Final answer:
Option (2), The opportunity for success in the colonies was due largely to the availability of cheap land and a high demand for workers needed by the mercantilist system, creating chances for personal advancement and economic growth.
Step-by-step explanation:
Factors Contributing to Success in the Colonies
The opportunity for success in the colonies was influenced by several factors. Notably, two significant factors were cheap land and a high demand for workers. This demand arose partly because of the mercantilist system in which the colonies provided raw materials like sugar, tobacco, and cotton, that were crucial to the empire's economic prosperity.
With fertile land readily available, individuals could acquire property and engage in farming, which was an essential part of the colonial economy. Additionally, due to a lack of labor force, the colonists turned to indentured servants and eventually to imported slaves to meet the labor demand, further driving economic growth and providing opportunities for success.
Being a first son with a title, wealth, and a family name could indeed offer privileges and status, but the mercantilist economy opened doors for those who were ready to work the land and participate in the growing trade systems. This created a degree of self-sufficiency and potential for upward social mobility that diverged from European norms where such social advancements were less common outside of traditional aristocratic structures.