Final answer:
The British wanted to take over the slave trade in the late 17th century for reasons such as potential profit, expanding their empire, and competition with other European nations. They saw the slave trade as a way to accumulate wealth, increase political and economic power, and gain supremacy in the transatlantic slave trade.
Step-by-step explanation:
The British wanted to take over the slave trade in the late 17th century for several reasons. One major reason was the potential for immense profit. British merchants and individuals involved in the slave trade accumulated vast wealth during the 18th century. Additionally, the British government saw the slave trade as a way to expand their empire and increase their political and economic power.
Another reason was the theory of mercantilism, which believed that a country's power depended on the amounts of gold and silver it had in its treasury. By controlling the slave trade and the cultivation of cash crops like sugar, the British hoped to increase their wealth and control over the colonies.
The British also faced competition from other European nations, such as the Dutch and the French, who were involved in the transatlantic slave trade. To gain supremacy in the slave trade, England fought two wars with the Dutch in the 17th century.