Yale, the third oldest university in America, was established by the colonial legislature of Connecticut in 1701. Initially called the Collegiate School and based at Killingworth, it was moved to New Haven in 1716. Two years later it was renamed Yale College after the philanthropist, Elihu Yale.

Colleges were established in Medicine (1810), Divinity (1822) and Law (1824). Departments teaching science, art, music, forestry, nursing, drama, management and architecture followed later. The college was renamed Yale University in 1864.

People who have either graduated or taught at Yale include John C. Calhoun, William Taft, Samuel Tilden, Luther Bradley, Oliver Harrington, William Benton, Fredrikke Palmer, Henry Luce, Arna Bontemps, Dean Acheson, Elia Kazan, Albert Maltz, Harold Laski, Walker Evans and Gerald Ford.