GOAL 6 PART 2
Spanish American War (1898)
IMPERIALISM
American Interest in Cuba
• SPAIN owns the Philippines and Guam (Pacific) Cuba
and Puerto Rico (Caribbean)
• U.S. WANTS Cuba!!!
1st War for Cuban Independence
• Cuban rebelled against Spain….U.S. sympathy went out toward
Cubans!
• Legacy: Cuban slavery was abolished!
• U.S. Reaction: INVEST!!!!
Spain’s Response to American
intervention / Cuban Revolt
• Spain sends Valeriano Weyler – to restore order in Cuba
• Used barbed-wire concentration camps
• Cubans could not receive aid / medical attention – nearly 300,000
people died
3 CAUSES OF THE SPANISH
AMERICAN WAR (1898)
(1) Yellow Journalism (indirect)
(2) De Lome Letter (indirect)
(3) U.S.S. Maine explosion (Direct / MAIN)
Territories that are ANNEXED through events of
Spanish American War
(1) Cuba (FREE)
(2) The Philippines
(3) Guam
(4) Puerto Rico
Headline Wars / Yellow Journalism
Yellow Journalism – introduced in the Spanish
American War (1898)
•
•
•
The sensational style of writing, which exaggerates the news in
order to lure and enrage readers
Example: Cuban children being thrown to sharks
William Randolph Hearst
(2) Joseph Pulitzer
(1)
• A perfect
example of the
type of
sensationalyellow
journalism –here
from a news
paper-look at
details –see all
the American
propaganda!
Pulitzer (left) & Hearst (right) fight over the War
How long shall Cuban women be the victims
of Spanish outrages and lie sobbing and
bruised in loathsome prisons?
How long shall women passengers on
vessels flying the American flag be unlawfully
seized, stripped and searched by brutal,
jeering Spanish officers, in violation of the
laws of nations and of the honor of the U.S.?
How long shall American citizens, arbitrarily
arrested while on peaceful and legitimate
errands, be immured in foul Spanish prisons
without trial?
How long shall the U.S. sit idle and
indifferent within sound and hearing or rapine
and murder?
•HOW LONG?
yellow journalism
William Randolph Hearst
• “You furnish the pictures, I’ll furnish the
war”
- William Randolph Hearst
(Spanish American War)
- Interpretation: as long as
pictures are taken…Hearst
will write outrageous stories
to support a war between
Spain and the U.S.
De Lome Letter
• Written by a Spanish minister
• Cuban rebel (intercepted) the letter and put
it in the hands of the Americans
• Topics: President McKinley and America were
WEAK!
De Lome apologized, but America got really
angry!
The U.S.S. Maine EXPLODES!!!!
• ***** THE MAIN (Maine) CAUSE OF THE SPANISH
AMERICAN WAR (1898) *****
• President McKinley sent the U.S.S. Maine to Cuba to
bring home American diplomats (Havana Harbor)
• Feb 15, 1898…the U.S.S. Maine EXPLODED, killing 260
Americans
U.S.S. Maine Explosion
•USS Maine---260 US
sailors killed
•Spain accused of blowing
up the Maine…..
•Polarized Americans to
support the war against
Spain.
•Hearst was heard to say,
“Supply me with pictures
and I’ll give you a war”.
War Erupts between Spain and
America
• U.S. battle cry for U.S intervention in Cuba / against Spain
=
“Remember the Maine”
Congress declares war and its on!
What caused the Spanish American War
DIRECTLY…INDIRECTLY???
War in the Philippines:
- First battle of the Spanish American War
(Not Cuba, like Spain expected!)
War in the Philippines
• FIRST BATTLE OF THE
SPANISH AMERICAN WAR
• Leader: George Dewey
• U.S. gained support by the Filipinos – oppressed by
Spain and wanted freedom!
End of the War in the Philippines:
• Manila: Philippine Capital, Spain surrendered….
Now we need to go to Cuba!
SP War in Pacific
***Rough Riders*** (in Cuba!)
• A volunteer Calvary in the Spanish American War led
by TEDDY ROOSEVELT: Most famous Rough Rider
/ Proved himself…later to become President in 1900 1908
• Rough Riders: landed in Cuba, 1898, Port of
Santiago
• Famous Rough Rider Battles:
Kettle Hill & San Juan Hill
• Result: Spanish surrender!...
SP War in Caribbean
Roosevelt’s Rough Riders
Treaty of Paris
• August 10, 1898..Spain and America meet in Paris to
discuss an “armistice” = cease fire agreement!
• Results:
• Cuba = FREE
• Guam = Owned by America
• Philippines = Purchased by America
• Puerto Rico = Owned by America
TREATY OF PARIS (August 12, 1898)
• ENDED the Spanish American War!!!
• Secretary of State JOHN HAY called the Spanish
American War a *** “SPLENDID LITTLE WAR” ***
- lasted only 16 weeks!
*** Important result of the Spanish American War =
America emerged as a “World Power!”
•Spanish and American War
was referred to as a
“Splendid Little War”
•Cost of war in terms of
loss of life and money was
minimal
•US became a world power
as a result of this war.
•Gained the following
areas:
•Philippines
•Guam
•Puerto Rico
Cartoon-Sp& US War
FOR EXPANSION
AGAINST EXPANSION
■Keep up with European
nations
■Desire for prestige
■Theory of racial
superiority
■Provide market for
surplus goods and
investments
■America’s vastness
provided enough of an
outlet for the country’s
energies
■America should not
rule over other peoples
Imperialists
•Theodore Roosevelt
•William Mckinley
•William Randolph Hearst
•Joseph Pulitzer
Anti-Imperialist League
•Mark Twain
•Andrew Carnegie
•Susan B. Anthony
US goal was always expansion
Cartoon-USExpansion1