How did the Spanish-American War lead to debates in the United States about foreign policy?

The Spanish-American War of 1898 marked a turning point in United States history in terms of foreign policy and led to debates about the role the country should play on the international stage. The war began under the auspices of liberating Cuba from Spanish colonial rule, but it quickly resulted in the U.S. acquiring territories far from its own borders.

Upon the war's conclusion, the U.S. gained control over former Spanish colonies of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines through the Treaty of Paris. The annexation of these territories sparked a significant debate among Americans about imperialism, the nation’s role in world affairs, and the ethical implications of expansionism.

Key points of the debate included:

1. The expansion of American values: Some argued that the U.S. had a duty to spread democracy and freedom to other parts of the world. 2. Commercial interests: With new territories, proponents of expansion saw the potential for economic benefits through increased trade and access to raw materials. 3. Strategic interests: The newly acquired territories were seen as strategically important for the U.S. to become a global naval power. 4. The white man's burden: A belief influenced by racial ideas of the period that it was the responsibility of the U.S., as a “superior” nation, to civilize non-white populations of the new territories. 5. Constitutional concerns: Critics contended that imperialism was against the principles of the U.S. Constitution and that it was hypocritical for a nation founded on the rejection of foreign rule to impose its control on others.

The result of this debate framed future American foreign policy strictly along the lines of these arguments for and against imperialism. The anti-imperialists ultimately were unsuccessful in stopping U.S. expansion, although they continued to influence how the U.S. handled its new territories. Nonetheless, the war and its aftermath set a precedent for the U.S. intervening in foreign affairs, which continued into the 20th and 21st centuries.