|Nickname||The Constitution State|
|Governor||Dan Malloy, D|
|Senator||Chris Murphy, D |
|Senator||Richard Blumenthal, D |
|Ratification of Constitution/or statehood||January 9, 1788 (5th)|
|Motto: "Qui Transtulit Sustinet" (He Who Transplanted Still Sustains)|
Located in the northeastern region of the United States, Connecticut borders New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. It was the fifth state to enter into the union. Its capital is Hartford. It is the richest state in the country, and its populace is the third smartest.
Like in all New England states, towns rather than counties are the basic unit of local government in Connecticut. The state abolished almost all forms of county government by 1960, retaining only the county sheriff system, and this was eliminated in 2000 with the introduction of the state marshal system.
Connecticut is known as The Constitution State since here is where the first written constitution was born. Connecticut's first constitution was called the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. The Fundamental Orders are based on Christian principles. The state was founded by Thomas Hooker
- Benedict Arnold, a traitor to the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War, was born in Norwich.
- Showman P.T. Barnum was born in Bethel.
- President George W. Bush was born in New Haven.
- Inventor Charles Goodyear was born in New Haven.
- Liberal activist Ralph Nader was born in Newsted.
- Lexicographer Noah Webster was born in Hartford.
- Blind and deaf activist and socialist Helen Keller lived the last several decades of her life in Easton.
- Sen. Chris Murphy (D)
- Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D)
- Rep. John Larson [D, CT-1]
- Rep. Joe Courtney [D, CT-2]
- Rep. Rosa DeLauro [D, CT-3]
- Rep. James Himes [D, CT-4]
- Rep. Elizabeth Esty [D, CT-5]
- Governor Dannel Malloy (D)
- Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman (D)
- Secretary of State Denise Merrill (D)
- State Comptroller Kevin Lembo (D)
- Attorney General George Jepsen (D)
- State Treasurer Denise Nappier (D)
Civil Unions and Gay Marriage
Starting in 2005, Connecticut offered civil unions with the same rights as same sex marriage. In October 2008 the Connecticut high court, by a 4-3 vote, ruled that even if civil unions have all of the same rights as traditional marriage, that the state was constitutionally obligated to allow gay couples to marry. Connecticut was the third U.S. state to do so. The people of Connecticut rejected an amendment to their constitution to remove gay marriage. For the three years that civil unions were in place for gay couples, on average 700 unions were requested per year.