Download The Spanish-American War and the Emergence of Theodore

The Spanish-American War and the
Emergence of Theodore Roosevelt
Trouble in Cuba
* Cuba and Puerto Rico were the last remnants of Spain’s once mighty empire in the New
World.
* In 1868, when a violent revolution broke out in Cuba.
* It took Spain ten years to crush this uprising.
* Discontent continued to smolder as Cubans worked at starvation wages for extremely wealthy
landowners.
* Angered by the economic crisis and by failure by Spain to solve these problems, Cubans again
revolted in 1895.
* The Spaniards responded savagely putting the Cubans into concentration camps and treated
them very poorly.
1
* Large areas of Cuba were reduced to utter ruin while starvation and disease plagued the
land.
* As months passed Americans joined the Cuban cause recalling their own struggle for freedom
during the American Revolution.
* American newspapers also sympathized with the Cubans, two newspapers in particular – the
New York Journal and the New York World.
* Many people in the United States insisted that America had the moral responsibility of
restoring order in Cuba.
* When William McKinley was inaugurated on March 4, 1897, he strongly opposed war.
* On February 9, 1898, American newspapers headlined a letter written by the Spanish
minister to the United States.
* In the letter the minister referred to President McKinley as “weak and a bidder for the
admiration of the crowd.”
* Then on February 16, 1898, Americans read even more disturbing news.
2
The Sinking of the Maine
* The night before - on February 15th - the U.S.S. Maine was stationed in Havana Harbor in
Cuba.
* The battleship had been sent to Cuba in January to protect American lives and property.
* The battleship sank to its watery grave, after an explosion of unknown origin, killing 260
American sailors.
* Americans were now demanding war, chanting the famous line,
“Remember the Maine!”
3
The United States Goes to War with Spain
* President McKinley was able to avoid war for almost two months, but public pressure finally
did him in.
* As a result, on April 11, 1898 the United States went to war with Spain.
* Some foreign countries questioned the war between the United States and Spain.
* There was a serious concern on the part of foreign countries that the reason that war was
declared war on Spain was to claim Cuba for the United States.
* To show this was not the case, a resolution to Congress was introduced by Senator
Henry Teller of Colorado.
* This resolution was called the “Teller Amendment” and stated that the United States would
claim no rule over Cuba.
4
* Once the island was free of Spanish rule, the United States would leave the country.
* Congress quickly adopted this resolution to insure the fact that the United States was not
going to “conquer” Cuba for the United States.
5
Battle in the Philippines
* The first action of the Spanish-American War occurred in the Philippine Islands, not in
Cuba.
* Spain had ruled the Philippines since the days of Ferdinand Magellan.
* Like the people of Cuba, the Philippine people also wanted freedom from Spain.
* The United States Assistant Secretary of the Navy had his eyes on these islands.
* Theodore Roosevelt hoped to gain control of these islands for future naval bases for the
United States.
* Roosevelt gave orders to United States Naval Commander
immediately to
George Dewey to advance
Manila, the capitol of the Philippines.
* Once at Manila, Dewey and his forces were ordered to destroy the Spanish fleet stationed
there.
6
* The aging ships of the Spanish Navy were no match for the new American navy vessels.
* Commander Dewey completed his orders with ease, as American Navy vessels sank the
Spanish fleet to the bottom of Manila Bay.
* Admiral Dewey became an instant hero after this battle and the United States had the naval
bases they had cherished.
7
America Prepares for War
* The day that the United States declared war upon Spain, there were more than 30,000
American troops ready to fight.
* President McKinley immediately sent 17,000 troops to Tampa, Florida in case of a Spanish
attack there.
* After this move, the President asked for volunteers to fight in the Spanish-American War
and over 200,000 men volunteered.
* Among the men to volunteer for war was Theodore Roosevelt himself, who resigned as Asst.
Secretary of the Navy.
* During the Spanish-American conflict, Roosevelt led a Calvary unit known as the
“Roughriders.”
8
The Spanish-American War: A Summer Long
* The main objective for the United States military in Cuba was to capture the port city of
Santiago.
