What goals were the Imperialists trying to achieve and why did it ultimately become the path forward for the United States?

American Imperialism

American Imperialism was a hot topic debate in the United States by the turn of the 20th century. Imperialism was seen in the Spanish-American War, the Philippine-American War, and even the hot topic of the election of 1900. What goals were the Imperialists trying to achieve and why did it ultimately become the path forward for the United States? Take a stance on if Imperialism was the right path for the United States with at least three examples.