Who were the "antis" (ant-imperialists) and why were they opposed to U.S. expansion? (HINT: different people had very different reasons.) Try to put yourself in the shoes of someone living in the 1890s: do you think you would have supported or opposed annexation? Explain (HINT: Remember, you are living in the 1890s...)
My ESP connection is down tonight so I don't know what YOU believe.
I think I would have opposed annexation.
I can think of a LOT of reasons to be opposed. The Spanish-American War was a "war of choice." There was no reason to go to war except the battleship "Maine" blew up at Havana, with no evidence that it was attacked or sabotaged. Another reason might be that we fought our own Revolution to escape the imperial
British Empire. Another might be that imposing our rule over other peoples in Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Phillipines, might not be welcome (it wasn't). And many thought the U.S. should isolate itself from world affairs altogether. Arguments for imperialism involved trade advantages if we controlled more parts of the world, getting Spain's empire (what was left of it) out of the Americas, and a lot of jingoism/patriotism drummed up by, mostly, William Randolph Hearst ("Remember the Maine!") There are probably other reasons on both sides, too--or arguments, if not good reasons.
Do read your textbook about the Spanish American war or look it up on line. I'll give you a link in a minute.
Hang on. I'm having trouble with my browser, too. I have identified three possible references for you, and am trying to post them. Check back in a few.
www.u-s-history.com/pages/h3617.html
www.history.com/topics/spanish-american-war
Here are two.
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h3617.html
http://www.history.com/topics/spanish-american-war
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_McKinley
http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h3617.html