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Difficulty: MediumImperialism and the Spanish-American War

Source: American Anti-Imperialist League, Platform of the American Anti-Imperialist League, 1899

"We hold that the policy known as imperialism is hostile to liberty and tends toward militarism, an evil from which it has been our glory to be free. We regret that it has become necessary in the land of Washington and Lincoln to reaffirm that all men, of whatever race or color, are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We maintain that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. We insist that the subjugation of any people is 'criminal aggression,' representing a betrayal of the basic principles of our government."

Which of the following developments in the late nineteenth century best explains the rise of the arguments expressed in the excerpt?

  1. A
    The public outcry and demand for military retaliation after the sinking of the Lusitania.
  2. B
    The establishment of formal military alliances with Latin American republics to actively enforce the Monroe Doctrine.
  3. The acquisition of island territories such as the Philippines and Puerto Rico following the Spanish-American War.Answer
  4. D
    A complete retreat into absolute diplomatic and economic isolationism from all international markets.

Answer

The acquisition of island territories such as the Philippines and Puerto Rico following the Spanish-American War.
The platform of the American Anti-Imperialist League was written in 1899, directly following the Spanish-American War. The war resulted in the United States acquiring territories such as the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam under the 1898 Treaty of Paris. The annexation of the Philippines, in particular, sparked intense domestic debates over whether the United States should rule over foreign peoples without their consent, leading to the rise of anti-imperialist arguments invoking the consent of the governed.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source citation and the historical context of the excerpt.
The excerpt is from the Platform of the American Anti-Imperialist League, dated 1899, which opposes the expansionist policies of the United States.
Identifying the author, time period, and perspective helps locate the central historical debate surrounding foreign policy at the turn of the century.
2
Identify the core argument presented in the text.
The text argues that subjugating other peoples violates the core American democratic principle that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed.
Understanding the document's argument is necessary to connect it to its immediate causes.
3
Evaluate the historical developments of 1898–1899 that prompted these arguments.
The United States defeated Spain in the Spanish-American War and acquired Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines under the Treaty of Paris, sparking a major national debate over imperialism and territorial annexation.
Connecting the document to the specific outcomes of the Spanish-American War yields the correct historical cause.

Key Concept

Anti-imperialist arguments and debates surrounding the annexation of territory after the Spanish-American War.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Imperialism and the Spanish-American War

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