NJ History

• First inhabitants (population between 8-12K), most were Lenni Lenape (aka Delawares)

  • Many were killed or displaced by European settlers. decimated by introduction of European diseases.

  • Population → 2400-3000 by 1763 → >200 by 1800.

• 1660: Dutch, follow by swedes, first to claim NJ

• 1664 - Led by Duke of York, English military took over Amsterdam and renamed it NY

  • after dutch surrendered, duke of york granted the area between the hudson and Delaware to NJ

• 1703 - NJ became royal province, shared same governor as NY, Lord Cornbury who was described as a “transvsetite”.

• 1738 - NJ gets first separate own royal governor: Lewis Morris.

• 1760s - Rural economy, 100K people (mostly middle class)

• 1870- important center of manufacturing

• 1766 - Rutgers was founded as a men’s only college

• 1776-80: revolutionary wars fought in NJ

• NJ constitution of 1776 - some women and black residents could vote till 1807 where they were like nah just free white men

• First state governor elected: William Livingston

• Transporation developments after 1800

  • roads

  • steamboats

  • clipper ships

  • canals (canal mania)

  • turnpikes (toll roads)

  • railroads

• Coal transported on Canal Barges from Pennsylvania mines (fueling industrialization)

• Jacksonian Era reforms (1829-54)

  • reformers worked on remodelling society and institutions

  • Prisons - system of individual cells

  • mental asylums to cure sick

• 1871 - free elementary education (we were behind other northern states)

• 1804 - last northern state to pass law for abolition - gradual abolition

• 1865 - 13th amendment

• Wealth inequality, growth of trusts - influenced political elections

  • same with insurance companies, utilities, railroads

• Labor strikes

  • Largely immigrant workers - Irish, german, polish, italians, russians

    • long hours, little pay, dangerous working conditions

    • Patterson alone had 137 strikes between 1881-1900

• Progressivism under NJ Gov Woodrow Wilson

  • pushed for reform: direct primaries, regulate campaign contributions, public utilities commission to regulate industry, established workments compensation

RUTGERS HISTORY

Professor talks about Nina Simone’s Mississippi goddam in regards to calling out slavery - why do we not care about this issue we’re aware of.

Scarlet and Black

New Jeresy - The Last Northern State to End Slavery

During the Civil War, NJ was considered the most traitorous state in the north:

• NJs businesses, particularly in Newark and Bergen County had economic ties with the south

• Legislators refused to condemn slavery

• Increasing use of money by wealthy businessmen to gain power and influence in politics

• 1860 presidential election - NJ is only northern state that doesn’t give all its electoral votes to lincoln.

1804 - NJ gradual abolition of slavery law:

• Born after 4th of July in 1804? Freed after 21 for women and 25 for men. Everyone else remained one unless they died, freed, or ran away.

1863: Emancipation Proclamation

• Only freed slaves within the confederacy.

• Did not apply to border states loyal to the union

• NJ democrats criticized emancipation proclamation for unlawfully seizing property

1865: 13 amendment is passed:

• NJ refused to ratify, so did Mississippi, Delaware, Kentucky
  

1866: Marcus Ward signed a constitutional amendment to end slavery in NJ

NJ is the last state to end slavery in the North. 1995 Mississippi ratified the 13th amendment.