Answer:
A cottage industry was when merchants provided raw materials to a rural family who produced a finish or semi-finished produce, and sent it back to the merchant. First flourished in England.
Step-by-step explanation:
Pros: Rural families were able to supplement their income, encouraged experimentation and diversification of goods, encouraged entrepreneurship, established capital or expansion and improvement.
Cons: Often disorganized and difficult to control, not the most efficient means of production, often led to disputes over quality and weights of materials between cottagers and merchants.