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IMPERIALISM &
WORLD WAR I
American History II - Unit 3
Ms. Brown
Review
• What is imperialism?
• Foreign policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political, and/or
military control over weaker territories
• Basically, expanding a nation’s empire into foreign lands usually by political or
military force.
• What were 3 motives for American imperialism during the mid-late
1800s?
• Competition for military strength, thirst for new markets, and belief in cultural
superiority
• For what reasons was Hawaii important to the US?
• Trading pit stop b/t US and Asia, sugar plantations and market, and US naval base
Pearl Harbor
• Who was Queen Liliuokalani and what was her attitude on American
annexation of Hawaii?
• Queen of Hawaii, did not want to join US
• Describe the different approaches POTUS Cleveland and POTUS
McKinley took to Hawaiian annexation.
• Cleveland – would only annex Hawaii if majority voted to do so
• McKinley – 1898, Congress declared Hawaii a territory without consent
3.2 – THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR
Spanish Empire as of 1898
• By late 1800s, Spain’s only remaining colonies were the
Philippines, Guam, several outposts in Africa, Cuba and
Puerto Rico
America and Cuba
• 90 miles south of Florida
• Prime climate for sugar
crops
• 1854 – failed US attempt
to buy Cuba from Spain
• 1868 and 1878 – US
supported Cuban
rebellions against
tyrannical Spanish rule
• Cubans unsuccessful both
times
Cuba’s 2nd War for Independence
• 1895 – José Marti (Cuban revolutionary) organized
another Cuban rebellion against Spain
• “Cuba Libre” – Free Cuba! slogan
• Guerilla (ambush-style fighting) campaign on
Spanish troops
• Deliberate destruction of property
• including American-owned sugar
mills/plantations
• Wanted to provoke US intervention and hopefully
help free Cuba
• American support for Cuba was split
• Pro-intervention to protect American business and markets
• Pro-intervention to support Cuban independence
• Anti-intervention to stay out of international affairs and avoid
conflict with Spain
Cuba’s 2nd War for Independence
• 1896 – Spain sent General Valeriana Weyler to Cuba to
end rebellion
• Herded the populations in central and western Cuba into
concentration camps
• ~300,000 people, many died of starvation or disease
Causes of the Spanish-American War
• 3 major factors fueled war between America and Spain.
• Yellow journalism
• The De Lôme letter
• The explosion of the USS Maine
Rise of Yellow Journalism
• William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer used the
events in Cuba to sell papers in the US
• Rivalry  who could sell the most papers using the most sensational
headlines
• “Butch Weyler,” stories of poisoned wells, children being thrown to
sharks
• Reporters and illustrators sent to Cuba to photograph or draw the
events
• Yellow journalism – sensational style of writing which
exaggerates news to lure and enrage readers
• Heart’s and Pulitzer’s papers increased American sympathy for Cuban
rebels
• Some Americans began to want war with Spain
• “You furnish the picture… and I’ll furnish the war.” - Hearst
The De Lôme Letter
• 1897 – McKinley took office, sought to resolve tensions
with Spain through diplomacy (negotiations)
• Some success - Spain recalled Weyler, decreased concentration
camps, and offered Cuba limited self-government.
• Feb 1898 – Hearst’s New York Journal published a private
letter by the Spanish minister to the US  called
McKinley “weak” and “a bidder for the admiration of the
crowd.”
• Spanish gov’t apologized, minister resigned, but
Americans insulted.
Explosion of USS Maine
• Early 1898 – McKinley sent
the USS Maine to Cuba to
bring home Americans in
danger during the rebellion
• Feb 15, 1898 – USS Maine
exploded in Havana harbor 
260 killed
• Reason for explosion unknown
• Hearst and Pulitzer
capitalized on American
outrage and blamed the
explosion on Spain 
Americans demanded war
with Spain
Yellow Journalism Activity
• With a partner, look at the cover of the New York Journal
2 days after the USS Maine exploded.
