Use the excerpt from the letter written by Don Juan de Oñate to answer the question.
Based on the excerpt, which interest MOST LIKELY encouraged Spain to colonize lands north of Mexico?

A. They wanted to take advantages of the region’s natural resources.

B. They sought navigable waterways to reach the Pacific Ocean and East Asia.

C. They hoped to establish an equitable trade relationship with native peoples.

D. They were driven by a need to civilize and convert Native Americans deemed savage.