Explore America and discover people, places, art, and history that link to Connecticut in the Smithsonian’s collections, held in trust for the American people. Known as the Constitution State, Connecticut has made lasting contributions to language, civil rights, and education. Connecticut is home to the nation’s oldest continuously running newspaper—the Connecticut Courant, now named the Hartford Courant. Oliver Ellsworth served as chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and helped fashion the Connecticut Compromise. Noah Webster shaped and standardized spelling with the American Dictionary of the English Language. In 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe published Uncle Tom's Cabin, a novel that fueled anti-slavery sentiment. Her brother, Henry Ward Beecher, was also a leading voice in the abolitionist movement. Prudence Crandall founded the first school for Black girls in Canterbury.
In innovation and technology, Samuel Colt patented his namesake revolver in 1836. The world's first public telephone exchange was established in New Haven in 1878, along with the first phone book. The Waring blender was introduced as a bartender's aid in 1937.
The state has been home to influential cultural figures, including actress Katharine Hepburn, composer Charles Ives, and sopranos Eileen Farrell and Rosa Ponselle. In 1975, Ella Grasso made history as the first woman elected governor of a U.S. state without succeeding a husband. On the court, Rebecca Lobo—former UConn basketball star—went on to play in the WNBA and won an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 1996.