Transcript The Spanish-American War

The SpanishAmerican War
Rebellion against Spain
• The Spanish empire was crumbling by the
end of the 19th century.
• By the 1890s it only controlled the
Philippine Islands in the Pacific and the
Caribbean islands of Cuba and Puerto Rico.
• Many of the people of these colonies began
to demand independence
• The Cubans’ had rebelled against Spain
several time in the 19th century and were
upset about an economic depression in
1895.
Rebellion against Spain
• Spain sent General Valeriano “the Butcher”
Weyler to Cuba who forced them from their
homes and thousands died of starvation.
• The U.S. became concerned because the
fighting disrupted U.S. trade with Cuba.
• People also became upset when the papers
described the brutality of the Spanish.
• Yellow Journalism—often exaggerated
writing-- was used as a tool to describe the
Spanish cruelty.
The U.S. Goes to War
• William McKinley the U.S. President in 1898
did not want war. “I have been through [the
Civil War]....” I have seen the dead piled up,
and I do not want to see another.”
• Public opinion was strong and McKinley
was forced to take action.
• He demanded that Spain halt it harsh
treatment of Cubans and Spain did bring
General Weyler home. However, harsh
treatment continued.
The U.S. Goes to War
• In January 1898, McKinley sent the U.S.S Maine to
Cuba.
• Riots had broken out in the capital, Havana, and
the battleship was dispatched to protect U.S.
citizens.
• Then, the following month, the Maine exploded
and sank in Havana’s harbor, killing 260 sailors.
• Nobody knows was caused the explosion, but
Americans blamed Spain.
• “Remember the Maine!” became a call to arms. On
April 20, 1898, President McKinley signed a
congressional resolution that called for Cuba’s
independence and demanded a withdrawal of
Spanish forces.
• He gave Spain 3 days and when they refused the
Spanish –American War began.
U.S.S. Maine
The U.S. Goes to War
• “Remember the Maine!” became a call to
arms. On April 20, 1898, President McKinley
signed a congressional resolution that
called for Cuba’s independence and
demanded a withdrawal of Spanish forces.
• He gave Spain 3 days and when they
refused the Spanish –American War began.
Warm Up
• What is yellow journalism?
• What factors led to the Spanish-American
War?
War in the Philippines
• The first major battle of the SpanishAmerican War took place in the Spanish
colony of the Philippines.
• Prior to this battle Theodore Roosevelt,
assistant secretary of the navy put a fleet of
American ships in Hong Kong on alert.
• The leader, Commodore George Dewey,
prepared his forces and made contact with
the head of the Filipino forces Emilio
Aguinaldo.
War in the Philippines
• Dewey set out for Manila, the Philippine
capital.
• The battle in Manila Bay began early on the
m morning of May 1, 1898. By a little past
noon Dewey’s forces had destroyed the
Spanish fleet and wounded or killed about
380 Spanish sailors.
• Dewey became an instant hero of the United
States. They even named a chewing gum
after him called “Dewey’s Chewies”.
The War in the Caribbean
• When the Spanish-American War began the
U.S. Army had only 28,000 men. Within four
months, over 200,000 more joined up.
• Theodore Roosevelt resigned from the Navy
Department and volunteered.
• He helped to organize the First United
States Volunteer Cavalry nicknamed the
Rough Riders.
War in the Caribbean
• In June, the Rough Riders and about 16,000
other soldiers, nearly a quarter of them
African American, gathered in Tampa,
Florida.
• Many of the Rough Riders uniforms were
too hot for Santiago, Cuba, which is where
they landed. Others came down with
tropical diseases.
• Americans had to capture San Juan Hill in
order to control Santiago’s port. They
attacked on July 1.
Battle of San Juan Hill
• African American soldiers, along with
Roosevelt and the Rough Riders drove the
Spanish back and captured the hill.
• Two days later, American ships destroyed
Spain’s fleet as it tried to escape Santiago
Harbor.
• On July 17, the city surrendered. A week
later U.S. forces took Puerto Rico and on
August 12, 1898, Spain signed a truce.
• John Hay referred to it as, “a splendid little
war.”
Results of the War
• The U.S. demanded that Spain give up Puerto
Rico, the island of Guam, and the Philippines.
• Spain had no choice but to agree and the final
peace treaty was signed in Paris in December
1898.
• President McKinley decided the Philippines
should become an American colony.
• The U.S. was also reluctant to grant Cuba
complete independence.
• Cuba had to add the Platt Amendment to its
constitution. This gave the U.S. right
Results of the War
• The U.S. was also reluctant to grant Cuba
complete independence.
• Cuba had to add the Platt Amendment to its
constitution.
• This gave the U.S. right to intervene in Cuban
affairs anytime there was a threat to “life, property,
and individual liberty.” Cuba also had to allow a
U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay.
• Puerto Rico became an American territory and set
up a government and appointed the top officials.
• Only in 1917 was Puerto Rico allowed to become a
self-governing territory and Puerto Ricans were
granted U.S. citizenship
The Anti-Imperialist League
• U.S. treatment of Spain’s former colonies
after the Spanish-American War
disappointed many people in the United
States.
• Several well-known Americans, including
Carnegie, Jane Adams, and writer Mark
Twain joined with others to form the AntiImperialist League.
• Members believed the U.S. should not deny
other people the right to govern themselves.