NJ250
Living Documents, Evolving Rights
1776 – 2026
In 2026, the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, an inflection point that reshaped both the nation and its colonies.
In the name of Independence, New Jersey ratified a state constitution on July 2, 1776. This document would help serve as a guidepost for the United States Constitution over a decade later.
This online exhibition explores our state’s constitutions and traces their changes over time. Each constitution reflects how New Jersey balanced local needs with national ideals and how ideas of freedom, rights, and representation evolved.
“A constitution is the property of a nation, and not of those who exercise the government. All the constitutions of America are declared to be established on the authority of the people.”
–Thomas Paine, Of Constitutions, Part 1, The Rights of Man
Constitutions are frameworks for citizens’ rights and duties to one another. At its core, a constitution serves as the bedrock upon which all laws are built. They are the foundation that allows a society to function and endure. A constitution grants power to lawmakers, to elected leaders who enforce the law’s intent, and to courts who interpret the law. For 250 years, this intricate system of shared power has proved itself resilient at every level of New Jersey government.
From 1776 to the present, the people of New Jersey have questioned whether the constitution under which they lived met their needs. When the people of New Jersey believed that their constitution was not aligned with their values and aspirations, they decided to re-write their foundational document. New Jersey has had three constitutions: our first from 1776, our second from 1844, and our present constitution, from 1947.
To honor 250 years of this state’s journey, the New Jersey State Library and New Jersey State Archives are examining the three distinct constitutional eras that shape our state’s identity.
Our collection of digital exhibits invites you to discover several chapters of New Jersey’s extraordinary story. We hope you will gain a deeper appreciation for how our state’s constitutions have evolved and why those changes matter. We encourage you to explore our rich collections that preserve this state’s remarkable history.
Rights of the Individual
Even before there was a Bill of Rights, state constitutions have made determinations about what rights exist for its citizenry. During each New Jersey constitutional era, lawmakers have attempted to codify our rights into law. But, ultimately, New Jersey Courts had the authority to interpret and determine individual rights. From slavery, to discrimination, to property, privacy, and education, our state courts have repeatedly defined, redefined, and defended our individual rights.
You can explore how our individual rights have evolved over time through our new NJ250 digital exhibit. Look for the gavel icon or “Rights of the Individual” on our 1776, 1844, and 1947 Constitutional era pages to trace this important aspect of our legal history.
Begin your journey, below, into New Jersey state history
Additional reading to explore New Jersey’s constitutional history:
Print Resources from the NJSL Catalog
- The grants, concessions, and original constitutions of the province of New Jersey : The acts passed during the proprietary governments, and other material transactions before the surrender thereof to Queen Anne… (1881) – find this in the library’s print collection J974.9 L436
- Constitutions of the United States and New Jersey with questions : adapted to each and other miscellaneous questions, designed for the use of schools and academies in New Jersey (1831) – find this in the library’s print collection J342 C7583
- New Jersey’s three constitutions, 1776, 1844, 1947 : January 27-June 30, 1998, Gallery ’50, Special Collections and University Archives, Archibald Stevens Alexander Library, Rutgers–the State University of New Jersey. (1997) – find this in the library’s print collection J342 L967
- New Jersey’s state constitutions: from ridicule to respect (1997) – find this in the library’s print collection J341 W726
- Speeches on the constitution of New Jersey (1943) – find this in the library’s print collection J342 E23
- What the proposed new state constitution means to you : a report to the people of New Jersey by their elected delegates to the Constitutional Convention. (1947) – find this in the library’s print collection 974.90 C758, 1947h
Digital Resources
- View our New Jersey State Publications Digital Library Constitutions Collections
- Fundamental Laws and Constitutions of New Jersey 1664-1964.
- The New Jersey proprietors and their lands, 1664-1776
- Constitutional Convention of 1947: Proceedings and Reports
- Biographies of delegates (1947)
In Partnership
An Online Exhibition from the NJ State Library, in partnership with the New Jersey State Archives.
