Founding of the Connecticut Colony: Three Towns Unite in 1635

The Connecticut Colony originated in 1635 when three Massachusetts Bay settlements—Wethersfield, Hartford, and Windsor—joined together to form a unified government along the Connecticut River.

The Three Founding Towns

• Wethersfield (1634): First English settlement in Connecticut, "Onion Town" for its agriculture
• Hartford (1635): Led by Rev. Thomas Hooker; became colony capital
• Windsor (1633): Trading post origins; northernmost of the three

Why They United

• Defense against Pequot threats and Dutch claims
• Shared religious/congregational governance (Hooker's "Fundamental Orders")
• Economic coordination (trade, land distribution)
• Distance from Massachusetts Bay authority

Fundamental Orders (1639)

Often called the first written constitution in America, the Fundamental Orders established:

• General Court (legislature) elected by freemen
• Governor and magistrates
• Local autonomy for towns
• No religious test for voting (unlike Massachusetts)

Later Developments

• 1662: Royal Charter from Charles II confirmed self-government
• 1665: New Haven Colony merged into Connecticut
• 1788: Ratified U.S. Constitution (5th state)

The 1635 union of three river towns created a distinctive colony: more democratic, less theocratic, and commercially oriented—shaping Connecticut's "steady habits" reputation for centuries.