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"Being situated between New York and Philadelphia, New Jersey had the advantage of an especially favorable location. Not only the link between these two important centers, but the main tie between North and South. For this reason the Jersey colonists, in particular those living on the main stagecoach routes, must have been in closer touch with general colonial activities than any other single colony. Another unique feature was the cosmopolitan character of the populous. East Jersey formed part of the Hudson Valley Dutch settlement, whereas West Jersey was developed partly by the English and to some extent by the Swedes. Though all Jersey became English territory in 1663, the minor factions continued to assert themselves, at least locally. From 1713 to the close of the French and Indian War in 1763 most of the immigration was German and Scotch-Irish, so that by the time of the Revolution the population was more mixed than that of any other colony. This mingling of traditions and frequent contact with the outside world would naturally tend to prevent the forming of peculiarly localized customs. The Dutch of East Jersey lost their individuality much sooner than their compatriots isolated in the region around Albany, New York." |
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