Eagle soar on high, and sound the battle cry!
How proudly sailed the warship Maine, a Nation ’ s pride, without a stain!
A wreck she lies, her sailors slain.
By two-faced butchers, paid by Spain!
Eagle soar on high,
And sound the battle cry
Wave the starry flag!
In mud it shall not drag!

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Cuba was colonized by Spain think 1492
By 19 th century, only Cuba and
PR still Spanish colonies
1868-1878 Cuban insurrection –
Cuban rebels fight for independence
February 24, 1895 another
 insurrection led by Jose Marti
1896 – General Weyler (Spanish)
Reconcentration & military rule

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
U.S. had business interests in Cuba-$50

 million mining & sugar
 to “protect” American business interests & Cuban property
Hit and run guerilla attacks on state property during fighting (hurt economy)


US sympathetic with rebels
Rebels placed in jail, some Americans
News papers run stories about rebels (NYJ) -
"Death of Rodríguez“ – firing squad
 Remember the penny press???
 Yellow Journalism - Sensationalist news… (more on that later)

 McKinley takes office 1897:
 “independent Cuba, annex Hawaii,
Panama Canal”
▪ What does this tell us??
 Jan 25, 1898 USS Maine goes to
Havana
 So, why did we send an American battle ship to Cuba????

 De Lome letter (published Feb 9, 1898)
 Written by DeLome, Spanish Ambassador to the US (sent to Foreign Minister of Spain
 Intercepted by rebels and published by Hearst Press, NY
Journal
 "weak and catering to the rabble and, besides, a low politician who desires to leave a door open to himself and to stand well with the jingos of his party."

 Feb 15, 1898 Maine explodes lose 260 men

 What will happen next???

DESTRUCTION OF THE WAR SHIP MAINE WAS THE
WORK OF AN ENEMY
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt Convinced the
Explosion of the War Ship Was Not an Accident.
The Journal Offers $50,000 Reward for the
Conviction of the Criminals Who Sent 258
American Sailors to Their Death. Naval Officers
Unanimous That the Ship Was Destroyed on
Purpose.

MAINE’S HULL WILL DECIDE
Divers to Find Whether the Force of the Explosion Was from the Exterior or Interior.
SHE WAS AFLOAT FOR AN HOUR
Spontaneous Combustion in Coal Bunkers a Frequent Peril to the Magazines of Warships – Hard to Blow Up the
Magazine.
NAVAL OFFICERS THINK THE MAINE WAS DESTROYED BY
A SPANISH MINE.

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Do you know what happened to the Maine?
 What evidence do you have for your answer? Give an example where the reporter uses solid evidence to support a claim made in the article.
What effect might the Journal article have had on its readers?
What effect might the Times article have had on its readers?
Which article would people be more likely to remember and believe?
How significant do you think the Maine explosion
was to the American people at this time? Why?

This song was rushed into print between the sinking of the Maine
(an American ship) on February 16, 1898 and the declaration of war on April 25, 1898.
Eagle soar on high, and sound the battle cry!
How proudly sailed the warship Maine, a Nation ’ s pride, without a stain!
A wreck she lies, her sailors slain.
By two-faced butchers, paid by Spain!
Eagle soar on high,
And sound the battle cry
Wave the starry flag!
In mud it shall not drag!
Who sunk the Maine? What does this song reveal about American attitudes?

 Yellow journalism
 Sensationalized, exaggerated and sometimes even manufactured
(made up) stories
 New York Journal & New York
World
 http://www.authentichistory.com/1898-1913/4-imperialism/2-saw/1prelude/18980000_Uncle_Sam_Tell_Us_Why_Are_You_Waiting-
George_J_Gaskin.html

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A month after the Maine Explosion, McKinley declares:
 Cuba independent & demands a complete withdraw of Spanish troops (Teller Amendment)
 Called for unconditional compliance from Spain by April 23
 Denies any desire by USA to keep Cuba
April 22 nd McKinley blockades Cuba’s coastline
If you were Spain what would you do?

 Would you have declared war on the USA too?



Decreased army after Civil War - 26,000 regulars
 Mobilization Act
US afraid attack on Florida & West Coast


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May 1 - take Philippines within 6 hours
 Commodore Dewey takes
Manila Bay (water) without losing a man!
Emilio Aguinaldo returns and leads land victory
 Filipino freedom fighter
 Declares independent Philippines on June 12
August American army captures
Manila
 (Upset Filipinos and later leads to war with the Philippines)

 Early June take Guam & the
Spanish do not realize!
 Captain Henry Glass on his way to
Manila stops in Guam
 June 20 – handed over by Spanish
▪
Governor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4h8kqRE29s

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
Fighting begins in Cuba June 20,
1898
17,000 American troops to
Santiago
July 1 - 8,000 storm - Kettle Hill then San Juan Hill – Santiago falls


Rough Riders, led by Teddy
▪ Cowboys, Indians, Wild West types, Ivy League athletes and sportsmen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhkCWpbZyJU
Buffalo Soldiers (9 th /10 th cavalries)



Lt. Colonel Theodore Roosevelt
"We disembarked with our rifles, our ammunition belts, and not much else," he remembered. "I carried some food in my pocket, and a light coat which was my sole camp equipment for the next three days.“

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July 3 - Destroy Spanish Fleet – Santiago Bay
Spanish flee Cuba
July 25 , Gen’l Nelson Miles to Puerto Rico
 3,300 soldiers

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Aug 12, 1898 cease fire
 A four month war!
274,000 served – under 2,456 died
385 killed in action, rest died of disease & food poisoning!

 Why did Spain fall so easily??

 “War should never be entered upon until every agency of peace has failed”
 Guess who said this?
 Do you agree?
 Did we wait until “every agency” was exhausted before entering into the Spanish-American War?

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Independence to Cuba – Teller
Amendment
Puerto Rico
Guam
Philippines purchased for $20 million
 By 1903 Teller revised - Platt
Amendment: naval bases, intervene, limit foreign interaction

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
Explain the title
What is the author’s message? Give 3 specific citations from the text and images



June 15, 1898: Anti-Imperialist League
Specific focus annexation Philippines


 Why?
Economic, racial, moral to legal reasons
Notable members:
 Andrew Carnegie
 Mark Twain
 Samuel Gompers


 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHLzCgfq
JK8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xKCH86 n2aY&feature=relmfu