Final answer:
The predominant agricultural activity on the other side of the island was plantation agriculture, focusing on the cultivation of cash crops like bananas, cotton, tea, cacao, and coffee due to the influence of historical European colonial economies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main agricultural activity on the other side of the island, based on the historical and geographical context provided, appears to be related to plantation agriculture. In many coastal regions, especially those with historical European colonial influence, plantation agriculture became the dominant farming style.
The cultivation of cash crops such as bananas, cotton, tea, cacao, and coffee overshadowed staple crops. This was largely due to the legacy of colonial economies that emphasized the production of goods for European markets over local subsistence farming.
In specific historical contexts, such as the New England colonies, agriculture focused on self-sufficiency with activities like whaling and fishing contributing significantly to the economy.
However, in regions like the southern colonies, crops like rice and indigo became major exports, shaping the agricultural practices on those islands.