New Jersey is a densely populated, heavily industrialized state with one of the nation’s highest population densities. It is anchored by New York City, and also serves as an economic and cultural gateway to the rest of the Northeast. Its highly developed transportation network weaves the state into the fabric of the region by funneling people and goods to NYC, and from Philadelphia and other points north and south.
A ridge and valley section slices across the northwest of the state, where the folded Appalachian Mountains are exposed; the Highlands, which extend the rocks into southern New Jersey; the central Piedmont, where most of the state’s population is concentrated; and the relatively level Atlantic Coastal Plain, which extends into the southern three-fifths of the state. The state’s best agricultural land is found on the inner Coastal Plain, while its poorer sandy soils are in the outer Coastal Plain and Pine Barrens.
The first people to live in the territory that is now New Jersey were Native American tribes including the Lenape and Munsee (or Minsi). In 1664 the English took control of the area, then known as New Netherland, from the Dutch and renamed it after an island in the English Channel called Jersey. During the American Revolution the state was the site of many battles, most notably the victory at Trenton on Christmas Day 1776 that gave the Americans a major military boost in morale.
Today, New Jersey’s economy is primarily service-oriented, with a large financial services industry and an extensive telecommunications system. It is also home to numerous research and development companies, especially in the life sciences and information technology industries. The state’s tourism industry is also a major driver, with destinations like Atlantic City and the historic Jersey Shore attracting millions of visitors each year.
There are twenty-one official State symbols designated to represent special elements of life in New Jersey. The designation of several of these symbols began as schoolroom civics lessons, and many of the symbols have a local or regional association.
In 1954, a state law was passed having the phrase “The Garden State” added to the official state slogan. The legislature overrode Governor Robert Meyner’s veto, and the slogan was put on state license plates shortly thereafter.
All citizens of this state are entitled to vote unless precluded by law. No person convicted of any crime for which the right to vote is a necessary or logical consequence shall be denied the right to vote. The right to vote may be deprived only by a statute enacted in the manner provided in this Constitution, or in such other law as the Legislature may enact. A person who has been deprived of the right to vote may, upon pardon or restoration to sanity, resume that right. This section is a part of the Constitution of the State of New Jersey.