Question

In the annexation of outlying and distant possessions, the Supreme Court ruled in the 'Insular cases', such as the one above, that ________.

1) the status of newly acquired possessions should be determined based on their economic potential
2) the status of newly acquired possessions should be determined based on their cultural similarities to the United States
3) the status of newly acquired possessions should be determined based on their proximity to the United States
4) the status of newly acquired possessions should be determined based on the needs and desires of the people living in those areas

Answer 1

In the Insular cases, the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution did not apply to territories, and its protections did not extend to the residents of the colonies. Congress had the power to determine the status of newly acquired possessions.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the annexation of outlying and distant possessions, the Supreme Court ruled in the 'Insular cases' that the Constitution did not apply to territories, and its protections did not extend to the residents of the colonies. The Insular Cases were a series of US Supreme Court cases in 1901 that dealt with the rights of inhabitants of the islands the United States controlled after the Spanish-American War. The Court declared that the status of newly acquired possessions should not be determined based on their economic potential, cultural similarities, or proximity to the United States, but rather Congress had the power to decide the status of these possessions as it deemed necessary.