People from New Jersey are used to defending their state.
But, in fact, New Jersey has a history to brag about. Thomas Edison invented the light bulb, the phonograph and the movie camera there. Many decades later, Bell Labs invented the transistor in the state.
Geography favored New Jersey. On one end, it borders New York City, and on the other end is Philadelphia. That means easy access to Wall Street financing, transportation and industry headquarters.
Image: Inventor Thomas Edison stands in his chemistry lab in West Orange, N.J., in 1904. Thomas Edison National Historical Park/National Park Service
