Spanish American War

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Spanish American War

• April 25th, 1898
• To
• August 12th, 1898

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• Early American Interest Strategic Location
• a. Important as key defense base in Caribbean
• b. Feared it to be in hands of Europeans
• Causes of Spanish American War
• a. Humanitarian
• 1. sympathy for Cuban desire to be independent
• 2. outrage over concentration camps
• b. Economic Interests
• 1. 100 million per year - American trade
• 2. 50 million invested in Cuba
• c. Yellow Journalism - sensational press
• 1. Hearst - New York Journalism
• 2. Pullitzer - New York World

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d. DeLome Letter 1. intercepted letter from
Spanish Minister in Washington 2. Belittles
President McKinley e. Sinking of the Maine -
1898 1. American battleship - blown
up 2. 260 Americans killed
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• Declare war in April of 1898
• 1. Congress approved the Teller Amendment -
• U.S. has no desire to annex Cuba but rather
• wants Cuba to be independent.
• War lasts four months
• 1. 2446 Americans lost their lives in war
• 2. fewer than 400 were killed in combat
• 3. the rest died from infection and disease

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• Treaty of Paris - 1898
• 1. Cuba freed of Spanish rule
• 2. Puerto Rico and Guam ceded to the U.S.
• 3. Philippine Islands purchased for 20 million
• 4. Platt Amendment 1901
• a. Set up terms for withdrawal from Cuba
• of U.S. occupation troops
• b. Granted independence
• c. Granted U.S. land to place a military base
• in Cuba forever.
• d. Made Cuba a protectorate until 1934

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b. Significances 1. U.S. emerges as a
world power 2. Gained colonies in the
Caribbean and the Pacific
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Concentration camps in Cuba
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                                      Cubans
suffering under
Cubans suffering under
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VALERIANO WEYLER The Butcher  -called "the
butcher" because of his slaughter of
Cubans -Spanish general who was appointed
captain general of Cuba-Used harsh methods to
oppress rebellions -American newspapers wrote
about his policies to inspire rage against
Spain 
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Reconcentration"  -1896 Weyler moved Cubans
living in rebellious areas to protected
towns-Men, women and children were moved -Set
up similar to a concentration camp -Inadequate fo
od and sanitation -Many killed or died of
disease -About 25 of Cubans died in the
concentration camps from 1896-1898-Anyone not in
the camp would be arrested and tried for
treason 
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De Lome
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