The Connecticut Colony was primarily founded by Thomas Hooker, a prominent English colonial leader and Puritan minister. In 1636, Hooker led a group of settlers from the Massachusetts Bay Colony to the Connecticut River Valley, where they established the settlement of Hartford. Hooker is often called the "Father of Connecticut" and was influential in shaping the colony's early government, including inspiring the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, which is considered one of the first written democratic constitutions

. John Haynes, also from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, was another key founder who co-led the settlement of Hartford with Hooker and served as the first governor of the Connecticut Colony

. Additionally, the New Haven Colony, founded in 1638 by John Davenport and Theophilus Eaton, later joined with the Connecticut Colony in 1664, contributing to the colony's expansion

. In summary, Thomas Hooker and John Haynes were the main founders of the Connecticut Colony, with Hooker playing the central role in its establishment and governance.