New
Jersey's early colonial history was involved with that of New York (New Netherlands),
of which it was a part. One year after the Dutch surrender to England in 1664,
New Jersey was organized as an English colony under Gov. Philip Carteret.
In
1676 the colony was divided between Carteret and a company of English Quakers
who had obtained the rights belonging to John, Lord Berkeley. New Jersey became
a united crown colony in 1702, administered by the royal governor of New York.
Finally, in 1738, New Jersey was separated from New York under its own royal governor,
Lewis Morris. Because of its key location between New York City and Philadelphia,
New Jersey saw much fighting during the American Revolution.
Today,
New Jersey, an area of wide industrial diversification, is known as the Crossroads
of the East. Products from over 15,000 factories can be delivered overnight to
almost 60 million people, representing 12 states and the District of Columbia.
The greatest single industry is chemicals; New Jersey is one of the foremost research
centers in the world. Many large oil refineries are located in northern New Jersey.
Other important manufactured items are pharmaceuticals, instruments, machinery,
electrical goods, and apparel.
Productive
farmland covers nearly one million acres, about 20% of New Jersey's land area.
The state ranks high in the production of almost all garden vegetables, as well
as cranberries, blueberries, and peaches. Poultry, dairy products, and seafood
are also top commodities.
Tourism
is the second-largest industry in New Jersey. The state has numerous resort areas
on 127 mi of Atlantic coastline. In 1977, New Jersey voters approved legislation
allowing legalized casino gambling in Atlantic City. Points of interest include
the Delaware Water Gap, the Edison National Historic Site in West Orange, Princeton
University, Liberty State Park, Jersey City, and the N.J. State Aquarium in Camden.
Coming
Soon!
See
more on New Jersey: Encyclopedia:
New Jersey Encyclopedia: Geography Encyclopedia: Economy Encyclopedia:
Government Encyclopedia: History Monthly Temperature Extremes
Accredited
Colleges and Universities
Selected
famous natives and residents:
Bud
Abbott comedian; Charles Addams cartoonist; Edwin Aldrin astronaut; Count
Basie band leader; Joan Bennett actress; Jon Bon Jovi musician; Zach
Braff actor, director; William J. Brennan jurist; Aaron Burr political
leader; James Fenimore Cooper novelist; Lou Costello comedian; Stephen
Crane writer; Helen Gahagan Douglas representative; Allen Ginsberg poet;
William Frederick Halsey, Jr. admiral; Alfred Joyce Kilmer poet; Ernie
Kovacs comedian; Jerry Lewis comedian and film director; Anne Morrow Lindbergh
author; Norman Mailer novelist; Patricia McBride ballerina; Richard
Nixon president; Dorothy Parker author; Paul Robeson singer and actor;
Philip Roth novelist; Ruth St. Denis dancer and choreographer; Antonin
Scalia jurist; H. Norman Schwarzkopf general; Frank Sinatra singer and
actor; Bruce Springsteen musician; Alfred Stieglitz photographer; Albert
Payson Terhune journalist and novelist; Sarah Vaughan singer; William
Carlos Williams physician and poet; Bruce Willis actor; Edmund Wilson
literary critic and author.
Capital:
Trenton
State
abbreviation/Postal code: N.J./NJ
Acting
Governor: Richard Codey,1 D (to Jan. 2006)
Senators:
Frank R. Lautenberg, D (to Jan. 2009); Jon Corzine, D (to Jan. 2007)
U.S.
Representatives: 13
Secy.
of State: Regena L. Thomas (to Jan. 2006)
Treasurer:
John E. McCormac
Atty.
General: Peter C. Harvey, I (to Jan. 2006)
Entered
Union (rank): Dec. 18, 1787 (3)
Present
constitution adopted: 1947
Motto:
Liberty and prosperity
State
symbols: flower purple violet (1913) bird eastern goldfinch (1935) insect
honeybee (1974) tree red oak (1950) animal horse (1977) colors buff
and blue (1965) folk dance square dance dinosaur hadrosaurus foulkii fish
brook trout shell knobbed whelk fruit blueberry (2004)
Nickname:
Garden State
Origin
of name: From the Channel Isle of Jersey
10
largest cities (2003 est.): Newark, 277,911; Jersey City, 239,097; Paterson,
150,782; Elizabeth, 123,215; Woodbridge, 100,866; Edison, 100,138; Dover, 93,671;
Hamilton, 89,632; Trenton, 85,314; Camden, 80,089
Land
area: 7,417 sq mi. (19,210 sq km)
Geographic
center: In Mercer Co., 5 mi. SE of Trenton
Number
of counties: 21
Largest
county by population and area: Bergen, 902,998 (2004); Burlington, 805 sq
mi.
State
forests: 11
State
parks: 39
Residents:
New Jerseyite, New Jerseyan
2004
resident population est.: 8,698,879
2000
resident census population (rank): 8,414,350 (9). Male: 4,082,813 (48.5%);
Female: 4,331,537 (51.5%). White: 6,104,705 (72.6%); Black: 1,141,821 (13.6%);
American Indian: 19,492 (0.2%); Asian: 480,276 (5.7%); Other race: 450,972 (5.4%);
Two or more races: 213,755 (2.5%); Hispanic/Latino: 1,117,191 (13.3%). 2000 percent
population 18 and over: 75.2; 65 and over: 13.2; median age: 36.7.
1.
Jim McGreevey resigned in Aug. 2004, effective Nov. 15. Richard Codey, president
of the Senate became acting governor.
