Mr. Cal

How many overseas possessions that the United States acquired as a result of the Spanish-American War can you identify?  Was this truly a world-wide "empire?"  In what different ways did the U.S. deal with or administer these new lands?

The overseas possessions that were acquired as a result of the Spanish-American war were the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico from a defeated Spain. Recognizing the need to support its new overseas interests, the country acquired through purchase or treaty the Hawaiian Islands, Guantánamo Bay, the Virgin Islands, and part of the Samoan archipelago.

In regards to an empire I would not say that through these acquisitions the U.S. was considered an empire as these regions were not large regions and did not have any influential control other than the Philippines which helped expand U.S. influence in the China trade market. When you compare the U.S. to the German Empire or Russian Empire of the time we lacked the land size to compete however the view of the world at that time was that we were a great military power and one that could impose force however in no way did this demonstrate that we were an Empire.

The different ways in which the U.S. dealt and administered these new lands was that they were imposing imperialism which was outside the idea of freedom which this country once fought so hard for and what this country stood for. Ironically we went to war to stop European colonialism and ended up becoming a colonial power ourselves and ended up suppressing by force a rebellion in the Philippines. This led to a split of many political figures to include Teddy Roosevelt and Mark Twain and President McKinley. Roosevelt and McKinley felt that Imperialism was necessary to gain control of the Asian market and gain political influence in the Pacific and Anti Imperialist such as Twain argued that this went against what this country was founded on.

Imperialism was necessary in the growth of this country as we were not recognized as...