Geography And Climate Of Connecticut
Nestled in between the Long Island Sound to the south, New York to the west, Rhode Island to the east and Massachusetts to the south, Connecticut, or the “Constitution State,” is a rectangular shaped state in the New England region. The state has two sections, known as the eastern and western highlands, which are separated by the Connecticut Valley lowland. The Connecticut River goes through the center of the state from the Long Island Sound to the Atlantic Ocean.
Although Connecticut is small in land area at 5,543 square miles, the state’s geographical features are varied. Its rural areas and small town life are extremely different from the industrial cities along the coastal highways. In the northern parts of the state, Litchfield Hills rolling hills and scenic views of the mountains, while the Long Island Sound in the south is a coastal plain. The highest point in Connecticut is Bear Mountain in Salisbury, which at 2,326 feet forms a noticeable peak in the southern Taconic Mountains. Many visitors flock every summer to the Connecticut shore for its picturesque beaches.
Northwestern Connecticut has a humid continental climate, while the southern part of the state has a humid subtropical climate heavily affected by seasonal extremes from the Atlantic Ocean. Unlike some areas of the U.S. where the weather changes slightly between seasons, Connecticut’s seasons are much more distinguishable. Summers are generally hot and
humid, with the heat broken up by frequent thunderstorms, while autumn is mild as the leaves turn color into bright and beautiful foliage. Winters are cold and snowy, with an average annual snowfall of 25 to 100 inches. Spring is warmer with varying temperatures and light to heavy precipitation.
History Of Connecticut
Prior to the arrival of Dutch explorer Adriaen Block in 1614, the Mohegan, Algonquin and Pequot Native American tribes inhabited most of the Connecticut region. Dutch fur traders sailed up the Connecticut River and built a fort near what is now Hartford.
English settlers, who were led by Thomas Hooker from Massachusetts, first started arriving in 1633, setting up the towns of Windsor and Wethersfield the following year. In 1636, Hartford and Connecticut Colony were established. New Haven Colony and Saybrook Colony were distinctive areas, but eventually merged with Connecticut Colony. Fairfield, Stamford, Middletown, Stratford and New London are among the other significant colonial towns established during this time.
Since Connecticut Colony was never sanctioned by British authorities, they considered themselves as political entities independent of Massachusetts Bay under the Fundamental Orders, which included all of the area’s river towns. By 1662, the Connecticut Colony gained a Royal Charter that acknowledged and confirmed the self-government.
Connecticut flourished throughout the early 19th Century from its busy seaports, even though the British blockade during the War of 1812 hurt the export business. New Haven native Eli Whitney, inventor of the cotton gin, helped pioneer industrial technology, which eventually led to the building of textile factories in the state. With ready access to raw materials, Connecticut’s manufacturing industry grew stronger. Immigrants from Europe came to factories in New Haven, Hartford and Waterbury, bringing Catholicism to a predominantly Protestant state. During World War I, the munitions business boomed and continued to prosper until the Great Depression before picking back up again in World War II.
The munitions industry expanded with new technology from the Cold War through the Reagan administration, increasing the population and the standard of living. The shift from the defense industry to insurance and health care has allowed Connecticut to keep thriving. Corporations moved to the Fairfield County area because of its close proximity to New York City, while growing neighborhoods in the state burgeoned into suburban complexes. Sadly, 64 state residents, most of who worked at the World Trade Center, were killed in the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001.
Demographics Of Connecticut
Connecticut’s estimated population as of 2005 is 3,510,297. There are eight counties in the state. Western and southern Connecticut, which are closely tied to New York City, are the most affluent and populated regions. Rural and eastern Connecticut, on the other hand, is more associated with Boston.
Certain cities or counties are home to varying ethnic groups. There are large minority populations of Italians, English and Irish in Tolland County, as well as German, French Canadians in Windham County and Portuguese throughout the state. There is a large Hungarian population, most of which live in Fairfield, Stamford and Bridgeport. New Britain has a large Polish population, while other immigrants continue to move to Connecticut, including Vietnamese, Thai, Laotians, Brazilians, Guatemalans, Mexicans and Eastern Europeans.
Around a third of Connecticut’s population consider themselves Catholic, while other Protestant denominations, Jews and Muslims make up the rest and 12 percent have no religious affiliation. In Greenwich and New Haven near Long Island, there is a sizeable Jewish population.
