Final answer:
Europeans used the idea of eugenics to justify colonization and imperialism by believing in their racial superiority, which they saw as validating their right to take over land and resources.
Step-by-step explanation:
Europeans used the idea of eugenics to justify colonization and imperialism by believing in their racial superiority. They saw themselves as superior to the native populations of the lands they colonized, which they believed validated their right to take over the land and resources. The Europeans used this belief to strip wealth from the lands they exploited, often causing significant environmental damage and destroying countless lives. Their primary motivation for acquiring colonies was economic, as they sought to secure the raw materials needed to fuel their growing industrial economies.