Answer:
the statement that best reflects a motivation for European exploration and colonization of North America is:
"The land is rich with many ways to become wealthy."
Step-by-step explanation:
Europeans did use religion as an excuse for colonization. They claimed to have a burden to help and teach native peoples of other lands, to make them Christians and to teach them European customs, as if those peoples were inferior. However, that was really just an excuse. The real reason behind the exploration and colonization of North America as well as other lands was wealth. European countries would gladly send colonizers to take over lands abundant with natural resources, precious gems and ores, etc. The true purpose was to make the colonizing country richer at the expense of the one being colonized.