“We have fought for our liberty, we have helped to defeat the Spanish forces, and we believed that the United States, a nation founded on the consent of the governed, would respect our right to self-determination. Instead, we are met with a war of conquest, as the United States seeks to substitute its own authority for that of Spain.”
— Adapted from a statement by Emilio Aguinaldo, leader of the Philippine revolutionary forces, 1899
The perspective expressed in the excerpt was most directly a reaction to which of the following?
- The United States' decision to annex the Philippine Islands following the Treaty of Paris.Answer
- BThe mobilization of United States troops following the sinking of the USS Maine.
- CThe application of the Monroe Doctrine to justify unilateral intervention in European colonies.
- DThe creation of a network of permanent military alliances to contain foreign influence in Asia.
Answer
The United States' decision to annex the Philippine Islands following the Treaty of Paris.
The correct option is correct because the quote from Emilio Aguinaldo directly criticizes the United States for establishing sovereign control over the Philippines instead of respecting the self-determination of the Filipino people who had assisted the U.S. in defeating Spanish forces. The annexation of the Philippines under the 1898 Treaty of Paris triggered the Philippine-American War, which is the 'war of conquest' referenced in the excerpt.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Imperialism and the Spanish-American War