Final answer:
The distance between North American colonies and Europe most influenced the need for colonial self-government.
Step-by-step explanation:
The factor that most influenced the need for colonial self-government was C. The distance between North American colonies and Europe. The remote location of the colonies from their European mother countries necessitated a degree of self-governance. The distance made it impractical for the European powers to exert direct control over the colonies, leading to the development of local governments and institutions to manage colonial affairs.