Final answer:
Most early European settlers primarily worked in agriculture, focusing on self-sustaining and market-oriented farming, with some engaging in shipbuilding and others in mining and different industries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The answer is agriculture. The early European settlers, particularly in the New England colonies, engaged primarily in agriculture to sustain themselves. Due to the long winters and rocky soil, most farmers in New England focused on self-sufficiency, while regions like the middle colonies grew grains and raised livestock for the market. The Chesapeake colonies concentrated on tobacco, complemented by wheat and corn, and in the southern colonies, agriculture was significant with exports like rice, indigo, and naval stores used in shipbuilding.
Other industries in the early European settlements included shipbuilding, which was prominent in New England and North Carolina, thanks to the abundant timber resources. Mining activities also took place, but agriculture remained the primary occupation for most settlers during the initial period of colonization.