Final answer:
The northern colonies highly valued education, driven by Puritan beliefs, and industry, as idleness was considered detrimental. They also focused on self-sufficiency in farming, while engaging in whaling, fishing, and shipbuilding to support their economy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The northern colonies, particularly those in New England, valued education and industry above all. The influence of the Puritans in these colonies cannot be understated as they believed that a working knowledge of Scripture was essential for church membership, which in turn made education an important aspect of life.
Furthermore, industry was important because idleness was seen as a sign of the devil at work. Unlike their counterparts in the South, the responsibility of education in New England was seen as the province of the state, leading to a different societal structure and approach to daily life.
Massachusetts Bay, for instance, grew large and prosperous throughout the seventeenth century, and in 1691 it became a royal colony, absorbing the territories of Maine and Plymouth. New Hampshire also became a royal colony, indicative of the growing autonomy and significance of these northern territories.
In addition to educational and industrial pursuits, the northern colonies also saw a focus on self-sufficiency in farming due to the rocky soil and long winters, but they capitalized on opportunities for whaling, fishing, and shipbuilding.