Connecticut
Capital | Hartford |
---|---|
Nickname | The Constitution State |
Official Language | English |
Governor | Dan Malloy, D |
Senator | Joe Lieberman, I (202) 224-4041 Contact |
Senator | Richard Blumenthal, D (202) 224-2823 Contact |
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,[1] and its populace is the third smartest.[2]
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.
Contents
Notable residents
- Benedict Arnold, a traitor 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.
Elected officials
Federal
- Sen. Joe Lieberman (I/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. Christopher Murphy [D, CT-5]
State
- Governor Dan 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
Since 2005, Connecticut offered civil unions with the same rights as same sex marriage.[3] In October of 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 had no choice but to allow gay couples to marry. Connecticut was the third U.S. state to do so.[4] Between that time and the start of cermonies on November 12th, 2008, California voters rescinded the ruling of activist judges and restored traditional marriage in a referendum. 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 only 700 unions were requested per year.[5]
References
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