Colonial Development

The region between the Hudson and Delaware rivers was granted to Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret by the Duke of York in June, 1664, and was named New Jersey. The proprietors founded Elizabethtown (now Elizabeth) as the capital and guaranteed settlers freedom of conscience, freedom of trade, and representation in an assembly. Many colonists from New England and Long Maud moved to the new province.

The western half of the province was sold in 1674 to English Quakers, and in 1676 the province was officially divided into East Jersey and West Jersey. Burlington became the capital of West Jersey. The Concessions and Agreement drawn up for West Jersey by William Penn provided for the most democratic form of any colonial government. In 1682 a Quaker group bought East Jersey, and in 1686 Perth Amboy was made the capital.

The early years of settlement were a time of controversy and disorder. There was confusion over land titles, with the many changes of proprietors; friction among the settlers, who included Puritans, Quakers, Dutch from New York, Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, and Baptists; and conflict with New York, which for a time claimed political jurisdiction. Finally, in 1702 the proprietors of East and West Jersey surrendered their charters to the king and the province was reunited as a crown colony. The two capital cities alternated as the seat of government.

New Jersey became an important industrial region very early and was noted for iron, pottery, and glass throughout its early history. It had its first ironworks, at Shrewsbury, in 1676; its first pottery factory, at Burlington, in 1688; and its first glass factory, near Salem, in 1740. Iron forges and furnaces began to appear all over the northern part of New Jersey in the 18th century.