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.[59]
Legislative
Connecticut's legislative branch is known as theGeneral Assembly. It is abicameral legislature consisting of an upper body, theState Senate (36 senators); and a lower body, theHouse of Representatives (151 representatives).[59] Bills must pass each house in order to become law. The governor can veto bills, but this veto can be overridden by a two-thirds majority in both houses. Per Article XV of the state constitution, Senators and Representatives must be at least 18 years of age and are elected to two-year terms in November on even-numbered years. There also must always be between 30 and 50 senators and 125 to 225 representatives. The Lieutenant Governor presides over the Senate, except when absent from the chamber, when thePresident pro tempore presides. TheSpeaker of the House presides over the House.[220] As of 2021[update],Matthew Ritter is the Speaker of the House of Connecticut.
Locally elected representatives also developlocal ordinances to govern cities and towns.[223] The town ordinances often includenoise control andzoning guidelines.[224] However, the State of Connecticut also provides statewide ordinances for noise control as well.[225]
Judicial
The highestcourt of Connecticut's judicial branch is theConnecticut Supreme Court, headed by the Chief Justice of Connecticut. The Supreme Court is responsible for deciding on the constitutionality of laws, or cases as they relate to the law. Its proceedings are similar to those of the United States Supreme Court: no testimony is 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. As of 2020[update], theChief Justice isRichard A. Robinson.
In 1818, the court became a separate entity, independent of the legislative and executive branches.[226] TheConnecticut Appellate Court is a lesser statewide court, and the Superior Courts are lower courts that resemble county courts of other states.
Connecticut does not havecounty government, unlike all other states exceptRhode Island. Connecticut county governments were mostly eliminated in 1960, with the exception ofsheriffs elected in each county.[227] In 2000, the county sheriff was abolished and replaced with thestate marshal system, which has districts that follow the old county territories. The judicial system is divided into judicial districts at the trial-court level which largely follow the old county lines.[228] Theeight counties are still widely used for purely geographical and statistical purposes, such asweather reports and census reporting, although the latter will cease using the counties in 2024.
The state is divided into nine regionalcouncils of government defined by the state Office of Planning and Management, which facilitate regional planning and coordination of services between member towns.[229] The Intragovernmental Policy Division of this Office coordinates regional planning with the administrative bodies of these regions. Each region has an administrative body made up chief executive officers of the member towns. 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".[229] By 2015, the State of Connecticut recognized COGs ascounty equivalents, allowing them to apply for funding and grants made available to county governments in other states. In 2019 the state recommended to theUnited States Census Bureau that the nine Councils of Governments replace its counties for statistical purposes.[230] This proposal was approved by the Census Bureau in 2022, and will be fully implemented by 2024.[231]
Connecticut shares with the rest ofNew England a governmental institution called theNew England town. The state is divided into 169 towns which serve as the fundamental political jurisdictions.[59] There are also 21 cities,[59] most of which simply follow the boundaries of their namesake towns and have a merged city-town government. There are two exceptions: theCity of Groton, which is a subsection of theTown of Groton, and the City ofWinsted in the Town ofWinchester. There are also nine incorporatedboroughs which may provide additional services to a section of town.[59][232]Naugatuck is a consolidated town and borough.
