What commodity was primarily exported from the West Indies to England and New England?

The primary commodity exported from the West Indies to England and New England was sugar and molasses. This trade relationship flourished during the colonial period due to the high demand for sugar, which was increasingly popular in Europe as a sweetener and ingredient in various products. The West Indies, especially the islands like Jamaica and Barbados, became major producers of sugar cane, leading to a highly profitable sugar plantation economy.

In addition to sugar, molasses, a byproduct of sugar refining, was also shipped to North America, where it was used to produce rum—a key element of the triangular trade that connected the Americas, Europe, and Africa. This exchange not only boosted the economies of the West Indies but also significantly influenced trade patterns across the Atlantic.

The other options do not accurately reflect the primary export from the West Indies during this period. Rice and tobacco were significant, but they were primarily produced in the southern colonies of North America. Cotton and coffee were not major exports from the West Indies at that time, while cattle and timber, although exported, did not compare in volume or economic impact to sugar and molasses.