Call to Order

1. Call to Order Imagine that someone calls you and tells you that they have just fought a “splendid little war”. What type of war do you think they would be fighting? Why might they describe it as “splendid”?

2. Objective • HWBAT evaluate whether the Spanish-American War deserved to be called “A Splendid Little War”. • Why was it called the Splendid Little War? • Did it deserve its name?

3. Causes of the Spanish American War • HUMANITARIAN: Americans sympathized with the Cuban Revolution because they felt like it was like their own. They also had seen pictures of Cubans in military camps, where 30% of Cubans died from starvation. • EXPANSIONIST: Americans realized they could seize land from Spain, who was weak. New colonies = new naval bases. • ECONOMIC: Spain had imposed taxes on Cuba and Cuba had experienced an economic collapse. • Sinking of the U.S.S. Maine • Yellow Journalism • Jingoism = intense patriotism

4. Effects of the Spanish-American War • United States defeats Spain in less than four months • 2,446 Americans died (400 in combat, the rest from disease) • Spain recognizes Cuba’s independence. United States begins to control Cuban politics and economy. • Puerto Rico, Philippines, and Guam become United States territories. • United States is recognized as a world power.

5. Coding your notes • Put a star next to “immediate causes” • Put an underline under “underlying causes” • Put a plus sign next to positive effects of the war for the U.S. • Put a minus sign next to negative effects of the war for the U.S.

6. Song, Rap, Poem, or Formal Letter • Secretary of State John Hay wrote to the President saying that the war had been a “splendid little war”. Finish his letter in either the form of a song, rap, poem, or formal letter. Explain: • What had caused the war • What the effects of the war were • Why it should be called “splendid and little”