Which of the following was an immediate cause of increased American influence in the Caribbean and Pacific Islands? a. American victory in World War I b. The closing of the American frontier c. The efforts of muckrakers to expose the ills of society did. American victory in the Spanish-American War

After defeating Spain in the brief Spanish-American War of 1898, the United States took territories Guam and the Philippines. It also got control of Puerto Rico and Cuba. It is a landmark event that is seen as the advent of an imperialist foreign policy and a major involvement of the US in world affairs. The deployment of the US Navy in the Caribbean and the Pacific also increased US influence. In the aftermath, the US annexed the Philippines and Guam, and imposed the Platt Amendment on Cuba which included the right to build a naval base. It still exists in Guantanamo Bay. Puerto Rico is today a quasi-state under the status of free associated state.