How did new england’s rocky terrain affect the colonists who lived there? they turned to fishing, among other industries. they started large farms and grew cash crops. they decided to settle in the ohio valley instead. they lived shorter lives than colonists in other areas.

New England has been a difficult place for farming and cash crops to grow for colonists. This is famously exemplified when the Pilgrims landed and Plymouth Rock and lost a large number of settlers due to the harsh winters and difficulty to grow agriculture. Instead of settling elsewhere, new settlers gradually came to New England and focused on the rich fishing and whaling industry due to geographic advantage of the vast bays and capes scattered around the region. Thanks to the abundance of sea life, colonists turned to fishing and later on, textile industries and factories.