Final answer:
The Chesapeake region relied on tobacco cultivation and had a hierarchical social structure based on indentured servants and enslaved Africans. The New England region had a diverse economy and a more equal social structure focused on education and religion.
Step-by-step explanation:
The political, economic, and social patterns of settlement and expansion in the Chesapeake region differed significantly from those of the New England region in the colonial period.
In the Chesapeake region, which included Virginia and Maryland, the main economic activity was the cultivation of tobacco on large plantations. The Chesapeake colonies relied heavily on indentured servants and later enslaved Africans for labor. This led to a hierarchical social structure, with wealthy plantation owners at the top and a large population of indentured servants and enslaved people.
In contrast, the New England region, which included Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire, had a more diverse economy. The New England colonies engaged in fishing, shipbuilding, trade, and small-scale farming. They had a more equal social structure, with a larger middle class and a stronger emphasis on education and religious values.