|capital=Hartford
|language=English
|governor=Dan Dannel Malloy
|gparty=Democrat
|senator2=Richard Blumenthal
|s2party=Democrat
|s2phone=(202) 224-2823
|s2email=httphttps://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/senators/one_item_and_teasers/Blumenthal_Richard.htm Contact
|senator1=Chris Murphy
|s1party=Democrat
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,<ref>[http://www.statemaster.com/state/CT-connecticut Statemaster.com]</ref> and its populace is the third smartest.<ref>[http://www.morganquitno.com/edrank06.htm Morgan Quinto]</ref>
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. The state Constitution of Connecticut, like all of the other 50 states, acknowledges God or our Creator or the ''Sovereign Ruler of the Universe''. It says::''The People of Connecticut acknowledging with gratitude, the good providence of God, in having permitted them to enjoy a free government; do, in order more effectually to define, secure, and perpetuate the liberties, rights and privileges which they have derived from their ancestors; hereby, after a careful consideration and revision, ordain and establish the following constitution and form of civil government.''
==History==
*Inventor [[Charles Goodyear]] was born in New Haven.
*Liberal activist [[Ralph Nader]] was born in NewstedWinsted, a section of the town of Winchester.
*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. [[Chris Murphy]] (D)
*Sen. [[Richard Blumenthal]] (D)
*Rep. [[Rosa DeLauro]] [D, CT-3]
*Rep. [[Jim Himes|James Himes]] [D, CT-4]
*Rep. [[Elizabeth EstyJahana Hayes]] [D, CT-5]
===State===
==Civil Unions and Gay Marriage==
Starting in 2005, Connecticut offered [[civil union]]s with the same rights as [[same sex marriage]].<ref>[http://www.answers.com/topic/domestic-partnership-in-the-united-states Answers.com]</ref> 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 was constitutionally obligated to allow [[gay marriage|gay couples to marry]]. Connecticut was the third U.S. state to do so.<ref>[http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081010/ap_on_re_us/connecticut_same_sex_marriage Connecticut high court rules gay couples can marry]</ref> 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.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,450648,00.html</ref>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External Linkslinks==
* [https://archive.org/details/foundersandleade010800mbp Founders And Leaders Of Connecticut 1633 1783], (1934)