History of the New Jersey Colony
In the 16th and 17th centuries, Europe was looking to claim colonies in the America's. John Cabot was the first European settler recorded seeing the New Jersey shore. Like Christopher Columbus he was looking for a quicker trade route to Asia. In 1524 Giovanni da Verrazano was the next European to sail the East Coast of America. Then in 1607 Henry Hudson a Dutch explorer sailed to find a Northeast Passage. The Lenni Lepane who lived on the Delaware River, the lower reaches of the Hudson River, and the coastal Plain of New Jersey. Based on Henry Hudson's voyage in 1609 the Dutch claimed a big part of the Hudson River area.