The United States took a more active role in world affairs in the early 20th century for several key reasons. The U.S. began by building a large navy to project its power globally. It then took its first steps by annexing Hawaii to expand its naval presence in the Pacific. Through the Spanish-American War and building of the Panama Canal, the U.S. increased its influence over countries in Latin America and connected its Atlantic and Pacific fleets. By this time, under presidents like Theodore Roosevelt, the U.S. had emerged as a growing imperial power seeking to expand its commercial and military interests overseas.