Who settled in the area of New Jersey?

The first European settlers in the New Jersey area were Dutch explorers in the early 17th century. They established trading posts and small settlements along the Hudson and Raritan rivers. In 1664, the English took control of the area and renamed it New Jersey after the Isle of Jersey in the English Channel. The English encouraged settlement by offering religious freedom and economic opportunities, and by the end of the 17th century, there were several thriving towns in the region, including Elizabeth, Newark, and Perth Amboy.