The Garden State is home to a wide variety of natural beauty. Its fertile farmland is famous for its produce, and it’s also a hub of industrial innovation. From Thomas Edison’s laboratory to pharmaceutical giants, the state has shaped advancements in science, technology, and medicine. In addition to its agricultural and industrial past, New Jersey also played a major role in the American Revolution and is famous for its historic sites in places like Trenton and Princeton.
The land that is now New Jersey was inhabited by the Lenape people before Europeans settled it. When the Dutch arrived in the seventeenth century, they established their New Netherland colony along the Hudson, Raritan, and Passaic rivers. Europeans brought enslaved people with them, beginning a long and complicated history of slavery in the region.
During the early nineteenth century, as the nation moved into the Industrial Revolution, New Jersey became a hub of industry and manufacturing. Several of its cities, such as Newark and Paterson, developed into textile centers. Its factories, including those of John Roebling’s wire rope factory in Trenton, supplied materials used in the construction of many significant bridges across the country. In addition, the state embraced transportation innovation with the construction of canals and railroads.
In the twentieth century, New Jersey was one of the most progressive states in terms of its economic and political reform movements. It was a leader in statewide anti-war, labor, and civil rights activism, largely because of its strong union presence and the influence of workers’ organizations. The state’s urban and suburban populations also grew rapidly after World War II, with affordable housing developments, federally backed mortgages, and an integrated transportation system bringing people to and from work.
After the war, the state accelerated its move towards progressivism with a sweeping constitutional amendment that strengthened the office of governor and streamlined its convoluted judicial system. The state also desegregated its schools and National Guard, taking progressive steps ahead of the civil rights movement. Despite this progress, discriminatory practices in housing and employment in New Jersey continued to create inequality for some.
During the Great Depression, New Jersey’s economy struggled, but it rebounded with the implementation of social programs such as food stamps and unemployment insurance. The state’s booming population was also the largest in the nation, and it spawned a variety of cultural and recreational attractions, from Atlantic City to its renowned parks and universities. The state’s diversified demographics and economic stability made it an ideal place for migrants from around the country. As a result, New Jersey has become one of the most diverse states in the United States.