Economy Of Connecticut
With a total gross state product (GSP) of $204 billion in 2006 and a per capita income of $54,117 in 2007, Connecticut is one of the nation’s richest states. However, the state’s wealth is not equally dispersed. Hartford has one of the lowest per capita incomes, while New Canaan has one of the highest.
Connecticut is involved in the defense industry. The aircraft industry is very prominent, as is transportation equipments, including submarines and helicopters. Heavy industrial machinery, munitions, electrical equipment, metal, chemicals and pharmaceutical products are other major industries in the state. Hartford is known for the number of insurance companies that have set up headquarters, while tourism still generated over $14 billion in revenue per year.
Connecticut Law And Government
Hartford is the capital of Connecticut, although New Haven served as the capital throughout different times in the state’s history. With the exception of state marshal system, there are no county governments in Connecticut.
There have been four different documents throughout Connecticut’s constitutional history, starting with the Fundamental Orders and the Charter of 1662, to the revised 1818 constitution and finally the current constitution, which was adopted in 1965.
Republic M. Jodi Rell is the current governor of the state. Democrat Christopher J. Dodd and Independent Democrat Joseph Lieberman are Connecticut’s U.S. senators, while the state has five congressional representatives in the U.S. House, four of whom are Democrats. Like the rest of New England, Connecticut has a local form of government called the New England town, which is similar to the idea of a civil township. Politically, Connecticut is a strong supporter of the Democratic Party, although 44 percent are not registered with a major political party and certain areas are more likely to vote for a Republican.
In recent years, there have been various government organizations in Connecticut rocked by corruption and scandal, including using cocaine while in office, bribery, racketeering, child sex offenses, the bungled construction on I-84 near Waterbury and conspiracy charges with a local Mafia boss.
Connecticut Transportation
The Connecticut Turnpike, otherwise known as I-95, runs along the coastline, while I-84 goes from the southwest to the northeast through the middle of the state and I-91 is the north to south highway. The state has several parkways and toll roads. The Merritt Parkway and Wilbur Cross Parkway, which form Route 15, run from the Hutchinson River in New York before hitting New Haven and other cities in Connecticut.
New York City and New Haven are connected through a widespread commuter railway network, which many commuters take to get work. Amtrak and Shore Line East provide regional rail service to other cities, including Old Saybrook, Stamford, Hartford and Bridgeport. Connecticut Transit, which is part of the Connecticut Department of Transportation, provides bus service in urban areas.
Bradley International Airport is 15 miles north of Hartford offers daily flights, while Tweed-New Haven Airport provides regional air service. Danbury Municipal Airport and Waterbury-Oxford Airport serve as civil airports.
Major Cities And Towns Of Connecticut
There are 169 incorporated towns in Connecticut. Many Connecticut towns are built around a “green,” which served as the center of the town during colonial times. Today, towns like New Milford, Simsbury and Wethersfield preserve historical buildings like churches, taverns, meeting houses and homes from that era.
New Haven, which sits on the northern shore of the Long Island Sound, is one of the best early examples of urban planning, with eight streets laid out in a grid known as the “Nine Square Plan.” The 16-acre New Haven Green is in the center of the city. It is also the home of Yale University.
Hartford, the state’s capital, is the largest city in Connecticut and home to some of the world’s insurance company headquarters. Elizabeth Park is the oldest rose garden in the country, while various parks and Colonial architecture are spread throughout the city.
Connecticut Educational System
Wealthier areas of Connecticut have some of the best public schools in the country. There are also a number of acclaimed boarding schools and private day schools, including Miss Porter’s, Choate Rosemary Hall, Hotchkiss, Holy Cross and Kingswood-Oxford.
Yale University, one of the most renowned and selective universities in the world, is one of the state’s largest employers. Wesleyan University and Trinity College are other top-notch postsecondary educational institutions, while the University of Connecticut is the highest ranked public university in New England.
Learn more at the Connecticut State Department of Education.
Connecticut Sports Teams And Recreational Activities
While there are no major sports franchises in Connecticut, its close proximity to New York and Massachusetts make it a base for fans of the New York Yankees, the New York Mets and the Boston Red Sox. Additionally, the Boston Celtics played a number of home games at the Hartford Civic Center. Currently, there are two minor league baseball teams and several other in various leagues, as well as two ice hockey teams.
Recreationally, Connecticut residents go fishing, hiking, boating or swimming in one of the area’s beautifully natural setting. Incidentally, the state has an active bicycling community.
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