Final answer:
The economy of New York historically focused on a mix of subsistence and market-oriented agriculture, producing crops like wheat, rye, and corn, along with domestic manufacturing on farms. Export industries included whaling, fishing, shipbuilding, and the production of naval stores, with agricultural advancements allowing for exports to the global market.
Step-by-step explanation:
The economy of New York during its historical agricultural era was characterized by a diverse range of agricultural products that contributed to its economic growth. In the New England colonies, which included parts of present-day New York, most farmers practiced subsistence farming due to the challenging climate and rocky soil. However, despite these conditions, staple crops such as wheat, rye, oats, barley, and corn were grown, alongside a variety of vegetables, flax, and hemp, with some colonists also raising livestock. Agriculture tied closely with domestic productivity, as many farm families also engaged in part-time manufacturing, producing goods such as textiles, brooms, hats, furniture, pottery, and baskets, which were sold in local towns and cities.
Export-oriented sectors of the New York colonial economy included whaling, fishing, shipbuilding, and the production of naval stores like tar, pitch, and timber. These activities were complemented by the export of surplus goods to other parts of the world, fueled by advancements in agricultural technology and the ever-growing demands of the global market for food exports. Agricultural profits typically provided a low profit margin, but they were competitive and integral to the economic dynamics of the time.