
Located in the Appalachian Mountains, West Virginia is a state in eastern United States. At the confluence of the Shenandoah and the Potomac rivers, Harpers Ferry was the site of a famous raid during the Civil War.
The state of Connecticut is in the southern New England region. It has coastal cities as well as rural areas that are dotted with small towns. The Seaport Museum in Mystic is filled with centuries-old ships, and Mystic Aquarium houses beluga whale exhibits. Yale University is located in New Haven, along with the Peabody Museum of Natural History. The state of Connecticut has the 3rd smallest area in the country. It is a popular hub for many company headquarters.
QUICK FACTS ABOUT CONNECTICUT |
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More than 10,000 years ago, the first people settled in what is now Connecticut. Many Native American tribes lived in this region a few thousand years later, including the Mohegans, the Pequots, and the Niants.
Connecticut's first European settlement was established in 1633 by Dutch traders who arrived in 1614. In the early 1630s, both Dutch and English settlers established colonies in Connecticut, and the land soon became a British colony. Eventually, the colonists became unhappy with British rule.
Together with representatives from the other American colonies, Connecticut signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The result was the American Revolution, which lasted until 1783 when the colonies formally gained independence from Britain. In 1817, Connecticut ratified the United States Constitution and became the fifth state.
Among Connecticut's many mammals are black bears, bobcats, fishers, muskrats, and white-tailed deer. There are bald eagles, eastern bluebirds, red headed woodpeckers, and rare Connecticut warblers among the trees. Reptile enthusiasts can spot eastern painted turtles, garter snakes, and five-lined skinks here. It is home to amphibians such as the northern redback salamander and the endangered mudpuppy.
Connecticut has a wide variety of trees, including red maples, black birches, eastern hemlocks, and sugar maples. Blanket Flowers, orange daylilies, violets, and chicory are among the wildflowers found here.
Connecticut has more than 60 percent of its territory covered in forests, so it's no wonder forests are one of the state's top natural resources, providing lumber, firewood, and maple syrup.