Final answer:
The reason for the shorter life expectancy in the southern colonies compared to New England was due to disease prevalence, agricultural practices, and economic factors, but not due to harsh climate, which was not as detrimental as other factors.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reason life expectancy was shorter in the southern colonies than in the New England colonies for several reasons, except harsh climate. The southern colonies faced challenges that directly impacted life expectancy such as disease prevalence, especially due to illnesses like malaria and yellow fever brought from Africa. The agricultural practices involving rigorous labor in tobacco and sugar plantations, and brutal conditions under slavery also contributed to a lower life expectancy. Furthermore, economic factors influenced health and mortality rates, as the economic value of slavery and the crops grown promoted exploitation rather than sustainability of the labor force, leading to higher death rates.
However, harsh climate was not a substantial factor in the lower life expectancy in the southern colonies compared to the New England colonies, as the warmer climate of the South was not directly detrimental to health in the same way the other factors were.