Final answer:
The greatest challenges for New England settlers were the difficult climate and poor soil, necessitating a diversified economy, and the conflict with Native Americans. For Native Americans, the challenges included loss of land, devastating diseases, and the long-term effects of treaties.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two greatest challenges facing the New England settlers were the harsh climate and infertile land, which made farming difficult and necessitated a diverse economy including fishing, lumber, and trade. They also faced conflict with Native Americans, as the European encroachment on indigenous lands led to wars such as the Pequot War and King Philip's War, with the resultant loss of life and alterations in Native life and society. For Native Americans, the greatest challenges were the loss of their lands and the impact of diseases brought by Europeans, which decimated populations and caused massive shifts in Native American cultures and societies.
The importance of location and environment for the survival of the colonists is evident in how the settlers adapted to the New England climate and built a mixed economy, as well as developed relationships, both hostile and cooperative, with the indigenous populations. For the Natives, the challenge was to maintain their way of life in the face of expanding European settlements and to contend with the legal terms of treaties that often worked against them, leading to their forced removal and long-term effects on their communities.