Racial thinking developed by European explorers concluded that

• A. White-skinned people deserved their power around the world
• B. Racial thinking denied any power differences
• C. Non-European groups were given political control
• D. All peoples were equally powerful

Answer: (A)

European explorers’ racial thinking posited that whiteness signified superiority and rightful authority, and they used this belief to justify domination of other peoples. This viewpoint provided a rationale for conquering lands, extracting resources, and exploiting labor, placing "white-skinned" groups in a position of power around the world. In practice, it supported European control rather than equality, so the idea was that certain groups deserved power while others did not.

That’s why this choice is the best one: it captures the justifications used to legitimize imperial expansion and racial hierarchy. Racial thinking of the period did not deny power differences; it built them. It did not grant political control to non-European groups, nor claim that all peoples were equally powerful.