Final answer:
New England port cities thrived on slave trading by engaging in the triangular trade, building wealth through ports and ships, and utilizing slave labor for skilled crafts, which fueled their economic development despite having fewer slaves compared to the South.
Step-by-step explanation:
Port cities in New England benefitted from slave trading as it fueled their economic growth, even though they did not bring many slaves into their own region for labor. These cities were integral parts of the triangular trade, which allowed them to amass wealth by constructing major ports, building ships, and engaging in the exchange of slaves for luxury goods, textiles, armament, and liquor. Furthermore, even with a smaller number of slaves, New England applied slavery diversely, using slaves for skilled labor such as shipbuilding, carpentry, and other crafts, which contributed to the economic development that distinguished them from the Southern colonies with large-scale plantation slavery.
Additionally, prominent merchants in New England profoundly profited from this trade, with ports like Boston showing a notable presence of enslaved people, indicating the region's involvement in and dependence on the slave economy. The capabilities of enslaved individuals in skilled crafts also led to significant economic contributions within the region. In this sense, New England's maritime economy, with scores of oceangoing ships and skilled mariners, was bolstered by the slave trade, demonstrating the complex interdependence of slavery and economic prosperity, even in regions with fewer enslaved laborers.