Connecticut

Connecticut

Capital	Hartford
Nickname	The Constitution State
Official Language	English
Governor	M. Jodi Rell, R
Senator	Joe Lieberman, I {{{s1phone}}} [{{{s1email}}}]
Senator	Christopher Dodd, D {{{s2phone}}} [{{{s2email }}}]
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.

Towns rather than counties are the basic unit of local government in Connecticut, unlike most states.

Notable People from Connecticut

• Traitor Benedict Arnold 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.

Elected officials

Statewide officials

• Governor M. Jodi Rell (R)
• Lt. Governor Michael Fedele (R)

Congressional officials

• Senator Chris Dodd (D)
• Senator Joe Lieberman (I/D)
• Representative John Larson (D)
• Representative Joseph Courtney (D)
• Representative Rosa DeLauro (D)
• Representative Christopher Shays (R) {Outgoing to Jim Himes (D)}
• Representative Chris Murphy (D)

Legal Issues

Since 2005, Connecticut offered civil unions, similar to same sex marriage In October of 2008, the Connecticut high court ruled that civil unions were not enough to proctect the rights of gay couples, and legalized same sex marriage. Connecticut is now the third U.S. state to do so.