Final answer:
President William McKinley, within the context of American imperialism, supported the annexation of Hawaii due to its strategic location, especially during the Spanish-American War. After withdrawing a treaty needing a two-thirds majority, he successfully resubmitted it as a resolution needing only a simple majority, resulting in Hawaii's annexation as a US territory in 1900. He similarly advocated retaining control over the Philippines for strategic and economic reasons.
Step-by-step explanation:
President William McKinley's views towards Hawaii can be understood within the broader context of American imperialism and strategic interests in the Pacific. In the era of the Spanish-American War, Hawaii's strategic location was deemed critically important to American interests. Despite the opposition from native Hawaiians, McKinley supported the annexation of Hawaii. Following the outbreak of the war with Spain, McKinley withdrew the existing treaty of annexation and resubmitted it as a resolution that would require only a simple majority vote in the Senate. The political climate of war allowed for the annexation resolution to pass, and Hawaii was made a US territory in 1900.
McKinley's imperialist policies also extended to the Philippines, as he believed that the Filipinos were unfit for self-rule and that retaining the Philippines was crucial to prevent other imperial powers from taking over. This was part of a larger debate over American empire and its role in the world, with prominent figures like Theodore Roosevelt and Henry Cabot Lodge seeing opportunities for expanding American influence in Asia through the acquisition of new territories.