Final answer:
The primary motivation for European imperialism in the late 1800s was to claim new lands for natural resources.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary motivation for European imperialism in the late 1800s was to claim new lands for natural resources. European powers sought to expand their territories and establish colonies in order to gain access to valuable resources such as minerals, spices, and crops.
Examples of this include the scramble for Africa, where European countries like Britain, France, and Germany competed to colonize African territories for their rich natural resources.
Other motivations, such as spreading democratic-style governance, diversifying culture, and discovering new cultures, were secondary to the main driving force of acquiring new lands for resources.
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