New Jersey is the 11th most populated state in the United States, while being the single
most densely populated overall.
The state was the 3rd state to join the Union on December 18th, 1787, 6 days after Pennsylvania
ratified the Constitution and became a state.
New Jersey is ranked 47th in total area, while having a large population of 9 million.
Virginia is directly behind New Jersey population wise with a population of 8.5 million, while
Michigan is larger than New Jersey with a population of 9.9 million.
The state borders New York in the North, Delaware in the Southwest, and Pennsylvania in the
West.
It’s location places it in the Eastern timezone.
High point in Montague, New Jersey, is the highest point in the state at 1,803 feet above
sea level.
The lowest point in the state is at the Atlantic Ocean at sea level.
The largest city in New Jersey, Newark, has a population of 280,000 and is located in
the Northeastern region of the state.
This city is located near the New Jersey - New York border and is very close to New York
City.
Newark is part of the New York City metropolitan area which spans New York, Connecticut, and
New Jersey.
Jersey City, located across Newark Bay from the city of Newark, is the second largest
city in New Jersey with a population of 260,000 and is also part of the New York City metropolitan
area.
Jersey City contains the majority of Ellis Island, the famous island where millions of
European immigrants entered the U.S.
The capital of the state is Trenton, located on the New Jersey - Pennsylvania border.
This means the city directly borders the Philadelphia metropolitan area.
Trenton has a population of 85,000 and is the county seat of Mercer County.
Mercer County is one of the 21 counties in the state of New Jersey.
Bergen County is the largest of these population wise with 940,000 residents.
The county is located Northwest of New York City.
The second largest county, Middlesex County, has a population of 830,000 and is located
South of New York City.
New Jersey’s flag has a background of a yellowish-tan with the state coat of arms
in the center.
The three plows on the shield represent New Jersey’s agricultural importance.
The helmet above the shield symbolizes New Jersey’s independence.
The horse above is the state animal of New Jersey.
The women on either side of the shield are the Roman goddesses Liberty and Ceres, goddesses
of grain.
Liberty holds a Phrygian cap on her staff, a symbol of freedom and the pursuit of liberty.
Ceres holds a cornucopia filled with produce.
The state motto, “Liberty and Prosperity” appears on the bottom of the flag, along with
the year New Jersey joined the Union, 1776.
Around 1524, Giovanni da Verrazano was the first European to explore New Jersey, sailing
off the coast of the state.
The Dutch, Swedish, and Finnish were the first European settlers in New Jersey.
Bergen, founded in 1660, was the first Permanent European settlement in the state.
In 1664, the Dutch lost control of New Jersey and the British took over.
Following the Revolutionary War, anti-British feelings were common in New Jersey.
In 1776, New Jersey declared itself independent and joined the American side of the Revolution.
Many important battles in the Revolutionary War occurred in New Jersey.
An especially important battle took place on December 26th, 1776 in Trenton, New Jersey,
ending in a victory for the Americans.
In 1787, New Jersey became the 3rd state to ratify the Constitution and join the Union.
In 1790, Trenton became the capital of the state.
New Jersey became a home of industry, producing textile, trains, silk, clay, iron, and steel.
New Jersey remained rural for the most part, with industry sprouting up in cities.
During the Civil War, over 25,000 men from New Jersey fought for the Union.
The state continued to grow after the Civil War, with many cities becoming overcrowded
with European immigrants.
Thomas Edison invented the light bulb in his research laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey
in 1879.
Woodrow Wilson became the governor of New Jersey in 1910, and left office in 1913 to
become the President of the United States.
Wilson is the only New Jersey governor to become President to this day, and was in office
through World War I.
So that’s a brief tour of New Jersey.
The state has a deep history in both the Revolutionary and Civil War as well as industry in the 18
and 19 hundreds.
And as always, thanks for watching.