browser.js

jQuery.get('/people.json', function(people) { 
  people.forEach(function(person) { 
    $('<li>' + person.name + '</li>').appendTo('ul') 
  }) 
});

people_controller.rb

class PeopleController < ApplicationController
  respond_to :html, :json

  def index
    @people = Person.all
    respond_with @people
  end
end

view.html

<ul class="people">
</ul>