Connecticut managed to visit two colonies: Dutch and English. And then he became one of the first American states to secede from Great Britain, laying the foundation for a new independent state. His importance in the history of the United States is inestimable. Let's find out more about him.
General information
The US state of Connecticut belongs to the New England region. It is located on the northeast coast of the country surrounded by New York, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. In the south it is washed by the Long Island Sound.
Its dimensions are very modest. With an area of 14,357 square kilometers, it ranks 48 among the US states, being one of the smallest. But even in such a small area, there are many contrasts.
Most of the cities are located in Southwest Connecticut. There are both gray industrial areas and elite mansions near the coast. In the north there is more space and greenery. This area is home to small towns surrounded by farmland andforests.
The nature of Connecticut is represented mainly by rolling plains. In the east, the river of the same name flows - the largest in all of New England. It crosses a ridge of low rocks (up to 300 meters) Metacomet.
In the northwestern part of the state are the spurs of the Appalachian Berkshire Hills. This is one of Connecticut's most popular tourist destinations. The mountains are covered with dense forests, where oaks, American hickory nuts, maples, beeches, etc. grow. The Husatonic River flows through them, the valleys of which are dotted with lakes.
History
Before the arrival of the colonists, the territory of the state of Connecticut was inhabited by the Pequot and Mohegan Indian tribes. The name of the river came from their languages, and then the name of the state itself, which translates as "long river".
In 1611, the Dutch arrived here. They built the "Fort of Hope" and traded with the local Indians. Until the 1960s, part of the territory was part of the colony of New Netherland. Meanwhile, the British were expanding their influence on the Continent. In 1633, they arrived here from Massachusetts and organized the Saybrook Colony, and then the Connecticut Colony.
The British started a war with the Pequot Indians and practically destroyed them. In 1643, Saybrook, Connecticut, Plymouth and several other neighboring colonies organized the union of New England, gaining self-government. In 1664, the Dutch lands joined them.
Later, a turbulent period began for the colonists. First, they entered into battle with the Indians, completely defeating them. Then, in the 80s, Great Britainlaid claim to the colony. A revolution began, during which the region regained independence in 1689.
Constitution State
"Constitution State" is the official nickname for the state of Connecticut. It all started with the clergyman Thomas Hooker. He was a gifted orator and came to the city of Hartford in the "River Colony" to deliver his sermons.
Hooker quickly became one of the main local activists, came into conflict with the official English church, and indeed the government itself. The preacher believed that life in the colony should be managed by its inhabitants, and not by England. It is they who should establish laws, elect officials and judges.
Together with John Haynes and Roger Ludlow in 1639 they drew up the Basic Laws of Connecticut. It contained provisions on the procedure for local government, elections and the appointment of posts. The independence of the colony, and then the state of Connecticut, was achieved thanks to Hooker and his comrades. The document was the first constitution in American history, hence the state's nickname.
Population
The state of Connecticut is inhabited by approximately 3.6 million people. In terms of population density, which is 285 people per square kilometer, it ranks fourth in the United States. The largest city is Bridgeport with a population of 145 thousand people. Other major cities: New Haven, Stamford, Waterbury, Hartford.
The population of the state is heterogeneous. By racial composition, the majority of residents are white (77%), Hispanicmake up 13%, blacks - 10%, Asians - 3%. Less than one percent is Indian and Hawaiian.
Ethnically, there is also diversity. About 19% of the population by origin are Italians, almost 18% of people are Irish, English - 10.7%, Germans -10.4%. In addition, native Poles live in the state - 8.6%, French -3%, French-speaking Canadians - 6%, etc. Americans make up only 2.7%.
The most common religious denominations are Christianity (70%) and Protestantism (28%). The population also includes Baptists, Evangelicals, Catholics, Lutherans, Mormons, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, etc.
Hartford
Hartford is the largest city and capital of Connecticut. In its place, one of the first English colonies in the state arose, at first under the name of Newton. In 1815, Hartford became the center of the movement to abolish slavery.
The city is located in the northeastern part of the state, on the west bank of the Connecticut River. The date of its foundation is considered to be 1635, and it received the status of a city in 1784. It is home to 125 thousand people. It is an industrial settlement that is still of great industrial importance to New England and the United States as a whole.
The main attraction of the city of Hartford is the house-museum of the famous writer Mark Twain. The building was built in neo-Gothic style (Victorian Gothic). The writer lived there for seventeen years, from 1874 to 1891. Here he wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Prince and the Pauper,"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" and other works.
