Final answer:
Colonists adapted their economies to local environments with New England focusing on whaling and shipbuilding, the middle colonies on grain cultivation and iron manufacturing, and the southern colonies on tobacco, naval stores, and crops suited to warmer climates.
Step-by-step explanation:
Examples that show colonists adapted their local economy to the environment in which they lived are numerous and varied across the different regions. In the New England colonies, the adaptation was evident in the development of whaling, fishing, and shipbuilding industries, countering the harsh winters and rocky soils unfavorable for extensive farming. The middle colonies capitalized on their fertile land to grow grains and raise livestock, at the same time becoming leaders in iron manufacturing.
Furthermore, in the Chesapeake colonies, tobacco remained a staple, but diversification towards other crops and materials such as wheat, corn, and hemp provided economic resilience. Meanwhile, the southern colonies leveraged their natural resources for producing naval stores like tar, pitch, and timber from North Carolina's forests and exporting rice, indigo, and salt pork from South Carolina and Georgia due to the shorter winters. These adaptations are a testament to the colonies' integration into the mercantilist system, fulfilling their role in the empire by providing raw materials for industrial growth while also developing regional economic specializations.