reasons for the spanish - american war\nimmediate: to avenge the sinking of the u.s.s. maine\nmoral: to help…

reasons for the spanish - american war\nimmediate: to avenge the sinking of the u.s.s. maine\nmoral: to help cuba gain independence from spain\npolitical: to gain prestige as a world power\neconomic: ?\nwhich of the following was an economic reason for the united states to declare war on spain in 1898?\na. to acquire pineapple and sugarcane resources in hawaii\nb. to force spain to pay $20 million to the united states\nc. to protect united states business interests in cuba\nd. to gain access to caribbean trade through puerto rico

reasons for the spanish - american war\nimmediate: to avenge the sinking of the u.s.s. maine\nmoral: to help cuba gain independence from spain\npolitical: to gain prestige as a world power\neconomic: ?\nwhich of the following was an economic reason for the united states to declare war on spain in 1898?\na. to acquire pineapple and sugarcane resources in hawaii\nb. to force spain to pay $20 million to the united states\nc. to protect united states business interests in cuba\nd. to gain access to caribbean trade through puerto rico

Answer

Brief Explanations:

To determine the economic reason for the U.S. to declare war on Spain in 1898, we analyze each option:

  • Option A: Acquiring pineapple and sugarcane resources in Hawaii is not related to the Spanish - American War (Hawaii was annexed later, and the war was about Cuba, Puerto Rico, etc.).
  • Option B: Forcing Spain to pay $20 million to the U.S. was not a primary economic motivation for the war.
  • Option C: U.S. businesses had significant investments (sugar, etc.) in Cuba. Protecting these business interests was a key economic reason. The war was partly driven by the desire to safeguard American economic stakes in Cuba from Spanish rule and the Cuban revolution's disruptions.
  • Option D: Gaining access to Caribbean trade through Puerto Rico was more of a political/strategic outcome rather than the primary economic motivation (the main economic focus was Cuba).

Answer:

C. to protect United States business interests in Cuba