Elizabeth, the first capital of New Jersey, took its name from the founder of the English colony's wife, Elizabeth Carteret. The birthplace of several Founding Fathers, Elizabeth would use such prestige to position itself in the booming business eras of the 19th and 20th centuries. Its strategic location along the Hudson River and on the route to New York made it a hot spot of activity during the American War of Independence and the War of 1812. These same traits gave rise to Elizabeth as a center of commerce in New Jersey during the past two centuries. Today, Elizabeth stands as a multicultural metropolis, home to over 100,000 people.