Spanish-American War and Beyond

1
Spanish-American War and Beyond

• A war fought in Cuba and the Philippines in 1898

2
Spanish-American War and beyond

• Why would we fight Spain?
• Background
• Spain controlled Cuba and the Philippines through
  a dictatorship
• A revolution in Cuba and the Philippines against
  Spanish rule grabs our attention
• The U.S. has citizens working on sugar
  plantations in Cuba

3
Spanish-American War and beyond

• Why go to war??
• We would not help their revolution at first so
  the Cubans provoked us by burning our sugar
  plantations to get us involved. We must protect
  property and trade (Reason 1)
• This opportunity could let the US gain a naval
  base in the pacific to continue our trade as
  well! (Reason 2)

4
Spanish-American War and beyond

• How did Americans feel about a war with Spain?
• Jingoism A super sense of patriotism and demand
  for aggressive action

5
Spanish-American War and beyond

• Spain does not want the U.S. to get involved
  because they could not defeat us
• Spanish leaders send a letter to President
  McKinley telling him to stay out of this
  conflict De Lome Letter (Reason 3)
• U.S. must respond and do something

6
Spanish-American War and beyond

• The U.S.S. Maine is then sent to the harbor of
  Havana, Cuba to intimidate the Spanish
• It blows up mysteriously in the middle of the
  night in the harbor killing 266 American sailors
  (Reason 4)
• How did it blow up? Spain? Cuban Rebels? Accident?

7
Spanish-American War and beyond

• The media immediately blames Spain and asks the
  govt to go to war!
• Yellow Journalism A type of writing that prints
  the most sensational, exaggerated, and distorted
  stories for emotional effect

8
Spanish-American War and beyond
9
Spanish-American War and beyond
10
Spanish-American War and beyond
11
Spanish-American War and beyond

• After much thought and consideration, Congress
  declares war on Spain in 1898
• The war lasted less than 4 months with a U.S.
  victory

12
Spanish-American War and beyond

• The Treaty of Paris is signed in 1898
• Results
• Cuba gains its independence
• U.S. gets the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam

13
Spanish-American War and beyond

• 1901 The U.S. negotiates the rights to build a
  Panama Canal to link the Atlantic and Pacific
  Oceans
• Reasons Keep U.S. influence in Latin America and
  make a shorter route between the two oceans
• The US stayed involved in world affairs until
  1914, with the outbreak of World War I