History of Connecticut
Connecticut was established in 1636 by Reverent Thomas Hooker. The colony was founded by Puritan colonists who believed the Massachusetts Bay Colony was too strict and oppressive in its religious beliefs, as well as over crowded. The colony began with one hundred settlers, one hundred and sixty livestock which included pigs goats and cows. Settled in Newtown Connecticut, the new settlers drafted a constitution known as the Fundamental Orders in 1639. This constitution was considered the first modern constitution in American history, and created a strong democracy of wealthy citizens through beliefs of separation of church and state, ability for freemen to vote, and taxation that is approved by the people. This settlement became known as Hartford Connecticut.
In 1638, a second colony was created in New Haven, Connecticut with very different beliefs. These colonists left the Massachusetts Bay colony and founded their own settlement in the attempt for a more strict connection between the church and state.
Charles 11, the king of England, later combined the two colonies together under a royal charter, which would effectively combine the strict and religious dominant settlement of New Haven, to the relaxed and democratic settlement of Hartford, creating a balance of the two.
Economic and Geographical Factors
Like many of the other New England colonies, Connecticut was home to a rocky, mountainous, and poor soiled land, with much of it covered in dense forests. A mixture of Connecticut's long cold winters, mild summers and ricky soil led to faming not being an essential part of their economy. In fact, Connecticut practiced subsistence farming, and grew a variety of crops including beans, corn, pumpkins, squash, and rye. Connecticut main economy came from the land, and sea. Because of the dense forests, lumbering and ship building. The sea provided an economy for whaling and fishing. Fir trading, rum exporting, and livestock were also a large part of the economy.
Social Political & Religious
Connecticuts origins date back to the two different towns: New Haven and Newton. Members of New Haven believed in an oppressive town in which was founded to be more strict than the Massachusetts Bay Colony. These colonists wanted no separation between church and state and were religiously intolerant. This was the direct opposite of the Newton settlement. These colonists left Massachusetts Bay Colony and the Plymouth colony for religious toleration. They believed the beliefs of the Mass. Bay colony was too oppressive and wanted to live a less strict puritan life. These two strongly different colonies views were forced together when in King Charles II chartered the Connecticut colony as a punishment and revenge for the two judges that condemned Charles I to death. Now that the colony was chartered, the two settlements were forced to come together in beliefs and political views. The end result was a religiously tolerant democracy which gave birth to the first american constitutional document called The Fundamental Orders. This document allowed all freemen, not just church members to vote. Essentially, the democracy was ruled by wealthy citizens who believed the people should have a right and say in government doings. The main three political beliefs were separation of church and state, right for all freemen to vote, and that citizens had to approve of new tax changes. Just like all other New England colonies, the male was head of the household, with females not at same social standards as men. The life expectancy was very high, just like the Mass. Bay colony, and it was more focused towards family and living over industry.