Answer:
A. Competitively among European nations
Explanation:
From the fifteenth century to the eighteenth century several European countries invested heavily on overseas explorations, which lead to the discovery of America, Australia, Africa and Asia. taking into account the colonization of new communities and domains or the use of unexplored trading routes which had significant economic advantages in terms of trade, workforce and resources for the European countries which lead to most of them competing for the territories. Thus, exploration was largely done in a competitive way among European countries rather than in a cooperative way or thinking about the welfare of people as the most important focus were the good resources in whatever form and economic advantages and each country wanted to a good level of control over others.
