New Jersey Fun Facts

New Jersey Fun Fact #1: What's on the NJ flag?

Not sure? Don't feel bad, not too many people actually know the answer! Go ahead and take a look; and while you're looking, see if you can find:

Part of the state seal is in the center. It has a blue shield with three plows in it and on the sides of the shield are the goddesses of Liberty and Agriculture. Above this is the head armor of a knight, a horse's head, and blue filigrees. Below you'll find the words "LIBERTY AND PROSPERITY" and the date "1776."

New Jersey Fun Fact #2: New Jersey...by the numbers!

• 3rd State in the union
• Admitted - 12/18/1787
• 8,722 square miles
• 8.5 million residents
• High Point- 1,803 feet
• 9th most populated state
• 47th biggest state
• 21 counties
• 556 towns/cities
• 2 US Senators
• 13 US Representatives
• 40 State Senators
• 80 Members General Assembly
• 314 Public Libraries
• 1,866 Public Elementary Schools
• 20 Four-year Colleges
• 21 Two-year Colleges
• 2 Engineering Colleges
• 1 Medical College
• 2 Dental Colleges
• 127 miles Atlantic Ocean Coast
• 800+ lakes and ponds
• 100+ rivers and creeks
• 36 State Parks
• 11 State Forests
• 24 Historic Sites
• 42 Natural Areas
• 34,268 miles of roads/highways
• 100+ Revolution Battles
• Area Codes: 201, 551, 609, 732, 848, 856, 862, 908, 973

New Jersey Fun Fact #3: First Things First

• The first organized baseball game was played in Hoboken in 1846.
• The first boardwalk in the world was built in 1870 at Atlantic City.
• The first copper mine in America was opened by enterprising Dutch settlers in the Kittatinny Mountains, circa 1640.
• N.J.'s oldest fire company under the same name, Endeavor, in The City of Burlington.
• The first recorded settlement in New Jersey, Burlington Island.
• The first drive-in movie theater was built on a 10-acre plot in Camden County in 1933.
• The first ferry service in the U.S. operated between Hoboken and Manhattan in 1811.
• The first seashore resorts opened in Cape May and Long Branch in the early 1800s.
• The first Miss America was chosen in Atlantic City in 1921.
• The first movie was developed by Thomas A. Edison in West Orange in 1889.
• The first phonograph was made by Thomas A. Edison in Menlo Park in 1877.
• The first balloon flight in America was made by Jean-Pierre Blanchard. On January 9,1793, he landed a balloon at Deptford carrying a letter from George Washington.
• The first professional basketball game was played in Trenton in 1896.
• The first incandescent lamp (light bulb) was made by Thomas A. Edison in Menlo Park in 1879.
• The first submarine was built in 1878 by John Holland of Passaic County. The submarine is now in a public museum in Paterson.
• The first condensed soup in America was cooked and canned in Camden County in 1897.
• The first robot to replace a human worker was used by General Motors in Ewing Township in 1961.
• The first saltwater taffy was produced at the Jersey shore in the 1870s.
• The first solid body electric guitar was invented by Les Paul of Mahwah in 1940.
• The first national historic park in America was established in 1933 in Morristown.
• The first cultivated blueberries were marketed by Elizabeth White of Whitesbog in 1916.
• The first steam locomotive to actually pull a train on a track was built by John Stevens of Hoboken in 1824.
• The first town to be lighted by electricity was Roselle in 1883.
• The first radio broadcast of the World Series was transmitted live on radio station WIZ in Newark in 1921.
• The first intercollegiate football game was played by Rutgers and Princeton in New Brunswick on November 6, 1869. Rutgers won 6 to 4.
• The first airplane passenger flight flew from New York to Atlantic City on May 3, 1919.

New Jersey Fun Fact #4: Who's running the show?

If you're not sure how the whole government works, join the club! Most grown-ups have no idea either! Let's start small and work our way up!

