Transcript Imperialism and the Spanish American War

Return to War: Spanish-American War
• Objective: I can trace the causes of the Spanish
American War.
• Preview: Complete: White Man’s Burden Poem.
• Process: War Notes.
• On Your Own: Yellow Journalism Tabloid
Review.
Interest in Cuba
• Only 90 miles south of
Florida.
• Claimed by Spain.
• Cuba rebels numerous times
from 1868 to 1878…fails.
• Cubans force Spain to abolish
slavery in 1886 (one year
after the United States
abolished it).
– American capitalists invest in
large sugar cane plantations on
the island.
Cubans go for Independence
• Jose Marti, a Cuban
poet/journalist in exile in NY,
launched a revolution in
1895.
• Cubans attacked the Spanish,
destroying property, even
American-owned sugar
mills/plantations.
• Public opinion was split in the
US.
– Protect investment or protect
the idea of the rebel cause—
independence for all.
Let’s Travel Back in Time
• Do you remember the Monroe Doctrine?
– What did it say?
• Declaration by President Monroe in 1823 that
said the U.S. would oppose efforts by any
outside power to control a nation in the
Western Hemisphere
– What does this mean for the U.S., Spain, and
Cuba?
Genocide in Cuba
• Spain sends in General Valeriano
Weyler (“The Butcher”) to restore
order.
• Tried to herd the entire rural
population of central/western Cuba
into concentration camps.
• The 300,000+ prisoners
included women, children and
the elderly. The conditions
were miserable with little food
or sanitation.
• Over two years, disease and
starvation killed an estimated
200,000 Cubans.
Cuba makes Headline News
• William Randolph Hearst v.
Joseph Pulitzer.
– Newspaper tycoons.
• To gain readers, they printed
exaggerated accounts of what
was happening in Cuba.
• This is called yellow journalism.
– Newspapers wrote dramatic
stories about Spain to make the
Spanish look bad
President McKinley
• William McKinley became
president in 1897
• Wanted to remain neutral in
Cuban/Spanish conflict
• Spain offered Cubans
autonomy, the right to their
own government, but only if
Cuba agreed to remain part
of the Spanish empire
– Cubans refuse
The De Lome Letter
• Spanish Ambassador
• Wrote letter to the Spanish leader.
– Described what was going on in
Cuba, called McKinley weak
and “a bidder for the
admiration of the crowd”.
• The letter was intercepted and
published in Hearst’s New York
Journal.
– Angers Americans over the insult of
the president.
U.S.S. Maine Explodes
President McKinley sent USS
Maine warship to the port in
Havana, Cuba.
In 1898, the USS Maine exploded
killing 260 Americans.
The newspapers ran headlines
blaming the Spanish for the
explosion.
The most likely explanation today, is
that an accidental on board fire
caused the explosion.
 But of course, Americans called
for immediate war with Spain.
• Jingoism was an attitude of
aggressive nationalism
• They were furious at McKinley for not
declaring war
• TR, who was Asst. Secretary of the
Navy, was outraged at McKinley and
said:
– McKinley had “no more backbone
than a chocolate éclair.”
• Basically, Jingoes fueled the fire
for war.
Splendid Little War
• Only lasted 4 months.
• “Remember the Maine”
slogan
• McKinley asked Congress for
authority to use force against
Spain…Congress agreed.
• First battled actually occurred
on the Philippine Islands—
took the islands in 2 months.
• Moved on to the Caribbean
(Cuba).
Rough Riders (whoa, whoa)
• 17,000 troops land in
Santiago, Cuba.
• Rough Riders—a volunteer
cavalry under the command of
Theodore Roosevelt.
• Spanish try to flee, naval
battle ensues, ended in the
destruction of the Spanish
fleet.
• American troops invaded
Puerto Rico soon after.
Treaty of Paris (#3)
• US and Spain sign an
agreement on December 10th,
1898.
• Spanish government
recognized Cuba’s
independence (gave it over to
the US)
– Gave up Puerto Rico, and Guam
(in the Pacific)
– Sold the Philippines for $20
million dollars.
The Platt Amendment
– Gave 3 powers to the United States in
Cuba:
• must approve any foreign policy
decisions,
• the U.S. could intervene in Cuba
when it saw fit
• the U.S. would hold Guantanamo
Bay until further notice (military
base – still in U.S. possession
today).
– Gave Cuba limited independence.
– Benefited American businesses
• By 1926 U.S companies owned 60%
of the Cuban sugar industry
The Philippines
• The Philippines expected to get
their independence when the war
ended, but the United States
thought differently.
– the useful location in the Pacific
was enough to convince the U.S.
to hold on to the Philippines.
– As a result, The Filipinos kept
fighting (us now) for their
independence but ultimately
were defeated by the U.S. in
1902 and remained under U.S.
control for the next 45 years.