New Jersey

Lore & Background

New Jersey was first inhabited by Paleo-Indians as early as 13,000 BC. The Lenape were the dominant Indigenous group when Europeans arrived in the early 17th century, and they were subdivided into dialectal groups such as the Munsee, in the north, and the Unami and the Unalachtigo, elsewhere. Dutch and Swedish colonists founded the first European settlements in the state, with the British later seizing control of the region and establishing the Province of New Jersey, named after the Channel Island of Jersey. The colony's fertile lands and relative religious tolerance drew a large and diverse population. New Jersey was among the Thirteen Colonies that supported the American Revolution, hosting several pivotal battles and military commands in the American Revolutionary War earning the title 'Crossroads of the American Revolution'. New Jersey remained in the Union during the American Civil War and provided troops, resources, and military leaders in support of the Union Army. After the war, the state emerged as a major manufacturing center and a leading destination for immigrants, helping drive the Industrial Revolution in the U.S. New Jersey was the site of many industrial, technological, and commercial innovations. Many prominent Americans associated with New Jersey have proven influential nationally and globally, including in academia, social advocacy, business, entertainment, government, military, non-profit leadership, and other fields.

In Their Own Story

The bottle was almost empty, and the snow outside the Jersey window was piling up like the years he'd wasted. Max stared at his reflection in the dark glass—a ghost of the cop he used to be. 'I'm not slipping,' he muttered to himself. 'I'm slipped. I'm a bad joke.' The phone rang, but he let it go to voicemail. Somewhere in this state, a mob was making a move, and he was supposed to care. But the only thing that felt real anymore was the weight of the gun in his hand and the burn of whiskey in his throat. New Jersey wasn't a home. It was a waiting room for the end.

Reader's Guide

New Jersey's central location in the Northeast megalopolis helped fuel its rapid growth and suburbanization in the second half of the 20th century. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the state's economy has become highly diversified, with major sectors, including New Jersey's role as the world's largest pharmaceutical industry hub, and is widely known as the 'Medicine Chest of the World'. New Jersey excels in biotechnology, information technology, STEM education, finance, digital media, filmmaking, and tourism, and it has become an Atlantic seaboard epicenter for logistics and distribution. New Jersey is a major destination for immigrants and is home to one of the world's most multicultural populations. Since the onset of the 21st century, re-urbanization is taking place in New Jersey, particularly near New Jersey Transit rail hubs. New Jersey is the fastest-growing state in the U.S. Northeast and one of the fastest-growing in the United States overall, attributed to its resilient economy and aggressive homebuilding policies.

Did You Know?

• New Jersey is the most densely populated U.S. state.
• New Jersey is the only U.S. state in which every county is deemed urban by the U.S. Census Bureau.
• New Jersey is known as the 'Medicine Chest of the World' due to its role as the world's largest pharmaceutical industry hub.
• New Jersey has been the fastest-warming state by average air temperature over a 100-year period beginning in the early 20th century.