Everything's Legal in New Jersey By The Northern Rose.

"Everything's legal in New Jersey," these are wise words declared by Lin Manuel Miranda in his Broadway sensation Hamilton. Each evening this line gets an explosion of laughter from the audience while New Yonkers udder the phrase "true dat?" Okay, maybe they don't exactly say that, but we all know disdain for New Jersey is the New York state of mind.

It is rumored that the 'rivalry' began in the colonial era. Once upon a time, New Jersey was split into East and West Jersey. New York, wanting to expand ever larger, wanted to absorb East Jersey into New York. Of course, this never happened but people on both sides of the argument got upset. Looking back though, I am sure that most New Yorkers would say that they are happy to never have had any part of Jersey as part of their state (a New Yorker within my house agrees).

New Jersey has not always been loved or hated. During the American Revolution they declared independence from Great Britain while assuring neutrals that their declaration would become void if they reconciled with Great Britain (I am sure this did not help Jersey's reputation). During the 19th century, Jersey would also be the last northern state to abolish slavery.

When we talk about New Jersey, there is one thing that people today really want to know about. Why do they say that everything is legal in New Jersey? Well, the idea behind the phrase is simple. DUELS! In the early days of the United States disgruntled peoples often met on the shores of New Jersey to duel with each other (duels were not legal in New York). On the morning of July 11, 1804, Alexander Hamilton (the former Secretary of the Treasury) met Arron Burr (the current Vice President of the United States) in Weehawken, New Jersey to duel. The duel would result in the death of Alexander Hamilton, a death teenage girls still cry over today.
Thusly, it is safe to say that everything IS legal in the state of New Jersey.


By The Northern Rose