Read the excerpt from an interview with Mark Twain conducted by The Baltimore Sun in 1907 and answer the question. The funniest thing was when at the close of the Spanish-American War the United States paid poor decrepit old Spain 20,000,000 for the Philippines. It was just a case of this country buying its way into good society. Honestly, when I read in the papers that this deal had been made, I laughed until my sides ached.There were the Filipinos fighting like blazes for their liberty Spain would not hear to it. The United States stepped in, and after they had licked the enemy to a standstill, instead of freeing the Filipinos they paid that enormous amount for an island which is of no earthly account to us; just wanted to be like the aristocratic countries of Europe which have possessions in foreign waters. The United States wanted to be in the swim, and it, too, had to branch out, like an American heiress buying a Duke or an Earl. Sounds well, but that's all. Which answer choice BEST explains Twain's view of American expansionism?

Question

Read the excerpt from an interview with Mark Twain conducted by The Baltimore Sun in 1907 and answer the question. The funniest thing was when at the close of the Spanish-American War the United States paid poor decrepit old Spain 20,000,000 for the Philippines. It was just a case of this country buying its way into good society. Honestly, when I read in the papers that this deal had been made, I laughed until my sides ached.There were the Filipinos fighting like blazes for their liberty Spain would not hear to it. The United States stepped in, and after they had licked the enemy to a standstill, instead of freeing the Filipinos they paid that enormous amount for an island which is of no earthly account to us; just wanted to be like the aristocratic countries of Europe which have possessions in foreign waters. The United States wanted to be in the swim, and it, too, had to branch out, like an American heiress buying a Duke or an Earl. Sounds well, but that's all. Which answer choice BEST explains Twain's view of American expansionism?

Answer 1

The question is asking for an interpretation of Mark Twain's views about American expansionism based on a specific excerpt. We can Dray several important points from the excerpt:1. Twain found humor in America's purchase of the Philippines from Spain at the end of the Spanish-American war.2. Twain perceived this as America's attempt to buy its way into prestige, equating it with a American heiress buying a Duke or Earl, which might be done more for status than for love.3. He also points out that America did not free the Filipinos, despite their struggle for freedom. Rather, they purchased the country, just as other wealthy European nations.js had did.Therefore, it's clear that Twain sees American expansionism negatively, as more of an attempt to gain status at expense of local populations' quest for sovereignty.

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