Answer:
European nations wanted to control land in North America because of their want for more gold to better their economy and military.
Step-by-step explanation:
European nations were all competing to get as much gold and land as possible. Originally most European countries were just looking for a better route to India for luxury goods such as spices, though they stumbled upon this "new" land and found other things that could be worth money, such as cash crops. Example- tobacco, sugarcane, indigo, etc.