The nation was growing. Industry was doing well. Businesses were booming. The United States began to shed its old attitude of isolationism, for the prospect of the rest of the world as its market. The navy of the nation was the fifth best in the world so be had naval strength. People were advocating expansion for religious reasons. They wanted to spread Christianity and conform the culture of the world to American standards. An example of the wants during this time was a book written by Josiah Strong called Our Country and Its Possible Future and Present Crisis. To expand the nations influence over the world we needed open markets, open routes, and to show strength.

The Spanish-American War was the prime example of showing what the United States was doing with its new power and econom

ic standing. Strong figures came to the forefront to support the engagement of this war for a list of reasons. Among some these reason were the fear that if Spain had control over Cuba then the shipping routes would be disrupted. America hid behind the noble reasons of being sympathetic to the Cuban patriots who were fighting for their independence and to stop the Spanish from using reconcentration camps. Chief among the leaders were Henry Cabot Lodge, the influential senator from Massachusetts, Theodore Roosevelt, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and Captain Alfred Mahan, author of the book called The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, an influential work calling for and adding the use of the American naval bases around the world, especially in the Pacific. Roosevelt once told a friend, "I should welcome almost any war, for I think this country needs one." Lodge was an even more outspoken booster of American imperialism. When President Cleveland did not annex Hawaii in 1893, "In the interests of our commerce and our fullest development, we should build the Niguraguan canal, and for the protection of that canal and for the sake of our commercial supremacy in the Pacific we should control the Hawaiian Islands and maintain our influence Samoan.... Commerce follows the flag and we should build up a navy strong enough to give protection to Americans in every quarter of the globe..."

The events of the Spanish- American War showed that self-serving, imperialistic motives were behind the tree of noble causes. The want of growth provoked a war. The people and the propagandists made the war possible and are forever written in the history books about the not needed Spanish-Am

Some common words found in the essay are:
Spanish-American War, President McKinley, Remington Cuba, Puerto Rico, Rico August, Roosevelt July, Samoan Commerce, American War, President Cleveland, Remember Maine, spanish-american war, puerto rico, theodore roosevelt, war events, president mckinley, spanish fleet, reconcentration camps,
Approximate Word count = 1145
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)