Final answer:
The United States wanted to have a large naval fleet in the early 1900s to become a superpower, protect commercial interests, and support its imperialistic ambitions guided by Alfred Mahan's naval strategy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reason the United States wanted to have a large naval fleet at the beginning of the 1900s was so that the United States could become a superpower (option C). The expansion and modernization of the U.S. Navy were grounded in strategic imperatives of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, driven largely by the influential ideas of Naval theorist Alfred Mahan. His work, 'The Influence of Sea Power upon History,' outlined the need for a powerful navy to protect commercial interests, acquire coal refueling stations globally, and support imperialistic ambitions. The industrialists of the era also backed the creation of a modern navy as a means to secure access to new markets for American products, echoing sentiments for a strong navy to promote economic growth and maintain high employment levels.
The construction of a large naval fleet allowed the U.S. to protect its growing international commercial trade and establish itself as a global power. This larger naval presence was also seen as essential for defending American territorial expansions and interests overseas, especially in new colonies that provided essential refueling stations for the navy's steamships. Additionally, it aligned with the U.S. strategy to build pathways such as the Panama Canal to connect vital trade routes and bolster national security. The fleet's expansion was a crucial part of the U.S. emergence as a world power, trailing behind European powers in terms of naval force, but rapidly gaining ground and projecting strength and influence globally.