The economy in the New England Colonies differed from that in the Middle Colonies primarily due to the environmental conditions and social structure of the regions, which influenced agricultural practices and economic activities. One of the most relevant responses to highlight this difference is:
The settlers in the Middle Colonies used resources from the forest to trade for needed goods.
This response indicates that the Middle Colonies had access to different resources and utilized them for trade, while New England's economy was shaped more by local conditions that favored different types of labor, such as fishing and shipbuilding, rather than agriculture alone. The soils in New England were less fertile compared to those in the Middle Colonies, which were more conducive to farming.