About the author
Edward A. St. Germain created AmericanRevolution.org in 1996. He was an avid historian with a keen interest in the Revolutionary War and American culture and society in the 18th century. On this website, he created and collated a huge collection of articles, images, and other media pertaining to the American Revolution. Edward was also a Vietnam veteran, and his investigative skills led to a career as a private detective in later life.
1. New Jersey was originally controlled by the Swedish and the Dutch
Parts of the colony were formally known as New Sweden and later New Netherland, before the territory was captured from the Dutch by the English in 1664.
2. New Jersey is named after the Isle of Jersey in the English Channel
One of the proprietors of the new colony, Sir George Carteret, was from Jersey, and successfully defended the island from Parliamentarians during the English Civil War.
3. New Jersey was originally split into East and West Jersey
Originally two separate divisions, East and West Jersey were combined into the Province of New Jersey on April 17, 1702.
4. The two halves of New Jersey were socially and economically very different from each other
The East was predominantly inhabited by Dutch settlers from the New Netherland days and their descendants, as well as Anglicans and members of the Congregational Church. The economy was focused on trade and commerce, and had close links to New York.
On the other hand, the West was more rural, focused on farming and agriculture, and was dominated by Quaker populations during New Jersey’s early years.
5. The first royal governor of New Jersey was corrupt
Edward Hyde, Lord Cornbury, was made governor of New York and New Jersey in 1702.
He stole public funds, granted public land to friends and allies, and allegedly accepted bribes. He was placed under house arrest in New York City after being removed from his role in 1708.
6. New Jersey had significant religious freedom compared to many of the other Thirteen Colonies
There was no official state church, and with the exception of Catholics, most religious groups were tolerated in the colony, including Quakers, Presbyterians, Anglicans, and Jews.
7. The population of New Jersey was estimated at 3,400 in 1680, 14,010 in 1700, 29,818 in 1720, 51,373 in 1740, 93,818 in 1760, and 139,627 in 1780
This made New Jersey one of the most densely populated of the Thirteen Colonies by the beginning of the American Revolution.
8. New Jersey was renowned for its food production, and was described as one of the “breadbasket” colonies in the New World
Along with the other Middle Colonies, New Jersey exported significant amounts of wheat, maize, and other foodstuffs to different parts of the New World.
The colony had fertile soils and a warmer climate than New England, making New Jersey the perfect place for large-scale farming.
9. New Jersey is sometimes called the “Crossroads of the American Revolution”
A number of crucial battles were fought in New Jersey during the Revolutionary War, including the Battle of Trenton, the Battle of Princeton, and the Battle of Monmouth.
10. New Jersey contained parts of present-day New York until as late as 1773
The colony used to extend further north into New York, including parts of modern-day Orange County and Rockland County, though the border was disputed between the two colonies.
These disputes lasted until a Crown-negotiated compromise was reached in 1773.