New Jersey has 566 municipalities. That's right, five hundred sixty-six towns and cities. Some are as small as 1 square mile, some as big as 100 square miles! If you're wondering if that's a lot for one of the smallest states in the country, check out these nearby states:

• New Jersey - 566 cities and towns
• Pennsylvania - 2,566 cities and towns
• Delaware - 57 cities and towns
• Rhode Island - 39 cities and towns
• Connecticut - 169 cities and towns
• Massachusetts - 351 cities and towns
• Vermont - 251 cities and towns
• New Hampshire - 234 cities and towns

So we have 566 cities and towns that each have their own government. Some share resources, but for the most part, they are all independent governments, with their own Mayors, Town or City Councils, etc. They make the decisions that affect your town, such as taxes, local laws and ordinances, law enforcement, safety, health, etc.

Now, each of these towns or cities is located in one of New Jersey's 21 counties. In case you want to stump your parents and show off a little, memorize these. And don't feel bad, if you lived in Texas your list would be a little longer...they have 254!

Atlantic Bergen Burlington Camden Cape May Cumberland Essex Gloucester Hudson Hunterdon
Mercer Middlesex Monmouth Morris Ocean Passaic Salem Somerset Sussex Union Warren

Counties are responsible for different issues than cities and towns and they need to work together to keep things running smoothly. Each county has a Community College which is the place many New Jerseyans begin their college career.

State Government - Executive Branch

After counties, we have our state government, which consists of the Governor, the Legislature, and the Courts. The chief of the executive branch is the governor. The governor's office is located in the State House in Trenton. The governor signs bills into law or vetoes them. He or she can also recommend laws and call the legislature into special session. The governor has the power to grant pardons and is the only person with the authority to call in the National Guard.

The governor's official residence is a mansion called Drumthwacket, which is located in Princeton. The governor may use the mansion for meetings, ceremonies, and other sorts of business.

Throughout a typical day for the governor, he or she meets with citizens, legislators, and members of his or her staff. The governor often starts the day with a breakfast at Drumthwacket with a group of New Jerseyans such as veterans, teachers, or volunteers. During the day, the governor usually holds a public event, such as a bill signing or a speech.

The governor may serve any number of terms, but he or she cannot serve more than two terms in a row. To become governor, a person must be

• at least 30 years old,
• a U.S. citizen for at least 20 years, and
• a New Jersey resident for seven years prior to the election.

State Government - Legislative Branch

The Senate and General Assembly make up the legislative branch. The Senate has 40 members, and the General Assembly has 80 members. One senator and two assembly members are elected from each of the 40 districts of New Jersey. The Senate and Assembly chambers are located in the State House in Trenton.

The Legislature's main job is to enact laws. The Legislature can also propose amendments to the New Jersey Constitution.

The Senate and General Assembly meet for about 40 sessions a year. Sessions are held on Mondays and Thursdays. During the rest of the week, the legislators often hold committee meetings or public hearings. Since the legislature does not meet year-round, legislative work is a part-time job. Most legislators have another job as well.

The leader of the Senate is the Senate President. The Speaker of the General Assembly heads the General Assembly.

The President and the Speaker schedule meetings and determine which bills will be considered within their respective houses. They also lead the legislative sessions.

A legislator may start his or her day with a morning committee meeting. Around lunchtime, he or she might meet with other members of his or her political party. On a Monday or Thursday afternoon, floor sessions are held where debates and votes on bills are held in public.

While both houses work on making and passing laws, the Senate and Assembly have individual powers, too. The Senate approves the people that the governor appoints to official positions. The Assembly is the only group that can bring impeachment charges. Impeachment is a charge of misconduct against an official. But the Senate is the court of impeachment in New Jersey, where the charges are tried. Any bills requiring revenue to be raised start out in the Assembly. But, by custom, the Senate handles the state budget.

A legislator must live in the district he or she represents. Senators have to be at least 30 and have to live in New Jersey for at least four years before they are elected. Members of the Assembly must be at least 21 and state residents for two years.

State Government - Judicial Branch

The judicial branch decides how state laws should be applied. The governor appoints judges to the Supreme and Superior courts with the Senate's approval. The judges serve seven-year terms, but after they have been re-appointed once, they can serve until they are 70.

The highest court in the judiciary branch is the state Supreme Court. This court hears cases involving constitutional problems and other major matters. The Supreme Court consists of a chief justice and six associate justices.

The chief justice investigates complaints against the courts, supervises the clerks and court workers, and oversees the court finances.