Connecticut History

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Brief History
The following important events in the history of Connecticut affected political boundaries, record keeping, and family movements.


 * Before 1625 the Dutch built Fort Goede Hoop, also known as Huys de Hoop as part of their New Netherland colony. It was turned over to the English in 1633 and became Hartford.
 * 1633-1636: Puritans from Massachusetts established settlements on the Connecticut River at Windsor, Wethersfield, and Hartford.
 * 1638:The New Haven colony was established. New London was founded soon after.
 * 1662: A British royal charter established Connecticut as a colony separate from Massachusetts.
 * 1740: By this date all of present-day Connecticut had been settled and organized into incorporated towns, the basic governing units.
 * 1786-1800 : Connecticut relinquished its claims to western lands, except for the Wyoming Valley in Pennsylvania which Connecticut claimed until 1799, and the Western Reserve in Ohio which it claimed until 1800. Connecticut settlers remained in both areas.
 * 1788: Connecticut ratified the Constitution to become a state.
 * 1840s: As the factory system developed, thousands of foreign laborers began moving into Connecticut.
 * 1861-1865: Connecticut furnished 60,000 troops to the Union Army during the Civil War.

Local Histories
Some of the most valuable sources for family history research are local histories. Published histories of towns, counties, and states usually contain accounts of families. They describe the settlement of the area and the founding of churches, schools, and businesses. You can also find lists of pioneers, soldiers, and civil officials. Even if your ancestor is not listed, information on other relatives may be included that will provide important clues for locating your ancestor. A local history may also suggest other records to search. Local histories are extensively collected by the Family History Library, public and university libraries, and state and local historical societies. Two useful guides are:

Contents
Histories are great sources of genealogical information. Many contain biographical information about individuals who lived in the area, including


 * Parents' names
 * Maiden names of women
 * Place of birth, death, or marriage
 * Occupation
 * Migration
 * Military service
 * Descendant

Histories of Connecticut State

 * The Story of Connecticut, is especially helpful source for studying the history of Connecticut


 * A Bibliography of American County Histories
 * United States Local Histories in the Library of Congress

State Histories Useful to Genealogists
Good genealogists strive to understand the life and times of their ancestors. In this sense, any history is useful. But certain kinds of state, county, and local histories, especially older histories published between 1845 and 1945, often include biographical sketches of prominent individuals. The sketches usually tend toward the lauditory, but may include some genealogical details. If these histories are indexed or alphabetical, check for an ancestor's name. Some examples for the State of Alaska are

An especially helpful source for studying the history of Alaska is William R. Hunt, Alaska: A Bicentennial History.

United States History
The following are only a few of the many sources that are available at most large libraries:


 * The Almanac of American History, This provides brief historical essays and chronological descriptions of thousands of key events in United States history.


 * Webster's Guide to American History: A Chronological, Geographical, and Biographical Survey and Compendium This includes a history, some maps, tables, and other historical information.


 * Dictionary of American History, Revised ed This includes historical sketches on various topics in U.S. history, such as wars, people, laws, and organizations.

To find more books and articles about Alaska's history use the Internet Google search for phases like "Connecticut history." Family History Library Catalog Surname Search lists many more histories under topics like:
 * CONNECTICUT - HISTORY
 * CONNECTICUT. [COUNTY] - HISTORY
 * CONNECTICUT, [COUNTY], [TOWN] - HISTORY
 * CONNECTICUT, BIBLIOGRAPHY

Web Sites

 * Connecticut History Online has photographs, drawings and prints about Connecticut History.
 * Connecticut State Library has information about the people in Connecticut's history.