Statehood The 5th state Jan. 9, 1788 Captial Hartford State Motto He who transplanted still sustains. Origin of State Name The name is probably derived from a Native American word, Quinnehtukqut, meaning "beside the long tidal river." State Nickname The Constitution State The official nickname commemorates the colony's adoption in 1639 of the Fundamental Orders, sometimes regarded as the first written constitution. Interesting Facts Inventor Eli Whitney began manufacturing his cotton gins, which revolutionized the economy of the South, at New Haven in 1793. Connecticut was a major producer of military machinery during the Cold War and was the first producer of nuclear-powered submarines. In the mid-1990s Connecticut led the nation in per capita wealth.