Connecticut Colony

Connecticut Colony and Pequot War

Pequot War

Early Settlement of Connecticut

Connecticut was originally settled by Dutch fur traders in 1614. They sailed up the Connecticut River and built a fort near present-day Hartford.

Arrival of the English Settlers

The first English settlers arrived in Connecticut in 1633 under the leadership of Reverend Thomas Hooker. They were Puritans from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. After their arrival, several colonies were established including the Colony of Connecticut, Old Saybrooke, Windsor, Hartford, and New Haven. Hartford quickly became an important center of government and trade.

Click here to learn more about Thomas Hooker

Conflict with the Native Americans

Much of the land settled by the colonists was purchased from the Mohegan Indians. The Pequot tribe, however, wanted the land. Soon, violence erupted between settlers and the Pequot Indians in 1637. In what came to be known as the Pequot War, the Pequots were systematically massacred by not only the settlers, but by Mohegan and Narragansett Indians that had previously warred against them. Pequot lands were subsequently divided among the settlers and other tribes.

The Fundamental Orders and Colonial Governance

After the Pequot War, Thomas Hooker led in the drafting of the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut in 1639. The document was a plan for government and is sometimes called America's first Constitution. John Haynes was then chosen as Connecticut's first governor. Finally, in 1662, Connecticut was issued a royal charter, which gave the colony a legal basis and approval from the King.

Click here to learn more about the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

Discussion Questions

  1. Why did the English settlers leave Massachusetts to come to Connecticut?
  2. What caused the Pequot War and what was the result?
  3. Why are the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut important?
  4. How did getting a royal charter help Connecticut?

Glossary

  • Puritans – A group of English Protestants who wanted to simplify the Church of England.
  • Mohegan – A Native American tribe that lived in what is now Connecticut.
  • Pequot War – A conflict in 1637 between the Pequot tribe and English settlers with their allies.
  • Royal charter – An official document from the king giving permission to start a colony.
  • Fundamental Orders – A set of laws that helped govern Connecticut, written in 1639.

Early Settlement of Connecticut

In 1614, Dutch fur traders were the first Europeans to settle in what is now Connecticut. They built a fort near today’s Hartford on the Connecticut River.

Arrival of English Settlers

In 1633, English Puritans from Massachusetts, led by Reverend Thomas Hooker, moved to Connecticut. They started towns like Hartford, Windsor, and New Haven. Hartford quickly became a center for government and trade.

Conflict with Native Americans

Settlers bought land from the Mohegan tribe, but the Pequot tribe also wanted it. In 1637, the Pequot War broke out. Settlers, with help from the Mohegan and Narragansett, defeated the Pequots and took their land.

The Fundamental Orders

In 1639, the colonists created a plan for government called the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. Some people call it America's first constitution. In 1662, the King gave Connecticut a royal charter, making it official.

 
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