| Once inhabited by the Lenape Native Americans, New | | | | wealth. This included both women and blacks; |
| Jersey was settled by the Dutch in the early 1630s, | | | | although not married women, who could not own |
| who formed a settlement at present-day Jersey City. | | | | property. Both sides, in several elections, claimed that |
| Much of what is now New Jersey was claimed as | | | | the other side had had unqualified women vote, and |
| part of the Dutch colony of New Netherland, which | | | | mocked them for use of "petticoat electors" (entitled |
| also included parts of present-day New York State | | | | to vote or not); on the other hand, both parties |
| and had its capital at New Amsterdam, now known | | | | passed Voting Rights Acts. In 1807, the legislature |
| as New York City. Some of southwestern New | | | | passed a bill interpreting the constitution to mean |
| Jersey also was settled by the Swedes in the | | | | universal white male suffrage, excluding paupers. (This |
| mid-1600s as part of the Swedish colony of New | | | | was less revolutionary than it sounds: the |
| Sweden, which included parts of Delaware and | | | | "constitution" was itself only an act of the legislature.) |
| southeastern Pennsylvania. These Swedish territories | | | | Nineteenth century On February 15, 1804, New |
| were seized by the Dutch under Peter Stuyvesant in | | | | Jersey became the last northern state to abolish |
| 1654 and incorporated into New Netherland. | | | | slavery by enacting legislation that slowly phased out |
| Colonial era The entire region became a territory of | | | | slavery. However, by the close of the Civil War, |
| England in 1664, when a British fleet under the | | | | about a dozen African-Americans in New Jersey |
| command of Colonel Richard Nicolls sailed into what is | | | | were still apprenticed freedmen. New Jersey initially |
| today New York Harbor and took over the colony, | | | | refused to ratify the Constitutional Amendments |
| against extremely little resistance. | | | | banning slavery and granting rights to America's Black |
| During the English Civil War the Channel Isle of Jersey | | | | population. |
| remained loyal to the Crown and gave sanctuary to | | | | Unlike the Revolutionary War, no Civil War battles |
| the King. It was from the Royal Square in St. Helier | | | | took place within the state. |
| that Charles II of England was first proclaimed King in | | | | However, throughout the course of the Civil War, |
| 1649, following the execution of his father, Charles I. | | | | over 80,000 enlisted in the Northern army to defeat |
| The North American lands were divided by Charles II, | | | | the Southern rebels. In total, soldiers from New |
| who gave his brother, the Duke of York (later King | | | | Jersey formed 4 militia regiments, 33 infantry |
| James II) the region between New England and | | | | regiments, 3 cavalry regiments, and 5 batteries of |
| Maryland as a proprietary colony (as opposed to a | | | | light artillery. |
| royal colony). James then granted the land between | | | | New Jersey was one of the few states to reject |
| the Hudson River and the Delaware River (the land | | | | President Abraham Lincoln twice in national elections, |
| that would become New Jersey) to two friends who | | | | and sided with Stephen Douglas and George B. |
| had remained loyal through the English Civil War: Sir | | | | McClellan during their campaigns. McClellan later |
| George Carteret and Lord Berkeley of Stratton. | | | | became governor. During the war, the state was led |
| Settlement for the first 10 years of English rule was | | | | first by Republican Governor Charles Smith Olden, |
| in the Hudson River region and came primarily from | | | | then by Democrat Joel Parker. |
| New England. On March 18, 1673, Berkeley sold his | | | | In 1844, the second state constitution was ratified |
| half of the colony to Quakers in England (with William | | | | and brought into effect. |
| Penn acting as trustee for a time), who settled the | | | | Counties thereby became districts for the State |
| Delaware Valley region as a Quaker colony. New | | | | Senate, and some realignment of boundaries (including |
| Jersey was governed as two distinct provinces, | | | | the creation of Mercer County) immediately followed. |
| West Jersey and East Jersey, for the 28 years | | | | This provision was retained in the 1947 Constitution, |
| between 1674 and 1702. In 1702, the two provinces | | | | but was overturned by the Supreme Court of the |
| were united under a royal, rather than a proprietary, | | | | United States in 1961. |
| governor. | | | | While the Governorship was stronger than under the |
| Revolutionary War era New Jersey was one of the | | | | 1776 constitution (it could hardly be weaker), the |
