c) The U.S. had won Pacific territories in the Spanish-American WarThe United States had a growing presence in China and the entire region because they had won Pacific territories in the Spanish-American War. In addition to Cuba and Puerto Rico in the Caribbean and Atlantic, Spain lost possession of the Philippine Islands and Guam to the U.S. as a result of the war. This extended the military, economic, and political reach of the U.S. greatly, meaning that it became an industrial power.