Information
Connecticut, nicknamed The Constitution State, is one of the smallest states in the United States of America. The southernmost state of New England has the most beautiful villages in America. The state capital is Hartford. See all cities in Connecticut. Because Connecticut is one of the wealthiest states in America, it is home to Wall Street’s top businessmen and other influential figures. On the weekends on Long Island and Essex they enjoy the sun and the beach to start the week fully rested.
Geography
Connecticut which is the southernmost state of New England has a mountainous character in the north, while the south is very flat and lies on the Atlantic Ocean and Long Island Sound. There are miles of sandy beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. Connecticut borders New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The state has many lakes and rivers, the most important of which is the Connecticut River that flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Connecticut is 115 kilometers from north to south and 145 kilometers from east to west.
History
Connecticut gets its name from the Algonquin Indians who called it Quinnehtukcut, meaning long tidal river. The Dutchman Adriaen Block was the first explorer to visit Connecticut in 1614. After his arrival, other Dutch fur traders entered the state via the Connecticut River. The merchants built a fort on Dutch Point which they called Huis van Hoop.
In 1633, the Puritans from Massachusetts entered the state of Connecticut. In 1650, the Dutch left Connecticut after Peter Stuyvesant agreed with English envoys that the border would be moved fifty miles west of Dutch Point.
In the 18th century, Connecticut was one of thirteen colonies to rebel against British rule. Connecticut joined the United States on January 9, 1788, as the 5th state. The state sided with the Union during the American Civil War. Connecticut was one of the few states that has long maintained slavery, imprisoning rebellious slaves from other states here.
Economy
Although Connecticut is the wealthiest state in America, there are still wide gaps between rich and poor. The state is home to America’s second-largest inequality. Connecticut also has the third highest tax rate in America. The arms industry, along with the financial sector, is Connecticut’s main source of income. But the aviation industry such as Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky and Pratt & Whitney also provides many jobs.
Connecticut River
In New England, the state’s longest river flows called the Connecticut River. This river begins in the Connecticut Lakes, which is a group of lakes that flows through northern New Hampshire (near Canada). From New Hampshire, the river continues southwards forming a boundary between Vermont, New Hampshire, western Massachusetts and central Connecticut, and empties into Long Island Sound.
The Connecticut River is approximately 400 miles long, with a drainage area of more than 29,138 square miles. In the spring this river carries a lot of sediment, which is because the ice melts especially during this time of the year. This hinders shipping because the sediment creates many sandbanks at the mouths. This makes it one of the few rivers that does not have a large city at an estuary. The name of the river is a French corruption of the word ”quinetucket” which means ”long tidal river” in the language of the Algonquin Indians.
Explorer
The Dutch explorer, Adriaen Block, was the first European to visit the river in 1614. In 1632, the first English settler Edward Winslow, known for the Plymouth Colony, wrote an account of this river. The English established their first trading post in Windsor, Connecticut, in 1633. The Dutch also built a trading post along with a fort in Hartford, both of which were abandoned in 1654. Due to the great decline of this river, factories were built in the 19th century, all of which made use of hydropower. The largest drop of 17.7 meters was measured in the town of Holyoke, Massachusetts. The other major industrial centers are located in Windsor – Connecticut, Springfield – Massachusetts and Battlebroro in Vermont.
| Abbreviation: | CT |
| Nickname: | The Constitution State |
| Joined the US as the 5th State on: | January 9, 1788 |
| Capital city: | Hartford |
| Census: | 3.580.709 |
| Surface: | 14.371 km² |
| Geography: | Bordering New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island |
| Governor: | Ned Lamont |
| state motto: | He Who Transplanted Still Sustains |
| Connecticut official website: | ct.gov |
