New England represented the least ethnic mix over the middle and southern colonies. As immigrants flocked to the tolerant Pennsylvania, New Englanders adapted to the soil and improvised for its lack of fertility; they imported livestock such as pigs and cows to their pasturelands. After the soil had become worse, due to the large amounts of animals that compacted the soil and clearing natural agriculture, the land had become susceptible to flooding. The animals needed more and more grazing land, and thus the colonists cleared forests to make new land available, and as a result, began opening their ports to the export of timber which made them become fine shipbuilders and experts in commerce. .
The middle colonies thrived from a fertile farming region, it became known as the "bread colonies- for exports of grain; the colony also grew a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Due to the regions high fecundity, colonists from many countries sought refuge in the fields of the middle colonies. Generally, the middle colonies were less aristocratic than New England and the Southern Colonies. As always, there is always an exception. New Netherlands, later named New York, was founded in 1623-1624 in the interests of profit, it was a city run by and for, the Dutch Company in the interest of the stock-holders. A feudal, aristocratic structure of government prevented any religious toleration or free speech. Pennsylvania on the other hand, was a place of Liberal land policies which attracted many immigrants from all over Europe. Founded by William Penn as a "Haven for Quakers-, Penn emphasized religious toleration among many denominations. A well advertised place, Pennsylvania distributed pamphlets in English, Dutch, French and German, causing many people to migrate to Pennsylvania. Overall, the middle colonies were very diverse due to the agricultural characteristics, which appealed to a diverse group of immigrants.