The Spanish-American War

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