History of Connecticut

Connecticut achieved statehood on January 9, 1788. It is the fifth of the original 13 colonies.

The first European to visit Connecticut was the Dutch explorer Adriaen Block. Prior to European exploration, the Mohegan tribe inhabited this region. After he explored the region in 1614, Dutch fur traders came to the Connecticut River and constructed a fort at Dutch Point.

The Pequot War was the first major war between the natives and the European settlers in New England. During this war, around 300 Pequot men, women, and children were massacred. A new colony was created at Old Saybrook in 1635. It was the first of the three colonies that would make up Connecticut. In 1644, the colony was merged into the Connecticut Colony.

The first English setters arrived in 1633 in Windsor. Three years later, a large number of English settlers came to this region. They were led by Thomas Hooker. He and his cohort established the Connecticut Colony at Hartford in 1636. Two years later, the third colony was founded at New Haven, called New Haven Colony. It was established by John Davenport and Theophilus Eaton at New Haven. Some of the historically important colonial settlement in this region were: Windsor, Wethersfield, Saybrook, Hartford, New Haven, Fairfield, Guilford, Stratford, Stamford, and New London.

The first constitution or the "Fundamental Orders" was adopted on January 14, 1639 while the current constitution was adopted in 1965. This region did not have an internal revolution of its own. After the American Revolution, the government of Connecticut remained unchanged until the United States Constitution was adopted in 1789. During the American Revolutionary War, many notable events occurred in this region. The Battle of Ridgefield was fought in 1777, which would affect future landing attempts by the British. Connecticut was also the launching site for numerous raids against Long Island and provided men and material for the war. New London and Groton Heights were raided in September 1781 by the natives of Connecticut.

In 1818, a new constitution was adopted, which separated church from state in Connecticut. It also gave equality to all religions. The first recorded invention of the state was lapidary machine by Abel Buell of Killingworth, in 1765. Slavery was completely abolished in 1848.

By 1910, Connecticut's population constituted of 30% immigrants. During the Cold War years, the state built the first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilius and other significant weapons for the Pentagon. In the beginning of 1960s, the increased job market gave the state the highest per capita income. The business of the region thrived until the end of 1980s.