Question
What was a significant reason why President McKinley and many Americans opposed granting independence to the Philippines after the Spanish-American War? Concerns over the racial and cultural superiority of the Filipino people Belief that Filipinos were incapable of self-governance and to prevent European influence on the islands Fear of Spanish retaliation against American interests in the Caribbean Desire to establish a cooperative economic alliance with the Philippines
Solution
4.2
(333 Votes)
Nora
Veteran ยท Tutor for 10 years
Answer
The significant reason why President McKinley and many Americans opposed granting independence to the Philippines after the Spanish-American War was the **belief that Filipinos were incapable of self-governance and to prevent European influence on the islands.** This paternalistic and imperialistic view held that the United States had a duty to "civilize" and uplift the Filipinos, protecting them from other colonial powers who might seize the islands if the US withdrew. This rationale combined strategic interests (controlling a key location in the Pacific) with a sense of racial and cultural superiority.