Connecticut is ablue state. As of 2024, both of its U.S. Senators, all five of its U.S. House representatives, as well as its Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, and Secretary of State, are members of theDemocratic Party. The last Republican presidential candidate to win Connecticut's votes in the Electoral College wasGeorge H. W. Bush in 1988.[233]
Connecticut political party registration 1958–2012, marked with presidential influence
Registered voters
Connecticut residents who register to vote may declare an affiliation to a political party, may become unaffiliated at will, and may change affiliations subject to certain waiting periods. As of 2022[update], around 58% of registered voters are enrolled in a political party. TheDemocratic Party of Connecticut is the largest party in the state by voter registration, with 36% of voters, followed by theConnecticut Republican Party with approximately 21%. An additional 1.6% are registered tothird parties. As of 2022, 4 third parties have statewide enrollment privileges (meaning any state resident may register as a member), including theLibertarian Party of Connecticut, theIndependent Party of Connecticut, theConnecticut Green Party, and theConnecticut Working Families Party.[234] Connecticut allowselectoral fusion, where the same candidate can run on the ballot of more than one political party; this is often used by the Connecticut Working Families Party to cross-endorse Democratic candidates.[235]
In July 2009, the Connecticut legislature overrode a veto by GovernorM. Jodi Rell to passSustiNet, the first significant public-option health care reform legislation in the nation.[237]
In April 2012, both houses of the Connecticut state legislature passed a bill (20 to 16 and 86 to 62) that abolishedcapital punishment for all future crimes, while 11 inmates who were waiting on thedeath row at the time could still be executed.[238]
Connecticut ranked third in the nation foreducational performance, according toEducation Week's Quality Counts 2018 report. It earned an overall score of 83.5 out of 100 points. On average, the country received a score of 75.2.[239] Connecticut posted a B-plus in the Chance-for-Success category, ranking fourth on factors that contribute to a person's success both within and outside the K-12 education system. Connecticut received a mark of B-plus and finished fourth for School Finance. It ranked 12th with a grade of C on the K-12 Achievement Index.[239]
Connecticut has a number ofprivate schools. Private schools may file for approval by the state Department of Education, but are not required to. Per state law, private schools must file yearly attendance reports with the state.[240]
The state hosts several major sporting events. Since 1952, aPGA Tour golf tournament has been played in the Hartford area. It was originally called the "Insurance City Open" and later the "Greater Hartford Open" and is now known as theTravelers Championship.
Yale Bowl during "The Game" between Yale and Harvard. The Bowl was also the home of theNFL'sNew York Giants in 1973–74.
TheConnecticut Huskies are the team of the University of Connecticut (UConn); they playNCAA Division I sports. Both themen's basketball andwomen's basketball teams have won multiple national championships. In 2004, UConn became the first school in NCAA DivisionI history to have its men's and women's basketball programs win the national title in the same year; they repeated the feat in 2014 and are still the only DivisionI school to win both titles in the same year.[243][244] The UConn women's basketball team holds the record for the longest consecutive winning streak in NCAA college basketball at 111 games, a streak that ended in 2017.[245] Both teams play in the historicHarry A. Gampel Pavilion andXL Center in Hartford. TheUConn Huskies football team has played in theFootball Bowl Subdivision since 2002, and has played in four bowl games.
The name "Connecticut" originated with theMohegan wordquonehtacut, meaning "place of long tidal river".[59] Connecticut's official nickname is "The Constitution State", adopted in 1959 and based on its colonial constitution of 1638–1639 which was the first in America and, arguably, the world.[1] Connecticut is also unofficially known as "TheNutmeg State",[1] whose origin is unknown. It may have come from its sailors returning from voyages with nutmeg, which was a very valuable spice in the 18th and 19th centuries. It may have originated in the early machined sheet tin nutmeg grinders sold by early Connecticut peddlers. It is also facetiously said to come fromYankee peddlers from Connecticut who would sell small carved knobs of wood shaped to look like nutmeg to unsuspecting customers.[247]George Washington gave Connecticut the title of "The Provisions State"[1] because of the material aid that the state rendered to theAmerican Revolutionary War effort. Connecticut is also known as "The Land of Steady Habits".[1]
According toWebster'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) and "Connecticutensian" (Samuel Peters in 1781). LinguistAllen Walker Read suggests the more playful term "Connecticutie".[248] "Nutmegger" is sometimes used,[247] as is "Yankee".
The official state song is "Yankee Doodle". The traditional abbreviation of the state's name is "Conn."; the officialpostal abbreviation is CT.
^Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin are not distinguished between total and partial ancestry.
^Which found Protestants to be only 2% more numerous than Catholics in Connecticut
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