Question

during the colonial area, why did many people in New England take part in the dangerous whaling industry

Answer 1

There were no arable land in New England, and many of the fisher men were runaway slaves or indentured servants. This is because the whaling industry was excepting of all people.

Answer 2

There are many reasons why people became involved in the whaling industry during the colonial era. In New England, land was not very fertile or easily available, which meant that, very quickly, agriculture was not a particularly profitable business. The whaling industry, instead, was booming, and this provided employment to many men who would otherwise have no means of subsistence. As whale oil was on demand, the business was quite profitable, which made it even more attractive.