Settlement in New England differed from the Virginian model. Its focus on the family farm and, especially, on town life, resembled French and Spanish settlement patterns in many ways. The Puritans who settled in Massachusetts built their settlements around the center of the town. As in the early Spanish colonies, pastureland was located outside these clustered settlements. Each family received 100–150 acres to farm, though families often preserved much of the land to be divided among descendants. Daily life in the colony revolved around religion and family. –Comparing Settlement Patterns: New Spain, New France, and British North America, 2013 Which statement is the best generalization of the New England colonies? They focused on plantation life, and colonists lived far apart. They focused on religion and family life, and colonists lived close to town. They focused on plantation life, and colonists lived close to town. They focused on religion and family life, and colonists lived far apart.