From the 16th to the 19th century, Europeans:

Question

A. Retreated from political dominance of the world

B. Exerted political dominance over much of the world

C. Possessed an innate cultural superiority that aided their conquest of territories

D. Both B and C

I am feeling D. as a possible answer to this question. Am I correct?

Yes - absolutely

C. is not a correct answer. Europeans were not innately or culturally superior. B is the only possible answer.