The document discusses how the United States sought to build an empire in the late 19th century following the completion of Manifest Destiny and the closing of the western frontier. It explores how American policymakers were influenced by Alfred Mahan's work on sea power and Britain's naval empire. The U.S. annexed Hawaii in 1893 and divided control over Samoa with Germany in 1899 to establish overseas bases. The Spanish-American War in 1898 provided an opportunity to take Spanish colonies like Cuba and the Philippines, helping the U.S. become a world power with possessions across the Pacific.