| thirteen colonies that revolted against British rule in | | | | 1844 created many offices that were not responsible |
| the American Revolution. The New Jersey | | | | to him, or to the people, and gave him a three-year |
| Constitution of 1776 was passed July 2, 1776, just | | | | term, but he could not succeed himself. |
| two days before the Second Continental Congress | | | | In the Industrial Revolution, cities like Paterson grew |
| declared American Independence from Britain. It was | | | | and prospered. |
| an act of the Provincial Congress, which made itself | | | | Previously, the economy had been largely agrarian, |
| into the state Legislature. To reassure neutrals, it | | | | which was problematically subject to crop failures and |
| provided that it would become void if New Jersey | | | | poor soil. |
| reached a reconciliation with Great Britain. | | | | This caused a shift to a more industrialized economy, |
| During the American Revolutionary War, British and | | | | such as textiles and silk. Inventor Thomas Edison also |
| American armies crossed New Jersey numerous | | | | became an important figure of the Industrial |
| times and several pivotal battles took place in the | | | | Revolution, having been granted 1,093 patents. |
| state. Because of this, New Jersey today is often | | | | Transportation was greatly improved as locomotion |
| referred to as "The Crossroads of the Revolution." | | | | and steamboats were introduced to New Jersey. |
| On Christmas Day, 1776, the Continental Army under | | | | Iron mining was also a prevalent industry during the |
| George Washington crossed the Delaware River and | | | | middle to late 1800's. Mines such as Mt Hope, Mine Hill |
| engaged the unprepared Hessian troops in the Battle | | | | and the Rockaway Valley Mines created a thriving |
| of Trenton. | | | | industry, which spawned new towns and was one of |
| Slightly more than a week after victory at Trenton, | | | | the driving forces behind the need for the Morris |
| on January 3, 1777, the American forces gained an | | | | Canal. |
| important victory by stopping Cornwallis's charges at | | | | Twentieth century Through both World Wars, New |
| the Second Battle of Trenton. By evading Cornwallis's | | | | Jersey was a center for war production, especially in |
| army, Washington made a surprise attack on | | | | naval construction. Battleships, cruisers, and |
| Princeton, and successfully defeated the British | | | | destroyers were all made in this state. In addition, |
| garrison there. | | | | Camp Kilmer, Fort Dix, and Camp Merritt were all |
| Later, the American forces under Washington | | | | constructed to help American soldiers through both |
| engaged the forces under General Henry Clinton at | | | | World Wars. New Jersey also became a principal |
| the Battle of Monmouth, resulting indecisively. | | | | location for defense in the Cold War. Fourteen Nike |
| Washington attempted to take the British column by | | | | Missile stations were constructed, especially for the |
| surprise; when the British army attempted to flank | | | | defense of New York City and Philadelphia, |
| the Americans, the Americans retreated in disorder. | | | | Pennsylvania. |
| The ranks were later reorganized and withstood the | | | | New Jersey became a prosperous state through the |
| British charges. | | | | Roaring Twenties but fell in prosperity under the |
| In the summer of 1783, the Continental Congress | | | | Great Depression. |
| met in Nassau Hall at Princeton University, making | | | | Begging licenses were even offered to the |
| Princeton the nation's capital for four months. It was | | | | unemployed by the state government in order to |
| there that the Continental Congress learned of the | | | | provide money for those who could not be helped |
| signing of the Treaty of Paris (1783), which ended | | | | by the exhausted state funds. During this time |
| the war. | | | | period, the zeppelin Hindenburg went up in flames |
| New Jersey was the third state to ratify the United | | | | over Lakehurst. |
| States Constitution, which was overwhelmingly | | | | In the 1960s, several race riots sprung up in New |
| popular in New Jersey, as it prevented New York and | | | | Jersey, the first of which occurred in Jersey City on |
| Pennsylvania from charging and keeping tariffs on | | | | August 2, 1964. Several other riots ensued in 1967, in |
| goods imported from Europe. In November 20, 1789, | | | | the cities of Newark and Plainfield. |
| the state became the first in the newly-formed Union | | | | Camden also dealt with race riots in 1971. The 1960's |
| to ratify the Bill of Rights. | | | | race riots in Freehold are mentioned in the Bruce |
| The 1776 New Jersey State Constitution gave the | | | | Springsteen song "My Hometown." |
| vote to "all inhabitants" who had a certain level of | | | | |