Why Was New Jersey Settled? Religious Freedom as the Primary Driver

Religious freedom was the principal reason for European settlement in New Jersey.

Historical Context

• 1664: English seize New Netherland from the Dutch; grant proprietorship to Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret.
• 1665 – Concession and Agreement: Proprietors issue a landmark document guaranteeing full religious liberty to all settlers—unprecedented in British North America.
• 1676–1702: Divided into East Jersey (Carteret, Quaker influence) and West Jersey (Berkeley/Penn, Quaker-dominated). Both actively recruit persecuted groups.

Groups Attracted

• Quakers (Society of Friends): Fleeing persecution in England, Massachusetts, Long Island. Founded Burlington, Salem, Haddonfield.
• Baptists: Seeking freedom from Anglican establishment.
• Presbyterians: Scottish/Irish migrants escaping Penal Laws.
• Huguenots: French Protestants after 1685 Edict of Fontainebleau.
• Jews: Early Sephardic settlers (1650s+) found rare tolerance.

Contrast with Neighbors

Legacy

New Jersey became a laboratory of pluralism. Its 1776 state constitution retained religious freedom. Today, it remains one of America's most religiously diverse states—a direct consequence of its founding principle.