Question

According to McKinley, what was the key reason for engaging Spain?

to secure peace
to stop the destruction of American property
to protect American citizens
the cause of humanity

Answer 1

President McKinley engaged Spain in order to secure peace and protect American interests, including the strategic prize of the Philippines.

Step-by-step explanation:

The key reason for engaging Spain, according to McKinley, was to secure peace while preserving American interests.

During the Spanish-American War, President McKinley was reluctant to relinquish the strategically useful prize of the Philippines and did not want another European power to seize them. By securing control over the Philippines, the United States aimed to protect American citizens and their property, as well as maintain a presence in the Pacific.

This engagement also had elements of humanitarian concerns mixed with self-interest, as McKinley believed that by adding the Philippines to the U.S. map, the American government could uplift and civilize the Filipinos.

Answer 2

It was primarily the "sinking of the USS Maine" that was used as a reason to go to war with Spain in the Spanish-American War, since this was blamed on the Spanish.

Step-by-step explanation: