6. What reasons did McKinley give for going to war with Spain?What was 'not' the reason? How do w know it was not the reason?

President William McKinley did not explicitly give reasons for going to war with Spain. The Spanish-American War of 1898 was mainly precipitated by events such as the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana harbor and the sensationalized reporting by the yellow press, which fueled public sentiment for intervention. The official reason cited was the desire to liberate Cuba from Spanish oppression.Economic interests, particularly in relation to Cuba, played a role, as well as a desire for territorial expansion. However, it is important to note that McKinley did not go to war to annex territories; the decision was more focused on addressing the Cuban situation.What McKinley did not cite as a reason was a desire for imperialistic control over foreign territories. The war was not primarily fought for the purpose of annexing colonies, and McKinley was cautious about acquiring new territories. This is evident in his approach toward the Philippines, where the U.S. initially intended to grant the islands independence but ultimately decided to annex them due to strategic considerations.In summary, while economic interests and territorial concerns played a role, McKinley did not declare war with the primary goal of pursuing an imperialistic agenda.