Spanish American War
(Philippines & Cuba)
Essential Question
- How did the imperialism of the United States help the United States in becoming a World power?
Spanish American War Overview
- Was a 1898 conflict between the United States and Spain that ended Spanish colonial rule in the Americas.
- Resulted in US acquisition of territories in the western Pacific and Latin America
- The first US and European conflict since the War of 1812
Causes of the War
- Cuba and the Phillipine islands revolted against spain
- Yellow Journalism
- De Lome Letter
- Protection of American business interests in Cuba
- Explosion of the Maine
Cuba and the Philippine Islands
- Between 1895 and 1898 Cuba and the Phillipine islands revolted against Spain
- On April 9, an armistice was announced by Spain
- It was supposed to grant Cuba limited powers of self - government
- Soon afterward the U.S. Congress issued the Teller Amendment
- Declared Cuba’s right to independence
- Demanded the withdrawal of Spain’s armed forces from the island
- Authorized the use of force by President William McKinley to secure that withdrawal while stating it would not annex Cuba and that Cuban people would have independence.
The Platt Amendment
- Allowed U.S. intervention in Cuba whenever the U.S. believed it was necessary.
- Gave the US the right to lease land in Cuba suitable for a naval station at Guantanamo bay
Yellow Journalism
- The term was created due to a rivalry between two of the biggest newspapers at the time:
- Joseph Pulitzer’s new York World
- William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal.
- Journalism that relies on eye-catching headlines, exaggeration and sensationalism to increase sales
De Lome Letter
- Written by the Spanish Ambassador to the United States, Enrique Dupuy de Lome
- Included criticism of the American President William McKinley by calling him weak and concerned only with gaining the favor of the crowd.
- Helped generate public support for a war with Spain over the issue of independence for the Spanish colony of Cuba
Explosion of the Maine
- Unexplained sinking of the American battleship USS Maine in the Havana harbor
- The USS Maine had been sent to protect US citizens and property after there was anti - Spanish rioting in Havana
The War
- The War war was one-sided
- Spain was not prepared with an army or navy for a distant war with a world power like the United States
- Battle of Manila Bay
- May 1, 1898, U.S. naval squadron in the Philippines.
- Led by Commodore George Dewey
- Invasion of Cuba
- July 3rd
- Army of regular troops and volunteers under Gen. William Shafter, Navy Theodore Roosevelt and his 1st Volunteer Cavalry, the “Rough Riders.
- Battle of Santiago, all of the Spanish Ships came under heavy fire from US guns and either burned or sunk
- The Spanish surrendered on July 17
Treaty of Paris
- Ended the Spanish-American War
- Was signed on December 10, 1898
- Details
- Spain renounced all claim to Cuba
- U.S. acquired four Spanish Islands; Puerto Rico, Guam, and Wake Island
- Transferred Sovereignty over the Philippines to the United States for 20$ million
Impact of the Spanish-American War
- “A splendid little war”
- So named by Secretary of State John Hay because the US victory was so swift ( 3 months )
- The U.S emerged as a World Power
- Due to the U.S occupation of the Philippines:
- The Phillippine American War began in February of 1899 and lasted until 1902
- This island nation fought the U.S. for its independence at the conclusion of the Spanish-American War and lost.
- US controlled the phillipines until 1946