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The Spanish-American War

The Spanish-American War. Big Questions. What were the different opinions among Americans regarding the Cuban revolt in Spain? What events escalated the conflict between the U.S. and Spain?. American Interest in Cuba. The U.S. had a long held interest in Cuba and wanted to buy Cuba from Spain

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The Spanish-American War

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  1. The Spanish-American War

  2. Big Questions • What were the different opinions among Americans regarding the Cuban revolt in Spain? • What events escalated the conflict between the U.S. and Spain?

  3. American Interest in Cuba • The U.S. had a long held interest in Cuba and wanted to buy Cuba from Spain • America sympathized with Cubans during Cuba’s war for independence between 1868 and 1878 • Cubans did not gain independence but they were successful in abolishing slavery • After emancipation of slaves, the U.S. invested millions in large sugar cane plantations on the island

  4. The Second War for Independence • Jose Marti Cuban poet and journalist launched another revolution in 1895 • Guerilla campaigns destroyed American-owned sugar mills and plantations • U.S. opinion over Revolution was split: • Business people wanted to support Spain • Others favor Cuban cause

  5. Spain Takes Action • In 1896, General ValerianoWeyler was sent to Cuba to restore order • General Weyler ordered that 300,000 Cubans be put in concentration camps

  6. Headline Wars • American newspapers exploited Weyler’s actions in order to increase sales • Circulation war between Randolph Hearst New York Journal and Joseph Pulitzer New York World • This sensational style of writing which exaggerated the news to lure and enrage readers became known as yellow journalism

  7. The De Lome Letter • President McKinley wanted to avoid war with Spain and used less extreme measures to resolve the crisis • Private letter by Spanish minister Enrique Dupuy de Lôme was leaked and published • Called McKinley weak • Spain apologizes and de Lôme resigns, but American public was angry about the letter

  8. The U.S.S. Maine Explodes • The U.S.S. Maine was sent to Cuba to bring home Americans in danger from fighting and to protect American property • The ship blew up in the Havana harbor • More than 260 men were killed • Newspapers blamed Spain • Navy researchers would later discover that the explosion was most likely caused by a spontaneous fire in a coal bunker that ignited a nearby supply of weapons

  9. The U.S. Declares War • Although Spain agreed to almost everything the U.S. demanded after U.S.S. Maine incident, the American people still wanted to go to war with Spain • U.S. declared war against Spain in 1898

  10. The War in the Philippines • The first battle of the war took place in the Spanish colony of the Philippines • Commodore George Dewey destroyed entire Spanish fleet in Manila harbor • Filipinos supported Dewey because, like Cuba, they also wanted freedom from Spain • Spanish troops in Manila surrendered to U.S.

  11. The War in the Caribbean • U.S. Navy blocked Cuban port and closed up Spanish fleet in the Santiago de Cuba harbor • Unlike the navy, the U.S. army had small professional force, many volunteers • volunteers ill-prepared and ill-supplied • one volunteer cavalry, the Rough Riders, gained fame for their victory at the Battle of San Juan Hill • U.S. destroyed Spanish fleet in naval battle • U.S. troops invaded Puerto Rico shortly after these victories

  12. Treaty of Paris • The U.S. and Spain signed an armistice, a cease-fire agreement, on August 12th 1898 ending the war • In December U.S. and Spain officials met in Paris to agree on a treaty • Spain freed Cuba, turned over the Guam Islands and Puerto Rico to U.S. and sold the Philippines to U.S. for $20 million

  13. Debate Over Treaty • The Treaty of Paris started great debate over imperialism in America • McKinley tried to justify annexation of Philippines on moral grounds • Opponents gave political, moral, economic arguments against annexation

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