Answer:
The natural resources they obtained from their colonies.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the exploration age, European powers economies grew rapidly mostly because they had large sources of natural resources that they obtained from their colonies. During that period, the amount of gold and silver decided which country was “more powerful” than others. With the colonies with large amounts of silver and gold, European powers became rich countries. Also, with the goods those countries removed from the colonies they would sell to other countries and profit from them.