|
|
|
Description
Fast Facts
Famous Natives
Flag
Land Statistics
Landforms
Lat/Long
Links
Maps Symbols
Time
Timeline
Travel Info
Weather
USA PAGE
New Jersey Map
PRINT THIS MAP
A Brief Description New Jersey History This fertile land was first sighted by the Italian explorer Giovanni de Varazano in 1524. When he anchored his ship in what is now New York Harbor, his intrusion into this new world would forever change the ancestral homeland of the indigenous Delaware Indians.
In 1609, Henry Hudson sailed up his now namesake river, claiming New Jersey (and New York) for the Dutch. Originally called New Netherlands, over the next 40 years a series of small, and short-lived Dutch and Swedish settlements were established along the Jersey Shore. The first permanent town (Bergen) was built in 1660.
In 1664, an uninvited British fleet sailed into New York Harbor. After meeting very little organized resistance, the entire region was transformed into a territory of England's fast-spreading empire.
This new English colony was named New Jersey after the Isle of Jersey and eventually divided into two provinces. As different as day and night, East Jersey (controlled by the Puritans) and West Jersey (governed by the Quakers) were united as one in 1702.
In the mid-1700's, colonists began protesting high taxation and trade restrictions by England. Eventually those very restrictive rules were deemed unacceptable, and in 1776, New Jersey claimed its independence and formed its first state constitution.
While the thirteen colonies struggled for their freedom, British and American armies crossed New Jersey many times and several crucial battles took place here. Subsequently, New Jersey is historically referred to as "The Crossroads of the Revolution."
In fact, General George Washington (America's first President) and his Continental Army spent most of their time here, engaged in constant battles with the British during the Revolutionary War. Their famous crossing of the Delaware River and defeat of the British forces at Trenton was crucial to moral, and overall victory for the colonies.
At war's end, New Jersey was the third state to ratify the new U.S. Constitution, and the first state to sign the Bill of Rights. In 1790, Trenton was named the capital.
In the early 1800's New Jersey sprang into economic prominence as an industrial center. Manufacturing plants produced iron, steel and textiles, and
good-paying new jobs attracted European immigrants by the thousands.
The plight of black slaves in the southern states was a controversial issue, and that moral dilemma between north and south finally peaked. In 1861 America's Civil War began; slave-free New Jersey joined the Union cause and historical records indicate that nearly 26,000 of its men fought with the Union Army.
After that war ended, New Jersey (once again) asserted itself as an economic powerhouse. Large companies moved into the state and the flood of immigrants continued. In fact, in the early 1900's, fifty percent of its growing population was foreign-born.
Through World Wars I and II, (Great Depression aside) New Jersey was the epicenter of military production; battleships, destroyers and hundreds of other products were built here to support those US war efforts.
Spread across the Garden State today, historic homes, Civil War and Revolutionary War battlefields and monuments reinforce New Jersey history and the state's indispensable and integral role in America's struggle for independence. In summary, the state's motto, "Liberty and Prosperity" says it all.
New Jersey Today Today, the modern urban areas of the northeast are home to the vast percentage of its residents. There - directly across from New York City - industrial complexes, oil refineries, high-tech companies and manufacturing industries drive the economy of this progressive state. Recently service industries (most notably gambling ) and financial enterprises have been some of the fasting growing economy sectors.
Over its history New Jersey natives have created many noteworthy inventions, including Thomas Edison's light bulb; Samuel Morse and his telegraph, and John Holland's submarine, to name a few of the most notable.
The state is also known for it's Jersey Shore vacations; its lighthouses and almost endless string of white-sand beaches; the resort communities of Wildwood and Ocean City; and for the exciting boardwalk and gambling casinos of Atlantic City.
The East Coast state of New Jersey is often thought of as New York's 'bedroom' community. Cradled within a couple of the biggest metro regions in the East, many New York City commuters call northern Jersey home, while Philadelphia workers have made southern New Jersey their living space. This state is also located direct center of the Boston - Washington D.C. megalopolis.
Your New Jersey Vacation: Jersey Shore Beaches & Atlantic City Casinos
New Jersey geography combines gentle hills to the north, the Pine Barrens to the southwest (a less populated region of pine and oak forest), and 186 miles of white sandy beaches along the Jersey Shore. Cape May on the south shore is a popular New Jersey vacation spot, while Sandy Hook at the North of the state is a popular travel spot for Long Island and Westchester, New York visitors. The Jersey Shore offers camping, seaside cottage rentals, inexpensive motels, and lots of sun, sand, and surf to play in all day long. Wildwood New Jersey has its own boardwalk with 2 full water parks and five amazing roller coasters, just for starters.
Legalized gambling is a huge revenue generator for the state of New Jersey, with casinos confined to the Atlantic City area. With the exception of a few brand-new Philadelphia slot machine parlors, this is the only state that allows 'non Indian' casinos to flourish. Trump Taj Mahal, Harrah's Atlantic City, the Tropicana, and more offer every slot and table game conceivable, along with fantastic package deals, club member perks, and great deals on all-you-can-eat buffets. The town's historic Art Deco Doo Wop section is home to uniquely themed, pink and pastel motels that are worth a trip in themselves.
The whole New Jersey package makes a great place to both live and visit; it’s a springboard to work and play in the some of the biggest U.S. cities, while at the same time a wonderful place to enjoy the great outdoors of woodlands and the magnificent Atlantic shore.
  Contact Us | Privacy Statement Copyrighted by Graphic Maps All rights reserved! All maps, graphics, flags and original descriptions created by Graphic Maps, a d/b/a of the Woolwine-Moen Group, unless otherwise noted and/or directly linked to the source, and use of same for any application whatsoever (with the exception of outline maps) requires written permission.
We make no copyright claim on any statistical data on this page, nor on any non-original graphics, and/or pictures not produced by us. Certain statistical data is gathered from the CIA World Factbook, as well as numerous public domain reference materials.
Every effort is made to be as accurate as possible when disseminating information on any worldwide destination. We are not responsible for unintentional data entry errors or omissions. If you would like to submit an addition, change or correction, or suggest a new link, please forward it to our map department and we will give it our immediate attention.
|
|
PRINT THIS MAP
Attractions ATLANTIC CITY - here! WILDWOOD - here! Famous Natives NEW JERSEY FAMOUS NATIVES - here! Fast Facts NEW JERSEY FAST FACTS - here! Flag and Symbols NEW JERSEY FLAG AND SYMBOLS - here!  Landforms NEW JERSEY LANDFORMS - here! Land Statistics NEW JERSEY LAND STATISTICS - here! Latitude and Longitude NEW JERSEY LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE - here! Links NEW JERSEY LINKS - here! Maps NEW JERSEY MAPS - (a large selection) here! Time TIME IN NEW JERSEY - here! Timeline of History NEW JERSEY TIMELINE - here!  Travel Information NEW JERSEY TRAVEL - here! Weather NEW JERSEY WEATHER - here!  
|
|
|
