Which of the following was NOT one of the four ways the New England Colonies made money?

• A. Lumbering
• B. Subsistence farming
• C. Fishing
• D. Cotton farming

Answer: (D)

New England’s economy in the colonial era grew from the region’s geography and resources, not large-scale plantation farming. Rocky soil and shorter growing seasons made farming difficult, so families pursued subsistence farming to feed themselves while turning to the sea and forests for income. The coastline supported fishing and shipbuilding, and abundant timber fed lumber markets and trade. Cotton farming, however, requires a warm climate and a long growing season, which New England lacks; it became a major crop later in the Southern colonies and in the United States after industrial advances. Because cotton farming wouldn’t fit the climate or the regional economy, it isn’t one of the ways New England made money.