The main reason for British exploration and colonization of North America was C. To increase wealth through mercantilism.
The main reason for British exploration and colonization of North America was C. To increase wealth through mercantilism. British colonization was driven by the desire to establish profitable trade networks with the New World. In the 16th and 17th centuries, mercantilism was the prevailing economic theory in Europe, which advocated for a nation's wealth to be based on accumulating precious metals like gold and silver. The British saw North America as an opportunity to acquire valuable resources, such as tobacco, timber, and furs, and establish colonies that could provide a steady stream of wealth back to England. Therefore, the primary motive for British exploration and colonization of North America was to increase their economic prosperity through mercantilism.
