. What were the major reasons as to why the United States wanted to acquire Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines? Hint: Why did the United States want Naval bases in the Pacific?
There were several major reasons why the United States wanted to acquire Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines:
1. Strategic military presence: The United States sought to establish naval bases in the Pacific to extend its influence and military presence in the region. Acquiring territories like Guam and the Philippines provided strategic locations for naval bases to project American power in the Pacific.
2. Economic interests: The United States saw these territories as valuable resources for trade and economic expansion. The Philippines, in particular, had valuable natural resources such as sugar, tobacco, and minerals, while Guam provided a key outpost for trade and commerce in the Pacific.
3. Manifest Destiny: The ideology of Manifest Destiny, which promoted the belief that the United States had a divine destiny to expand its territory and spread its democratic ideals, played a role in the acquisition of these territories. The U.S. saw its expansion into the Pacific as part of its mission to bring civilization and progress to other parts of the world.
4. Geopolitical considerations: Acquiring territories in the Pacific allowed the United States to counter the influence of other colonial powers in the region, particularly Spain and Japan. By gaining control of territories like Guam and the Philippines, the U.S. sought to protect its interests and ensure its dominance in the Pacific.
Overall, the acquisition of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines served multiple strategic, economic, and ideological purposes for the United States as it sought to establish itself as a global power in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.