Founding of the Connecticut Colony (1636)

The Connecticut Colony was established in 1636 by Puritan minister Thomas Hooker and ~100 followers from Massachusetts Bay Colony. Seeking religious autonomy and fertile land, they settled at Hartford (originally Suckiaug).

Key milestones:

• 1639: Fundamental Orders adopted—first written constitution in America.
• 1662: Royal Charter from Charles II secured self-government.
• 1788: Ratified U.S. Constitution (5th state).

Connecticut's early town-based governance and emphasis on education (Yale founded 1701) shaped its "Land of Steady Habits" identity.