Answer:
to provide raw materials that would otherwise have to be imported
Step-by-step explanation:
The 15th and 16th centuries were the height of colonialism. Europeans, mainly Portuguese and Spanish, established colonies on the American continent. In this process, the main objective of the colonizing countries was the exploitation of natural and mineral resources. European countries need natural resources to establish their wealth and trade with other countries. In this scenario, in addition to selling the raw materials, the colonizing countries also consumed these products without having to import from other countries. From this we can conclude that countries began to establish colonies and trading posts to supply raw materials that would otherwise have to be imported.