Final answer:
In New England, small businesses were primarily small family-operated farms and local merchants, with a larger presence of small mills and industrial enterprises evolving over time. Subsistence farming was common, complemented by whaling, fishing, and shipbuilding in the colonial era. Industrial growth occurred with the Boston Associates leading significant expansions in the textile industry.
Step-by-step explanation:
The majority of small businesses in New England were composed of subsistence small family-operated farms and trade, particularly in areas like Boston. In contrast to the Rhode Island system, which employed families
in mills, the Boston Associates' enterprises preferred individual workers, often the children of these small farmers seeking employment due to competition from the West and the scarcity of land.
While many small mills similar to those started by Samuel Slater and others were established in various areas, including New York, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, larger enterprises such as the Boston Associates' cotton mills in Massachusetts and elsewhere in New England eventually gained a competitive edge and led to significant industrial expansion.
In the colonial period, the economy was also bolstered by activities such as whaling, fishing, and shipbuilding, with the smaller scale farmers and merchants forming the backbone of the regional economy. Despite periods of hardship, the evolution of industry and diversification of the economy sustained the New England region's economic stability and growth over time.