* The Spanish Atlantic fleet was docked in Santiago Harbor and the city of Santiago was set
on top of a hill, known as
San Juan Hill.
* On June 24, 1898, Spanish and American armies clashed.
* Theodore Roosevelt and his “Roughriders” led the charge of San Juan Hill.
* After hard fighting, and the loss of 1500 men, the hills surrounding Santiago were captured
by the United States.
* The Spaniards, seeing the city was near lost, tried to escape their fleet from the Caribbean
Sea.
* The Spanish fleet was met by an American Pacific fleet, led by the battleship,
U.S.S. Oregon.
9
* The American fleet sunk the Spanish fleet to the bottom of the Caribbean Sea.
* The city of Santiago surrendered one week later and as a result, both the islands of Cuba
and Puerto Rico were free.
* During the course of one long summer, the Spanish-American War had come to an end.
10
The Spoils of War for the United States
* The United States gained four very important things from this victory over Spain:
1 - Freedom for the Cubans from Spanish rule.
2 - Possession of the country of Puerto Rico.
3 - Possession of the Island of Guam, located in the Pacific Ocean.
4 – The Philippine Islands, in which the United States paid Spain $20 million.
* After seeing the “spoils” the United States received as a result of the Spanish-American
War, Secretary of State John Hay referred to the war a
11
“Splendid Little War.”
The Election of 1900
* President McKinley was easily nominated at the Republican Convention in Philadelphia in June
of 1900 for re-election.
* The major issue at the convention was who would be his Vice-Presidential running mate.
* After the Spanish-American War, Theodore Roosevelt was elected Governor of New York.
* Roosevelt was reluctant to give up the governorship of New York to run for Vice-President,
but finally accepted the nomination.
* At the Democratic Convention, William Jennings Bryan was nominated again.
* The campaign was largely a replay of the race in 1896.
* Bryan campaigned rigorously across the country, while President McKinley did not venture far
from the White House.
12
* President McKinley won the election, mainly on the prosperity that had occurred during his
first term.
* McKinley gathered 292 electoral votes to Bryan’s 155, also outscoring Bryan in the popular
vote, 51.7% to 45.5%.
13
Profile of President McKinley
* William McKinley was born January 29, 1843 in Niles, Ohio.
* He was of Irish ancestry, as his great-great grandfather sailed to America in 1743 from
Ireland.
* McKinley attended both elementary and high school in the state of Ohio, then enrolled at
Allegheny College.
* He was forced to return home from college with the outbreak of the Civil War and he was
the first one in his home town to volunteer.
* McKinley carried food and supplies to Union troops during the Battle of Antietam and his
bravery earned him the rank of 2nd lieutenant
* After he left the war with the rank of major, he married Ida Saxton in 1871, later
entering politics and was elected to the House of Representatives in 1876.
* Congressman McKinley served in the House of Representatives until 1891 and then was
elected Governor of Ohio.
14
* McKinley was a serious presidential candidate in the Election of 1892, but lost the
presidential nomination to Benjamin Harrison.
* McKinley was elected President of the United States in 1896 and was re-elected in 1900.
* On September 6, 1901, President McKinley was in Buffalo, New York at a speaking
engagement.
* When the President reached out to shake hands with a supposed supporter, an estranged
man shot him as he hid a concealed revolver in a handkerchief in his right hand.
* President McKinley was shot twice and was immediately rushed to a hospital for emergency
surgery.
* It first looked like he would recover from his wounds, but died on September 14, 1901.
* The President’s assassin was
of President McKinley.
Leon F. Czolgosz, who was later electrocuted for the murder
* Vice-President Theodore Roosevelt was vacationing at the time of the assassination and
arrived in Buffalo, New York after the President had died.
15
* In Buffalo, New York, Theodore Roosevelt took over the reins as President of the United
States.
* Theodore Roosevelt then became the youngest man ever to hold the office of President of
the United States, 42 years old.
* President McKinley was laid to rest in Canton, Ohio.
* Many Republicans were not very happy about Theodore Roosevelt being President.
* The Republican Party had nominated him for the Vice-Presidency to keep him out of active
politics.
