New England towns and southern plantations share various similarities and have countless differences. A typical town in the north had a large open area of land that colonists referred to as the "common". The common could be used by everyone. Facing the common was a church and nearby the church were the minister's house and a schoolhouse. The remaining land around the common was divided into house lots. Every family had a strip of farmland outside the town that they could use to grow crops of their own. The climate of the New England colonies was colder than that of the south since they were farther north. This cold climate served as a positive factor in New England towns because it prevented the spread of life- threatening diseases. It also worked as a negative factor in how its severe winters killed many colonists. The geography of New England was mostly hills with rocky soil. Natural resources in the towns consisted of fish, whales, trees and furs. These natural resources were more important that agricultural crops to colonists in the north because of the poor, rocky soil and the short growing season. The economy of the towns relied on fishing, lumber, rum, and triangular trade. Most towns in the north were located along the coast for quick access to the Atlantic Ocean. Towns were tightly clustered together giving early English settlers a sense of security since the wilderness was inhabited by people with different customs. The main function of New England towns was to support the religion of the Puritans. The Puritans did not believe in religious freedom and did not tolerate other religions.
             A typical plantation in the south consisted of a main house where the owner of the plantation lived. Smaller houses used as offices or living quarters for slaves were assembled around the fields where the crops were grown. The climate in the southern colonies was the warmest climate of all 3 colonial regions (north, middle & ...