|| HOME
|
The Connecticut State CantataNutmegby Stanley L. Ralph |
|||
Beautiful hills and valleys, flatlands which were called plains, rivers
and lakes, the soft flowing streams and off the to the south, the ocean.
Connecticut was a peaceful place back in its early beginning. The rustle
of leaves the songs of the birds and the animal sounds were all that
broke the quiet. The fish undisturbed, swam the lakes and the streams,
the deer roamed the forest without fear.
Then, there appeared the first humans to disturb this peaceful scene.
The Indians came. Oooh. The forest became hunting grounds. The plains
became farms and villages. The ocean and rivers supplied them with fish
and the names they were called sounded something like this: Siwangogs,
Unkowas, Wepawaug, Paugusset, Quinnipiac, Wangunk, Saukiog, Pyquac,
Hockanum, Tunxis, Massacoes, Podunk, Scanticock, Hehantics, Uncas,
Sassacus, Mystic, Mohegan, Nipmucks, Pequot, Agawam. How!
These were the larger Indian Tribes and their villages, and though they
were all warlike, they were friendly to the Dutch and English who came
later and traded the land for blankets, beads, guns, knives, coats and
other tangible items. However, the Indians didn’t realize they would one
day have to leave the lands which they sold. They thought of land as
being like air, free to all!
A threat to the colony of Connecticut, the Pequot war of sixteen
thirty-seven ended in destruction of the Pequot Indians tribe. But this
was not the end of aggression, and Connecticut began to grow when many
newcomers like Thomas Hooker, his family and friends came looking for
land and a new life to begin. This is were oppression for them would end.
We want to have our own churches and choose our own ministers!
Thus was born the first written Constitution of the Colonies. The
Fundamental Orders. Government of the people and by the people and for
the people. Amen. Written and adopted in 1639. Amen. Later developed
into our present national government. Amen.
Connecticut grew from year to year. The citizens rallied together in
blood, sweat and tears. Towns were being settled, wars were being fought,
and her natural resources were greater than the people thought. Lumbering,
mining, shipping, whaling, fishing, trading, farming also, metal of the
rocks, sawmills too, imports, exports. These are a few major occupations
the people had to do and this is how Connecticut really grew.
King Philip’s war. King William’s war. Queen Ann’s war. The Spanish war.
The French and Indian war.
As a result of sharing in five wars there was a change in the way of
living and a change in the way of thinking and yet, the people did not
realize that a new struggle was beginning. The struggle for Independence!
Descendents they were of the English. Proud of the names they bore, but
they were no longer children, they were here and she was there.
Connecticut objected strongly to the laws passed by the English Parliament.
We will not pay your taxes! Oh yes you will. Oh no we won’t. Oh yes you
will. Oh no we won’t and we will manufacture and trade our goods, this
is our life. Your life! Our matters of survival, your taxes are too high.
We will not pay. You have no right, we rebel, we’ll fight, you have no
right.
We are the “Sons of Liberty” and we dislike your taxes. Sugar tax, stamp
tax, tea tax, trade tax. No! We’ll put the axe to taxes. We will defend
our acts, indeed we’ll fight for out rights. {We’ll end taxes, we will
defend our acts and fight for our rights.}
Connecticut men were brave and bold, so the age old story is told. Led
by Israel Putnam, Ethan Allen and Thomas Knowlton, they did so many
valiant things, too numerous to quote them.
Then there was one whom we can’t quite understand, led battles, was
wounded, but never lost. Benedict Arnold became a traitor to the American
Cause.
There are others who are also worthy of being remembered as good Patriots.
We never shall forget Nathan Hale who just before being hanged as a spy,
said, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”
{Nathan Hale did not die in vain. “I only regret that I have but one life
to lose for my country.”}
The end of the revolution created the birth of a free and independent
nation. America. America. America. America. And proud to be one of the
nine United States was Connecticut, Connecticut , who was growing with
people, expanding in business and developing her many industries. In
Waterbury they were making clocks. In Danbury they were making hats. In
Meriden, the pots and pans, forks, knives and spoons, dishes too were
being made for every household.
What a history! And that’s not all! Did you know that the first patent
issued by the United States was given to a Connecticut man? More patents
are held by Connecticut than by any other state. Connecticut men have
long been noted for their curiosity and experiments. Eli Whitney invented
the cotton gin. Samuel Colt invented the Colt Revolver. Linus Yale
invented the Yale Locks. Charles Goodyear vulcanized rubber. Simeon
Rodgers electroplated silver on other metals. Eli Terry, Seth Thomas,
Chauncy Jerome. Hickory, dickory, dock, these men invented clocks!
A growing population caused a need for many things. Factories were going
up, machines were being built, men and women were hired for the jobs and
mass production in large quantitites soon supplied the people with all
their needs. Ahhhh. Qui transtulit sustinet.
How beautiful her rolling hillsides, against a sky so blue. Beside the
“Long Tidal River” she stands firm and true to the cause of the Union of
America and is known as the “Constitution State.” How lovely blooms the
mountain laurel throughout the county scenes, and sweetly sings the
robin around the White Oak Tree. We ask God for his guidance and
protection. Connecticut we sing of thee. Connecticut. Connecticut.
Connecticut. Qui transtulit sustinet. He who transplanted still sustains.
He who transplanted still sustains. He who transplanted still sustains.
He who transplanted still sustains. And from your earliest beginning we
can say thank God, thank God for today. Amen. |
|||
Adoption of State CantataThe cantata, "Nutmeg", composed by Stanley L. Ralph, was adopted as the official state cantata of Connecticut on June 3, 2003. House Bill 6085, Public Act 03-63The following information is provided by the Connecticut General Assembly.
|
|||
|
Source: Connecticut State Web Site, November 21, 2004
|
|||
|
[ HOME
|| INTRO
|| SYMBOLS
|| ALMANAC
|| ECONOMY
|| GEOGRAPHY
|| STATE MAPS
|| PEOPLE
] |
|||
Site designed exclusively for NETSTATE.COM by NSTATE 
|
|||