* When Roosevelt was elected Vice-President in 1900, one prominent Republican leader was
quoted as saying:
“Don’t any of you realize that there is only one life between that mad man and the
White House?”
16
Profile of President Roosevelt
* Theodore Roosevelt was born in New York City on October 27, 1858.
* He was the second of four children born to Theodore and Martha Roosevelt.
* Roosevelt’s father was a glass importer and the family was “well to do.”
* In his early years, Theodore was known for his great energy, curiosity and determination.
* Roosevelt suffered greatly from asthma and was very nearsighted, resulting in glasses at an
early age.
* When Theodore was young, his father told him he would need a strong body to give his mind
a chance to develop fully.
* When he was 13 years old, Roosevelt was tormented by two boys and felt ashamed because
he was not strong enough to fight back.
* Because of this his father built him a gymnasium in the family home.
17
* Roosevelt overcame his asthma and built up an unusual physical strength.
* After his high school years, Roosevelt entered Harvard University in 1876 at the age of 18.
* In October of 1879, he met
Alice Lee, the daughter of a wealthy Boston investment firm.
* One year later, Theodore’s 22nd birthday, the couple were married.
* After graduation from Harvard in 1880, Roosevelt was unsure of what to do with his life.
* Finally, he enrolled at Columbia University Law School, but the courses did not interest him.
* As a result, Roosevelt decided to enter politics as a mean of public service, joining the
Republican Party.
* In the Fall of 1881, at the age of 23, Roosevelt won election to the New York state
assembly.
18
* On February 14, 1884. Roosevelt faced a double tragedy:
1 - His wife died two days after giving birth to a daughter
2 – His mother died of typhoid fever
* Both his wife and his mother died in the same house, just hours apart
* After the death of his wife and mother, Roosevelt left his daughter Alice in the care of his
sister and went West.
* He left politics, running two cattle ranches on the Missouri River in the Dakota Territory.
* Roosevelt was an avid writer writing two books:
1 - A biography of Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri.
2 – A four-volume series entitled, “The Winning of the West.”
* On December 2, 1886, Roosevelt re-married
Edith Carow, a childhood friend.
19
* The couple had five children, along with his own daughter, Alice.
* After his marriage to Ms. Carow, Roosevelt then resumed his political career.
* After losing his bid to become mayor of New York City, Roosevelt was appointed to the Civil
Service Commission by President Harrison in 1888.
* He was re-appointed by President Cleveland in 1893 and served until 1895.
* In 1895, he accepted the position of Board of Police Commissioners in New York City and
fought hard to stamp out dishonesty on the police force.
* After campaigning vigorously for William McKinley in 1896, Roosevelt ask the new President
for a government appointment.
* McKinley, not wanting this brash young man in Washington, DC, appointed him Assistant
Secretary of the Navy.
* On July 1, 1898 Colonel Roosevelt led his “Roughriders” in the famous charge up San Juan
Hill during the Spanish-American War.
20
* After the war, in 1898, Roosevelt was elected Governor of New York.
* Roosevelt teamed with William McKinley in the Election of 1900 and was elected
Vice-President of the United States.
* Six months into McKinley’s second term he was assassinated and Roosevelt assumed the
Presidency.
* After serving the remainder of McKinley’s term, Roosevelt was elected to his own term in
1904.
21
* During his own Presidency, several important things were occurred:
1 - The Panama Canal
* The countries of Columbia and Panama were in a revolution.
* President Roosevelt supported Panama in this ordeal knowing that the country would support a
canal the country.
* President Roosevelt send American ships to aid Panama and the country prevailed.
* As a result, the canal began construction and was completed sooner than anticipated and on
budget - $360 million.
* The Panama Canal officially opened after Roosevelt left the Presidency but he cited it as his
greatest accomplishment as President.
22
2 - National Parks
* The number of national parks across the nation doubled during his Presidency.
* Roosevelt’s most notable conservation act was saving an island in Florida – Pelican Island.
* This island was a swamp land that many people saw good for nothing but because of the
number of birds that inhabited this island, Roosevelt declared it a federal bird reserve, the
first in the nation at that time.
