National Geographic Magazine Vol. 09 - 06. June 1898

A remarkable time capsule from June 1898, this issue of National Geographic Magazine captures America at a turning point. Published as the 'Philippines Number' during the Spanish-American War, it documents the moment the United States became an imperial power. The issue includes F.F. Hilder's comprehensive survey of the Philippine Islands, Dean C. Worcester's ethnographic notes on various tribal groups, John Hyde's analysis of Philippine commerce, and Charles E. Howe's political treatise on 'The Disposition of the Philippines' - written as America debated whether to annex, liberate, or administer the archipelago. The writing reflects late Victorian scientific curiosity and the racial hierarchies of the era, offering invaluable primary source material for understanding American imperialism, turn-of-the-century anthropology, and the birth of the Philippines' colonial relationship with the United States. For historians and researchers, this is a window into how educated Americans understood and justified their new territorial ambitions.