The New England area (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire) was known for flat land near to the coast and hilly and mountainous away from the coastline. The soil of this area was rocky which made farming extremely difficult. New England colonies were not known for farming, but instead for using its coast for fishing, logging, whaling, trapping, and shipbuilding.
The Southern Colonies (Maryland, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina) contains a wide range of physical geography that includes coastal plains (flat), mountains, and piedmont (gentle mountain slope). The soil was ideal for farming and crop cultivation with an extended growing season thanks to warmer climates. The Southern Colonies depended on farming for their economy. Farming included rice, tobacco, cotton, and indigo plants in which slaves and indentured servants were often caregivers for the crops.
