What specific purpose did the colonies of new york, pennsylvania, maryland, and virginia serve for the british empire in the eighteenth century?

They provided crops and raw material resources to the British Empire to both feed people and feed newly developing industry.

New York and Pennsylvania provided good farm land for food production. Both colonies has many people using the land to produce wheat, corn, vegetables, and raising animals for food. This food was used to feed the colonies as well as send excess to England to feed the population there.

Maryland and Virginia were suitable for tobacco and rice production making the colonies important hubs for cash crop production. These crops were used to export to England to be produced for sale. The two colonies would be the first to use black labor as well setting the stage for the system of slavery in the colonies.