History of the Connecticut Constitution

Connecticut is known as the “constitution state.” The origin of this title is uncertain, but the nickname is assumed to be a reference to the Fundamental Orders of 1638-39. These Fundamental Orders represent the framework for the first formal government written by a representative body in Connecticut. Connecticut’s government has operated under the direction of five separate documents in its history. The Connecticut Colony at Hartford was governed by the Fundamental Orders, and the Quinnipiac Colony at New Haven had its own Constitution in The Fundamental Agreement of the New Haven Colony which was signed on 4 June 1639.

In 1662, Connecticut was granted governmental authority by King Charles II of England and royal charter. These two documents laid the groundwork for the state’s government, but lacked characteristics of what is generally thought of as a constitution. Separate branches of government did not exist during this period, and the General Assembly acted as the supreme authority. A true constitution was not adopted in Connecticut until 1818. Finally, the current state constitution was implemented in 1965. The 1965 constitution absorbed a majority of its 1818 predecessor, but incorporated a handful of important modifications.

The Fundamental Orders were adopted in Connecticut on January 14, 1639. This document has often been referred to as the world’s first written constitution. At the urging of influential preacher Thomas Hooker, the Connecticut legislative body (or General Court) began secret committee meetings to discuss drafting the orders in June 1638. The Council completed its efforts by the beginning of 1639 and, shortly thereafter, the Fundamental Orders became the cornerstone of government in Connecticut.

Connecticut was founded by Congregationalists who split away from the Massachusetts colony between 1635 and 1636. The first settlers founded three towns on the Connecticut River in Windsor, Wethersfield, and Hartford. One of the main purposes of the Fundamental Orders was to formalize the relationship among these three towns. The core foundation of the Fundamental Orders incorporates the ingrained religious background of the colony’s founders. They called for “an orderly and decent government according to God” in attempts to pursue “the liberty and purity of the gospel of our Lord Jesus.”

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