Why was the taking of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines really a violation of fundamental American....?

Question

Whole question:Why was the taking of Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines really a violation of fundamental American ideals of self-government and democracy?
I need to write a five paragraph essay on this topic in my A.P. history class, so any help would be wonderful. Thank You!!

Answer 1

Its a direct violation of the sovereignty of those states to come in and claim them as American territories. Nowhere in our constitution is the government given the power to claim lands for the expansion of our country. The Louisiana Purchase during the Jefferson administration was wholly unconstitutional and was a mildly hippocritical move on his part since he was a strict constructionist. Just because we have the ideals of self rule and "democracy" doesn't mean we have the right to impose these views on other people. If it was up to Hawaii to determine their path, who are we to step in and tell them they are now Americans? Would we have stood for it if the Soviets came in during the 60's and told us we were all communists now? No, because if violates our right to free will and self determination. To "conquer" another land to make them Americans is to go directly agaist our founding fathers idea of liberty.

Answer 2

Please use these resources, they wil help you to answer this question and provide insight into American imperialism and colonization.

Check out these links:
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/modules/worldpower/index.cfm
http://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/1898/chronology.html

And especially this:
Whereas, on July 7, 1898, as a consequence of the Spanish-American War, President McKinley signed the Newlands Joint Resolution that provided for the annexation of Hawaii
http://www.hawaii-nation.org/publawall.html

Hope this helps.