The SpanishAmerican War
Goal 6
New American Diplomacy HW Quiz
Who wrote “The Influence of Sea Power upon History”,
calling for the expansion of the military?
2.
What agreement said that Cuba would stay independent,
but would still be tied to the United States?
3.
What policy said that the United States could trade freely
with China, even though they didn’t have a “Sphere of
Influence”?
4.
What was William Taft’s foreign policy?
5.
What was the Great White Fleet, and what was its
purpose?
Bonus (10 points): What did the 17th Amendment do?
1.
Essential Idea
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The consequences of the SpanishAmerican War marked the beginning of
American imperialism.
Reasons for War
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The event: Spanish-American
War
Two major causes:
1. Yellow Journalism
2. U.S.S. Maine exploded
The rallying cry: “Remember the
Maine!”
In addition to declaring war,
America added the TELLER
AMENDMENT, which said that
Cuba would stay
INDEPENDENT after the United
States won the war
The Philippines
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Event: Spanish
American War
Front #1: The
Philippines
Major leader:
George Dewey
The Philippines
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The Philippines were
owned by Spain, who
kept a strong naval
base there
Dewey decided to
strike the Filipino base
first, before it could be
sent to attack America
in the East
Fighting in the Philippines
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Battle of Manila Bay- on
May 1, 1898, four
American ships attacked
at dawn, rapidly
destroying eight Spanish
warships
President McKinley was
surprised by the fast
victory, and he deployed
20,000 troops to help
Dewey
Fighting in the Philippines
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While waiting for reinforcements, Dewey’s men and
Filipino rebels joined forces
Rebels took the island while Dewey’s troops
captured the capital, Manila (we won!)
Fighting in Cuba
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The Event: Spanish American War
Front #2: Cuba
Major Leader: Theodore Roosevelt
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Fighting in Cuba
Both
Americans and
Spanish were
weak on land
and were
suffering from
yellow fever
It became
apparent that
the war would
be won at SEA
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At Santiago Bay, the Spanish fleet sat in the water, backed by
land-based guns
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The strategy- take out the guns by land, then send the navy
into Santiago Bay to attack the Spanish fleet
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The Rough Riders
The Rough
Riders- part of the
land forces, led
by Theodore
Roosevelt, made
up of Western
cowboys, miners,
and law officers
The Spanish Fleet on the Run
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Battles of El Caney and San Juan Hill- Rough Riders and
black regiments won and made the Spanish panic
Victory in Cuba
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The Spanish fleet tried to escape Santiago Bay and
was attacked by American warships, where EVERY
Spanish ship was sunk or beached Victory
To the Victor goes the Spoils
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The agreement: Treaty of Paris
What did America win?
Puerto Rico, Guam, Cuba, and the
Philippines
What did we do with Puerto Rico AND
Guam?
We annexed them (kept them as territory)
Not so Fast, Cuba
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Old Agreement with Cuba: Teller
Amendment- Cuba can stay
independent
New Agreement: Platt
Amendment- Cuba is
independent, but it cannot sign
treaties without U.S. permission
and we can interfere with Cuba
to keep peace
Why? Kept Cuba tied to U.S.,
good for U.S. economic and
military interests
The Big Question
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The big question was:
Should the United
States annex (keep)
the Philippines?
Pro-annexation
arguments:
1. it would help the
military because we
could put bases there
Annexation?: Yes!
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2. it would help economy
because it would be a good
refuel/resupply point on the way
to Asia (like Hawaii)
3. Anglo-saxonism- the United
States could “civilize” the
native Filipinos
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Who do the big
men
represent?
What are the
big men doing?
What is the
REAL white
man’s burden,
according to
this cartoonist?
Annexation?: No!
Anti-annexation
arguments:
 1. Anti-imperialist leaguemembers included Mark
Twain, William Bryan,
Samuel Gompers, Jane
Addams, and Andrew
Carnegie
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Annexation?: No!
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2. It would be
hypocritical to believe
in self-government
but try to run other
countries (we would
be acting like Britain)
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Decision: Yes!
The Decision: Annex the
Philippines
President McKinley decided to
annex the Philippines for two
reasons:
1. so no other country could take
over the Philippines
2. so that the Filipinos could be
“civilized”
The Impact of the Spanish-American War
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Causes:
Yellow Journalism
U.S.S. Maine exploded
Effects:
Our foreign policy became more
imperialistic
We owned land all across the
Pacific Ocean
We had a very powerful military
We were becoming a WORLD
POWER