Final answer:
The correct answer is option B. America wanted to have an opportunity to potentially expand the markets.
Step-by-step explanation:
The desire to annex the Philippines was driven by multiple factors. Firstly, there was a strategic interest in using the Philippines as a gateway to Asian markets, particularly to China, which was seen as a burgeoning market for American goods. Additionally, the islands' proximity to China garnered attention for trade opportunities. It was also a strategic move to prevent other powers, such as Japan or European nations like Germany, from establishing a presence there. The annexation provided the United States with significant military and commercial strategic value.
Secondly, there was an ideological belief that through annexing the Philippines, the United States was spreading its values and liberating the Filipino people, although this view was contested domestically. Figures like William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt saw the opportunity to expand American influence and benefitted from trade and military advantages.
Finally, there was a concern for national security and the desire to maintain a strong naval presence in the region, which eventually led to the United States granting independence to the Philippines under the condition that it keeps its naval bases. This strategic military interest was consistent with the Annexation of Hawaii and the acquisition of other territories during the period.