The New Jersey colony was founded in 1664 by Sir George Carteret. This colony was founded because of Religious freedom. New Jersey was named for Jersey, the largest of the British Channel Islands, which is where Sir George was born at. Sir George Carteret was born in 1610, so he was 54 when he founded New Jersey.

The geography had mountains in the northeast, Atlantic coastal plain. New Jersey had a mild climate, with warm summers and mild winters. This meant the land was suitable for farming, even in the winter.

The colony didn't have a dominate religion, some of their religion was Quakers, Catholics, Lutherans, and Jews. It was important that the colony had religious freedom. The most common religion in New Jersey was the Quakers.

The New Jersey Colony was often known as a breadbasket colony because it grew many crops, especially wheat. The wheat was grounded into flour in the flour mill, then shipped to England. Jobs there were, shipbuilders, fishermen, dockworkers, sailors, and merchants.