The correct answer is C) Monopolies in the colonies controlled the trade of raw materials sent to Europe to be turned into finished goods.
The feature of European economic systems in the Americas that supported this type of activity was "Monopolies in the colonies controlled the trade of raw materials sent to Europe to be turned into finished goods."
European superpowers knew that the new territories in the Americas were full of raw materials and natural resources. Of course, European monarchies wanted "a piece of the pie" and wanted to colonize these new territories to exploit those resources such as the precious gold or silver found in México and many regions of South America. That was the case of Spain, for instance. Who manufactured those raw materials and later the exported finished products.