Have you ever thought about what it would be like if America owned part of the world? That's what almost happened in the late 1800s. In 1898, the United States went to war with Spain in the Spanish-American War. Back then, Americans supported imperialism, which was gaining control of other countries for the use of raw materials, new markets for business workers, power/ pride, and military strength. When the Americans won the Spanish-American War, they had to decide if they were going to annex the Philippines, meaning they were going to gain control of it, or allow the Philippines to become their own free country. The United States should not of annexed the Philippines because it went against American values, the Philippines was different …show more content…
If the United States of America were to own the Philippines, then it would go against how America became its own country in 1776 ( Document A ). The Philippines were just like America back in 1776, they wanted to be free and not have to be under control of anyone. When the United States annexed the Philippines, it not only ruined the plans that the people of the Philippines had for their country, but it showed that Americans didn’t care how the acquired land as long as they got some, even if meant annexing a country that was just like them, except the Philippines had to join another country unlike the Americans. Also, if the United States were to own the Philippines, then it would be despotism ( Document A). America had always disagreed with despotism, which is why America created a democracy. However, when America annexed the Philippines into our country without their consent, that's when the United States became associated with despotism. America is making these laws to annex the Philippines that the Philippines don’t agree with, just like how Britain made laws that the Americans didn’t agree with. When America annexed the Philippines, it went against American values because the United States were in the Philippines shoes at one time and the fact that America just annexed the Philippines like it was just another country shows that …show more content…
Other acquired areas like Alaska were very close to the United States borders ( Document H ). America is so far from the Philippines that it would be more difficult to get resources needed, and our military bases would be farther than Americans would like them to be. This was bad because if the Philippines got attacked and America had to send in people to help, it would take much longer for them to get their which could result in loss of men and resources if that's why the enemy attacked. Also, there were a lot of people already living in the Philippines which could get in the way of new settlements. ( Document H). When Americans wanted to settle in the Philippines, it was hard because there were already a large amount of people there so their wasn't many places they could of lived. Plus, the weather in the Philippines was more tropical, which the United States wasn't used to ( Document H). The weather could affect the land because if their were any tsunamis or hurricanes that ruined the land, then the land wouldn’t be useful. When America annexed the Philippines they should've realized how different it was from other land acquired because it would make a huge difference on how they used that