1. Interests in Expanding Economic Trade: The US had a strong interest in expanding its economic trade in Asia, and the Philippines was seen as a potential market. At that time, Spain had restrictive policies that favored its own merchants, which limited US trade opportunities. The US sought to secure better access to the Philippine market and reduce Spanish trade barriers.
2. Geopolitical Interests: The US had a growing interest in maintaining a presence in the Asia-Pacific region to counterbalance European powers, particularly Spain and its declining empire. By acquiring the Philippines, the US would gain a strategic location in the Western Pacific and establish a naval base. This would enable the US to enhance its naval power in the region and influence regional politics.
3. The Spanish-American War: The immediate trigger for US involvement in the Philippines was the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in 1898. The war was sparked by tensions over Cuba, which was also a Spanish colony. The US won a decisive victory in the war, and as part of the peace settlement, Spain agreed to cede the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico to the United States.
4. Public Sentiment: The Spanish-American War generated a strong sense of nationalism and patriotism in the US, and there was significant public support for the acquisition of the Philippines. Many Americans believed that it was their duty to "civilize" the Filipino people and bring them into the modern world.
5. Missionary Goals: There was a strong religious aspect to American motives in the Philippines. Many Protestant missionaries saw the US acquisition of the Philippines as an opportunity to spread Christianity to the predominantly Catholic country. They believed that this would bring social, moral, and religious progress to the Filipino people.
6. Anti-Imperialist Opposition: However, not all Americans supported the acquisition of the Philippines. An anti-imperialist movement emerged, arguing that the US should not annex the Philippines and should instead focus on its own internal development. They believed that imperial expansion would lead to conflicts and undermine democratic principles.
Despite the opposition, the US ultimately decided to annex the Philippines. This led to the Philippine-American War (1899-1902) as Filipino nationalists resisted American control. The US eventually established colonial rule in the Philippines until the country gained its independence in 1946.