• Answer the following questions on a sheet of paper (does
not need to be complete sentences)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Define yellow journalism.
Give 3 specific ways for how this cover tried to attract readers.
Give 2 pieces of journalistic speculation (opinions, not facts).
Do you think the reporting accurately reflects what happened to
the USS Maine? Why or why not?
• Bonus: Does yellow journalism still exist today?
• If not, why do believe so?
• If yes, can you provide an example (you can use your phone…)?
War with Spain Erupts
• Yellow journalism + de Lome letter +
USS Maine explosion  war fever in
US
• “Remember the Maine!”
• Spain agreed to various US demands (US
intervention in Cuba, 6-month cease-fire)
but the call for war grew
• McKinley asked Congress to declare
war on Spain  April 20, 1898 – US
declaration of war on Spain
S-A War in the Philippines
• April 1898 – US fleet sent to
Philippines (Spanish colony)
• Commodore George Dewey
gave the command to fire on
the Spanish fleet in Manila
(Philippine capital) 
destroyed every Spanish ship,
American victory
• Support from Filipinos, led by
Emilio Aguinaldo (Filipino
revolutionary)  August 1898
– Spanish troops in Manila
surrendered to US
S-A War in the Caribbean
• US victory in Philippines proved US naval strength  US
naval blockade on Cuban coast
• Trained US army was small and relied on larger volunteer
force
• 125,000 volunteers
• Inexperienced, ill-trained
• Lacked supplies and weapons
• Heavy wool uniforms (not good
for tropical Cuba)
S-A War in the Caribbean
• June 1898 – American army forces landed in Cuba.
• 4 black regiments – “Buffalo Soldiers” as they previously fought in
various wars against Native Americans
Buffalo Soldier – Bob Marley
“I’m just a Buffalo Soldier in the heart of America,
Stolen from Africa, brought to America,
Said he was fighting on arrival, fighting for survival,
Said he was a Buffalo Soldier win the war for America.
Said he was a Buffalo Soldier win the war for America,
Buffalo Soldier, Dreadlock Rasta,
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival,
Driven from the mainland to the hear of the Caribbean.
Trodding through San Juan in the arms of America,
Trodding through Jamaica, a Buffalo Soldier
Fighting on arrival, fighting for survival,
Buffalo Soldier, Dreadlock Rasta.”
S-A War in the Caribbean
• Rough Riders – volunteer cavalry unit under the
command of Theodore Roosevelt and Leonard Wood
• Roosevelt left his position of Assistant Secretary of the Navy to lead the
volunteers
S-A War in the Caribbean
• July 1898 - Battle of San Juan Hill
• Rough Riders and 2 black regiments (9th
and 10th Cavalries) cleared the way won
an uphill battle at Kettle Hill, near
Santiago
• Cleared the way for a successful infantry
attack on San Juan Hill
• Roosevelt’s Rough Riders played a small
role in the victory, but US papers declared
him a war hero
• Several days later, US naval victory in
Santiago’s harbor  destruction of
Spanish fleet
• July 25, 1898 – US invaded Puerto
Rico
Treaty of Paris
• August 12, 1898 – US and Spain agreed to an armistice -
agreement to end fighting, a cease-fire
• US Sec. of State – “a splendid little war” (15 weeks)
• December 10, 1898 – US and Spain signed the Treaty of
Paris
• Cuba freed
• US gained Guam and Puerto Rico
• US paid $20 million for Philippines
Debate over Treaty of Paris
• Imperialism debate… should the US annex the
Philippines and Puerto Rico?
PRO Annexation of gained territories
ANTI Annexation of gained territories
•McKinley
•White Man’s Burden
•Christianization (even though most
Filipinos had been Christians for
centuries)
•Violation of the Declaration of
Independence by denying self
government to newly acquired territories
•Booker T. Washington – US should fix
race relations at home before settling in
new places
•Unions feared Filipino immigrants
would take jobs
• February 6, 1899 – Senate approved Treaty of Paris
• US empire = Guam, Puerto Rico, and Philippines