A territory takes its most important step toward civilization when it anchors itself to a free, democratic nation. Following the lead of Delaware and Pennsylvania, New Jersey earned the honored status of statehood in 1787, when, as one of the original thirteen colonies, it ratified the new U.S. Constitution.
The New Jersey Plan helped lead Constitutional Convention delegates to establish one legislative body, the Senate, in which each state has equal representation.
From industry to recreation, New Jersey represents an expansive diversity through its economy, its geography, and climate. It boasts of highly-developed manufacturing activity, agricultural specialties, and beachside resorts.
The 'Garden State' has produced an enviable list of pacesetters among its citizens. Novelist James Fennimore Cooper, poet Walt Whitman, inventor Thomas Edison, physicist Albert Einstein, and President Woodrow Wilson were all New Jersey residents.
The Postal Service honored New Jersey with the issue of this commemorative stamp on the 200th anniversary of its statehood. Jim Lamb of Issaquah, Washington, designed the stamp.
