Final answer:
In New England, families survived through subsistence farming, which involved producing enough to feed themselves and pay their taxes. This type of farming focused on a small number of crops and traded surplus goods for other necessities.
Step-by-step explanation:
In New England, families survived through subsistence farming, a type of agriculture in which they produced only enough to feed themselves and pay their taxes. They focused on a small number of crops, frequently grains or legumes, and used the surplus generated from intensive methods to trade for other food, tools, and material goods to meet the needs of their households.
Unlike industrialism, which emerged later, subsistence farming was based on family-operated farms and trade in some areas. This form of farming was prevalent in many parts of the world, where individuals engage only in subsistence agriculture to feed their own families rather than the international marketplace.
For example, in some parts of Africa and Asia, over 80% of the population is engaged in subsistence farming. Although the majority of farmers in the world practice subsistence agriculture, food shortages are still common in many parts of the world.