Final answer:
The Middle Colonies, which included New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, had the most diverse population due to various factors, including settlement patterns under Dutch rule, diverse immigration, and rapid economic development.
Step-by-step explanation:
The region that had the most diverse population among the New England, Middle, or Southern regions was the Middle Colonies. These included New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. The diversity in the Middle Colonies stemmed from various factors such as the patterns of settlement under Dutch rule, the patterns of immigration after the English took control, and the economic development in the region. According to historian Jack P. Greene, this diversity led to a pragmatic, accommodative, and tolerant approach among the colonists.
During the late seventeenth century and into the eighteenth century, the Middle Colonies experienced high levels of ethnic and religious diversity as they outpaced their northern and southern neighbors in population and economic growth. Not only did they have immigrants from continental Europe, including Germany, Scandinavia, and Holland, but they also had significant numbers of settlers of African ancestry contributing to the development of their culture.