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Difficulty: MediumImperialism and the Spanish-American War

"We could not give them back to Spain—that would be cowardly and dishonorable; that we could not turn them over to France or Germany—our commercial rivals in the Orient—that would be bad business and discreditable; that we could not leave them to themselves—they were unfit for self-government—and they would soon have anarchy and misrule... there was nothing left for us to do but to take them all, and to educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize and Christianize them, and by God's grace do the very best we could by them..."

— President William McKinley, on the annexation of the Philippines, 1899

Which of the following developments during the late nineteenth century best explains the motivations behind the policy described in the excerpt?

  1. The belief in American cultural superiority combined with a desire to secure access to new global markets.Answer
  2. B
    The immediate public outcry over the sinking of the Lusitania, which forced the United States to seize overseas colonies.
  3. C
    A commitment to building formal military alliances with Latin American nations to contain European influence.
  4. D
    The desire to maintain absolute isolationism by avoiding any unilateral political or economic involvement in Asia.

Answer

The belief in American cultural superiority combined with a desire to secure access to new global markets.
The correct answer correctly identifies that U.S. expansion at the end of the nineteenth century was driven by a combination of ideological factors—such as Social Darwinism, Anglo-Saxonism, and the belief in American cultural superiority—and practical economic considerations, including the acquisition of coaling stations and access to markets in East Asia. McKinley's speech explicitly references competition with commercial rivals (France and Germany) and the duty to 'civilize' and 'Christianize' the Filipino population.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus document for key arguments and justifications.
President McKinley argues that the Philippines cannot be returned to Spain, given to European commercial rivals (France or Germany), or left to self-govern due to alleged unfitness. He concludes the U.S. must take control to 'educate,' 'uplift,' 'civilize,' and 'Christianize' the population.
Understanding the source's content is necessary to identify the core historical motivations being expressed.
2
Connect McKinley's arguments to broader late nineteenth-century foreign policy trends.
The arguments connect to two key themes: economic competition in Asia ('commercial rivals in the Orient') and Social Darwinist / racial ideologies ('uplift and civilize').
This step contextualizes the document within the historical developments of the era, linking specific statements to systemic motivations.
3
Evaluate the answer choices to find the one that best captures these dual motivations.
The statement about cultural superiority and the desire to secure new global markets perfectly aligns with both the civilizing rhetoric and the commercial concerns mentioned in the excerpt.
This confirms the correct choice based on direct evidence from the text and historical context.

Key Concept

Motivations for U.S. imperialism at the turn of the twentieth century, including economic expansion, competition with European powers, and racial/cultural ideologies.
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Topics

Imperialism and the Spanish-American War

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