History of Newark, NJ

Newark was founded in 1666 by the Connecticut Coptic leaders led by Robert Treat of the New Haven Colony to avoid losing political power to non-church members after the merger of the Connecticut and New Haven colonies. It was the third settlement in New Jersey, behind Bergen, New Netherland (later demolished into Hudson County, and relocated to Jersey City) and Elizabethtown (modern-day Elizabeth).

They wanted to establish a colony with strict church rules similar to those they had established in Milford, Connecticut. The Treaty sought to name the community "Milford." Another resident, Abraham Pierson, had previously been a preacher in New England-on-Trent, England, and used the name;  He was also quoted as saying that the community that shows the new task at hand should be called "New Ark" "The New Ark of the Covenant." The name is abbreviated to Newark. References to the term "New Ark" are found in archives written by historians such as James McHenry of 1787.

Managers and the group bought goods on the Passaic River in the Hackensack Indians in exchange for guns, 100 lead bars, 20 axes, 20 coats, guns, pistols, swords, chains, blankets, knives, beer and ten pairs of trousers.

Although many efforts to revitalize the city have focused on the city center, the surrounding areas in recent years have begun to see some signs of development, particularly in the Central Ward. Since 2000, Newark has gained a population, the first of which has increased since the 1940's. However, the "Renaissance" has sounded unequal across the city and some regions continue to have lower income levels and higher levels of poverty.

By the middle of the first decade of the 21st century, crime rates had dropped by 58% from historically high levels associated with serious drug problems in the mid-1990's, although homicides remained high in a city of its size. in the first two months of 2008, the homicide rate dropped dramatically, with no killings recorded for 43 days.