New Jersey
In 1664, the Duke subdivided the grant. The land between Hudson and Delaware rivers was given to two friends named Sir George Carteret and Lord Berkeley. It was divided into East and West Jersey which are still present today.
Geographic Features
Like all of the other members of the Middle Colonies, New Jersey had the Susquehanna, Delaware, and Hudson Rivers within a close proximity. (9) These rivers enabled transportation among the colonies. Due to the excess of rivers, there was an abundance of fertile soil. This facilitated a longer growing season for crops such as rye or barkley. There was an ideal amount of sunshine and rain for crops. Also, because of the rivers, it permitted wildlife to live in forests scattered around the colony. This helped the colonists gain meat by hunting the wildlife living in the area. The area had an optimal climate throughout the years that accredited the amount of work done by the colonists.
Social/Religious Features
The sense of religious freedom attracted many settlers to come to the New Jersey Colony. There was a bold amount of ethnic diversity including Dutch, French Protestants (Huguenots), English, Scots, Irish, etc. This sense of ethnic diversity enabled a sense of religious diversity including Quakers, Baptists, Anglicans, and Calvinists. A term called the "Melting Pot" emerged because settlers from Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, France & Scotland started arriving in the Restoration Colonies such as the New Jersey Colony. (8) The colonies were always culturally and religiously tolerant.
Political Features
The New Jersey Colony was less aristocratic, or courtly, as the New England Colonies. It was much more contemporary and newfangled due to the colonist's ambitious ideas to strengthen the government and the colony. The church and state were separated and many of the people who participated in government activities were land owning males. Lastly, a representative assembly was established. A representative assembly is a political institution in which a number of persons representing the population or privileged orders within the population of a state come together to debate, negotiate with the executive (originally the king or other ruler) and legislate. (10)
Economic Features
The New Jersey Colony had a very mixed economy. It was split between agriculture and industry. The Middle Colonies were known as the "Bread Colonies" due to major exportation of grains such as wheat rye, oats, or barkley. (9) On the industry side, shipbuilding and lumbering were big aspects of the economy for shipping and commerce. Lastly, trade was a big part of the economy for the New Jersey Colony.