Final answer:
The New England colonies had a diverse economy with significant trade and manufacturing sectors, while the Southern Colonies focused on agricultural production using intensive slave labor. New England's harsher climate led to pursuits like shipbuilding and fishing, whereas the South's milder climate supported large-scale plantation agriculture.
Step-by-step explanation:
The economies of the New England and Southern Colonies differed significantly due to factors like climate, geography, and resources. In New England, rocky soil and long winters made farming difficult, so the economy was diverse, including whaling, fishing, and shipbuilding. Slaves in New England were also utilized in various skilled trades, creating competition with free white workers. In contrast, the Southern Colonies had a more agricultural economy, heavily relying on staple crops such as tobacco, rice, and indigo, with a specific focus on plantation farming, which needed intensive labor, leading to a heavier reliance on slavery as the main source of labor.
The Chesapeake colonies remained committed to tobacco production and engaged in a mix of agricultural activities, while Southern colonies like South Carolina and Georgia took advantage of milder climates to produce rice, indigo, and salt pork. These products were often exported to the Caribbean in exchange for slaves. The Chesapeake and Southern economies were therefore more singularly agricultural and dependent on slave labor compared to the more industrial and diverse economy of New England.