Spanish American War
The Cuban Rebellion
• Cuba colony of Spain
• Sugar cane in Cuba
made Spain very
wealthy
– Produced 1/3 of world’s
sugar cane
• 1868 Cuban rebels
declared independence
and launched guerilla
war against Spanish
authorities
Cuban Rebellion con’t
• Cuban Rebellion failed
• Many leaders fled to US
• Jose Marti brought together
Cuban exiles living in the US
– Raised funds, purchased
weapons, and trained troops
to launch 2nd invasion
• New rebellion began in
February 1895
• September 1895 rebels
seized control of eastern
Cuba, declared
independence and
established the Republic of
Cuba
America Supports Cuba
• 1) Compared Cuban’s
struggle to American
Revolution
• 2) Yellow Journalism –
sensationalist reported
where writers often
exaggerated or made up
stories to attract readers
– Dramatic stories of Spanish
atrocities were published in
New Journal (Hearst) and
New York World (Pulitzer)
– Newspapers tried to
compete with one another
America Supports Cubans con’t
• 3) General Weyler
appointed as governor of
Cuba (Feb. 10, 1896)
– His harsh policies earned him
the nickname ‘The Butcher’
– He forced Cuban villagers into
‘reconcentration camps’ to
keep them from aiding rebels
– 1/3 in the camps died of
starvation and disease
• 4) deLome letter (Feb. 8) –
intercepted a letter from
Spain’s ambassador to the
US that ridiculed President
McKinley for being weak’
– Americans outraged at the
insult
Explosion of the Maine
• Feb. 15, 1898
• USS Maine exploded in
Havana Harbor
• Still unsure if spontaneous
combustion of coal bunker
or mine
• Americans believed it was
an act of sabotage and
demanded we go to war
• April 19 Congress declared
Cuba an independent
nation, demanded Spain
withdraw, and authorized
the President to use force
• April 24 Spain declared war
on the US
A War on Two Fronts: Philippines
• Philippines was a Spanish colony
• Commodore Dewey ordered to
attack Spanish squadron in
Philippines so it could not travel
east and attack the US
• Battle of Manila Bay – May 1, 1898
– Dewey and his 4 ships opened fire
on 8 Spanish warships
• Quick victory surprised US officials
• American ground troops not yet
there to help
• While waiting on American troops
Dewey contacted Filipino revolution
Emilio Aguinaldo for help
– Aguinaldo took most of Filipino
islands while US took the Philippine
capital of Manila
– Philippines surrendered August 14,
1898
A War on Two Fronts: Cuba
• Americans not prepared for
war
– Lacked resources to train and
equip troops
– Most died in training camps
due to unsanitary conditions
causing disease epidemics
• Rough Riders – mix of
cowboys, miners, and law
officers who were volunteer
fighters
– Second in command – Teddy
Roosevelt
• Buffalo Soldiers – all black
Calvary Regiments – ¼ of
American troops in Cuba were
African American
Cuba con’t
• July 1, 1898 American troops
attacked El Caney, San Juan
Heights, San Juan Hill, and
Kettle Hill
• Spanish commander in
Santiago harbor panicked and
ordered fleet out of harbor on
July 3rd
• American warships attacked
Spanish fleet as they were
trying to leave
• 2 weeks later the Spanish
troops in Santiago surrendered
and American troops soon
occupied Spanish colony of
Puerto Rico
• August 12 – Spain agreed to
ceasefire
American Empire
• Debate over what
Americans should do
over newly acquired
land
• Teller Amendment –
said once Cuba was free
the US would leave and
it would get
independence
• US annexed Guam and
Puerto Rico
American Empire: What to do with the
Philippines?
• For annexation:
– Military: Pacific Naval base
– Economic: Trade stop on
way to China, and large
market
– Ideology: Teach less
civilized people American
values (education,
Christianity)
• Against annexation:
– Competition from cheap
Filipino labor would drive
down US wages
– Believed imperialism
violated American
principles
Treaty of Paris
• December 10, 1898 –
• Cuba would become
independent nation
• US acquire Puerto Rico
and Guam
• US pay 20 million for
Philippines
Cuba and the Platt Amendment
• President McKinley wanted to
make sure Cuba was tied to
the US
• Cuba created own constitution
with attached conditions
• Platt Amendment:
– 1) Cuba could not make treaty
with any other nation that
would weaken its
independence
– 2) Cuba had to allow the US to
buy or lease naval stations in
Cuba
– 3) Cuba had to keep debts low
to prevent foreign countries
from enforcing payments
– 4) US had the right to intervene
to protect Cuban independence
and keep order
Governing Puerto Rico
• Foraker Act (1900) –
established civil government
for the island
– Elected legislature
– Governor and executive council
appointed by US President
– Not US citizens so no
constitutional rights
• Congress gradually allowed
Puerto Ricans gradual selfgovernment
– 1917 – granted Puerto Ricans
American citizenship
– 1947 – Puerto Ricans allowed
to elect their own governor
– Continued debate over
whether Puerto Rico should be
a state, gain independence, or
continue as commonwealth
Rebellion in Philippines
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Filipinos furious over annexation
Aguinaldo called his troops to attack
American soldiers
Philippine –American War lasted 3 years
4300 American troops died
50,000 – 200,000 Filipino deaths
Bad: developed reconcentration camps
for Filipinos to separate civilians from
rebels but thousands died from disease
and starvations
Good: Tried to win Filipinos over by
improving transportation, education
and healthcare
Aguinaldo captured in March of 1901
He told guerillas to surrender
July 4, 1902 US declared the war over
US started giving Philippines more
freedom
– 1930s- elect their own Congress and
President
– 1946 – granted independence to
Philippines