Founders
Lord John Berkeley(left) and Sir George Carteret(right) were the founders of New Jersey. They both accepted the southern part of the Duke of York's colony. Berkeley and Carteret were looking forward to making a profit off of New Jersey, offering settlers who came large tracts of land, generous terms, religious freedom, trial by jury, and a representative assembly. New Jersey became a very diverse place, but Berkeley and Carteret sold their shares of land to the King, Berkeley sold West Jersey in 1674, and Carteret sold East Jersey in 1682.
Religion
New Jersey's religious views were mainly made up of the Quakers(left), Christians(middle left), Puritans(middle right), and the Presbyterians(right). Although these were the main religions, New Jersey had a big diversity in everyone's views. Quakers, or, "The Religious Society of Friends", believed that anyone could communicate with God, at any time, that they could have a direct relationship with him. The Puritans believed that God had formed a unique covenant, or agreement, with them. They believed that God expected them to live according to the Scriptures, to reform the Anglican Church, and to set a good example that would cause those who had remained in England to change their sinful ways.Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures, and the necessity of grace through faith in Christ
Geography
The colony of New Jersey was bordered by the Hudson and Delaware River. It has the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Appalachian Mountains to the west.The New Jersey colony had a mild climate with warm summers and mild winters. New Jersey, along with the other Middle Colonies of New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware, had less severe winters than the New England colonies and cooler summers than the Southern colonies. The climate, combined with fertile soil and the general geography, made New Jersey ideal for farming. Although it is set up by a river, it has no natural ports, so ships didn't pass through often.
Economy
New Jersey's economy and culture were similar to the other mid-Atlantic and New England colonies. People found jobs in colonial towns as tradesmen and merchants, and on the sea as fishermen and sailors, but the majority of people made their living on farms. The primary crops were corn, apples, wheat, barley, oats and rye were grown successfully in New Jersey. Farmers also raised livestock, especially cattle and hogs. The summers were long and the soil was fertile, making farming ideal.