Why were Europeans were very eager to colonize America to?

People from Western Europe wanted to colonize the Americas because there was tons of beavers in the northern Americas, and back in Europe, there was a huge trend in fashion, beaver pelts were a huge thing, and any self respecting Frenchman would not go out without a beaver hat. Also, people wanted land. Both the French and the British wanted to be the most powerful, and most wealthiest country. It ended up in war.