US II
NOTES: Chapter 18, Section 2- The Spanish-American-Cuban War
KEY TERMS AND NAMES:
José Martí: political activist who worked for Cuban independence from Spanish control.
Valeriano Weyler: General sent from Spain to Cuba to restore order in 1896.
Yellow Journalism: reporting in newspapers/magazines that exaggerate the news to make it more exciting.
USS Maine: US warship that exploded in a Cuban harbor in 1898.
George Dewey: US naval commander who led the American attack on the Philippines
Rough Riders: fighting unit led by Teddy Roosevelt in Cuba
San Juan Hill: location of an important American land victory in Cuba.
American Interest in Cuba:
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1868-1878: Cuba fought their FIRST war of independence against Spain
o Cuba lost
 Cuba did force Spain to abolish slavery in 1886
US capitalists began to heavily invest in Cuban sugar cane plantations
o The USA was the main market for Cuban sugar
 US did not charge a tariff on Cuban sugar until 1894
 Cuban economy collapsed
1895- Cuba fought the SECOND war for independence
o Cubans were led by Jose Marti (Cuban poet/journalist living in exile in New York)
o Rebels wanted the USA to join their cause
 American opinion was mixed
 Some wanted to support Spain to keep their investments safe
 Some wanted to help the Cuban people win their freedom (like we did from
England)
The Threat of War Escalates:
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1896- Spain sent an army to Cuba to restore order
o Spanish army led by General Valeriano Weyler
 Kept over 300,000 people from rural central/western Cuba in concentrations so they
could not help the rebels
 Many died from hunger and disease
o Yellow journalists exaggerated the tales of the camps to find support
for US participation in the war
1897- William McKinley became president and tried to find a peaceful solution in Cuba
o Spain sent General Weyler back to Spain
o Spain changed the concentration camp policy
o Spain gave Cuba limited self-government
US mood toward Spain changed
o De Lome Letter
 Written by a Spanish diplomat, in which he criticized the American president for being
week
o Sinking of the USS Maine
 Battleship stationed in Cuba to protect American lives/property that exploded in
February 1898
 260 officers and crew on board died from an unknown explosion
o Newspapers blamed Spain for the tragedy
 Many Americans wanted the USA to go to war against Spain
War Breaks Out:
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April 20, 1898- USA declared war against Spain
Battles were fought in the Philippines and Cuba
War in the Philippines:
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Philippines had been a Spanish colony for 300 years
o The Filipinos rebelled against Spain many times
 Staged their last rebellion against Spain in 1896
May 1, 1898- Naval Commander George Dewey sailed into Manila Bay in the Philippines and destroyed
the Spanish fleet there
o US soldiers fought with the Filipino rebels for the next two months
Spanish in the Philippines surrendered to the USA in August 1898
War in Cuba:
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American navy blockaded the Santiago Harbor
o Spanish ships could not leave
American army troops landed in Cuba in June 1898
o The Battle of San Juan Hill
 Made Teddy Roosevelt a national hero
o Spanish fleet was destroyed when they tried to leave the harbor
Spain surrendered to the USA on July 25, 1898
Peace Treaty:

Ratified by the Senate on February 6, 1899
1. Spain gave Cuba its independence
2. Spain gave the USA Puerto Rico and Guam
3. USA paid Spain $20 million for the annexation of the Philippine Islands