* This action also began what we know today as the “Fish and Wildlife” program.
23
3 - Advancement of the “average” American
* As President, Roosevelt had a great bond with average Americans.
* His philosophy was simple:
“It is better for the working man to make enough money to support his family, rather
than a business making money for his company.”
* Because of this philosophy, Roosevelt’s administration was referred to as the
Deal.”
24
“Square
4 – A National Symbol
* During his Presidency, Roosevelt went bear hunting in the United States.
* The President became frustrated as he saw no bear during most of his hunt.
* Finally, aides that went with him spotted an old bear, captured him and tied him to a tree.
* The rounded up President Roosevelt and tried to get him to shoot this bear.
* Roosevelt refused, saying there was “no sport” in it.
* Political cartoonists made several cartoons about this story and a toy manufacturer asked his
permission to make a stuffed animal in the President’s honor.
* Thus, the “Teddy” bear was born!
25
* Roosevelt decided not to run for re-election in 1908, instead throwing his support behind a
close friend,
William Howard Taft.
* Taft went on to win the election, defeating William Jennings Bryan to become the nation’s
27th President.
* After leaving the Presidency in March of 1909, Roosevelt sailed to Africa to hunt and
stayed there over a year.
* Roosevelt brought back animal specimens for the Smithsonian Institute and he and his party
shot 296 big-game animals including nine lions.
* When Roosevelt arrived home, he found himself in the center of national attention.
* Progressive Republicans believed that President Taft had betrayed them so they turned to
Roosevelt.
* Roosevelt then ran for the Presidency again in 1912, a member of the newly formed
Bull Moose Party.
26
* The party got its name when a reporter ask Roosevelt how he felt one day and his answer
was:
“I feel as strong as a bull moose!”
* Other candidates in the Election of 1912 would be:
1 - Democratic Party – Governor
Woodrow Wilson of New Jersey.
2 - Republican Party - President Taft
3 – Socialist Party –
Eugene V. Debs
* On October 14, 1912, during the campaign, Roosevelt was schedule to give a speech in
Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
* A saloon keeper named
back of a convertible.
John N. Schrank tried to assassinate Roosevelt as he stood in the
* A glasses case in Roosevelt’s pocket deflected the bullet and probably saved his life.
27
* Roosevelt coughed to make sure he was not spitting up blood then with the bullet in his
chest, then proceeded to give a 90 minute speech.
* Roosevelt left the speech and went to a local hospital for treatment.
* He recovered from the wound in about two weeks, while the attempted assassin was
committed to a mental hospital.
* Roosevelt and the Bull Moose Party spilt the Republican vote in the Election of 1912.
* Because of the enormous split in the Republican Party, Wilson cruised to victory to become
the nation’s 28th President.
* The electoral count was 435 for Wilson, 88 for Roosevelt and 8 for President Taft.
* After the Election of 1912, Roosevelt embarked on another trip, this time traveling to Brazil
with his son.
* They went to Brazil to look for the lost
“River of Doubt.”
28
* They eventually found the tributary leading to this river, naming it “Rio Roosevelt.”
* This expedition was particularly hard on Roosevelt’s health as he arrived back home 55
pounds lighter than when he left.
* After his return, in seemed possible that Roosevelt could gain the Republican nomination for
President.
* It did not happen as Roosevelt died unexpectedly of a blood clot in the heart on January
6, 1919 at the age of 60.
* He was buried in Oyster Bay, New York, near his home at
Sagamore Hill.
* Theodore Roosevelt is one of four Presidents whose faces are carved on Mount Rushmore in
South Dakota.
29
The Economic Revolution: 1865-1900
* By 1910, the United States was the leading industrial country in the world.
* The Economic Revolution had burst on the American scene.
* There were eight (8) underlying reasons of the Economic Revolution:
1 – Availability of capital for investment:
* ‘Capital’ are thing worth money
2 – Technology / Invention:
* Americans began inventing things and many patents were issued.
* Between 1860-1890, 440,000 patents were issued
30
3 – Inventors:
1 -
Alias Howe – invented the sewing machine
2 - Eli Whitney - interchangeable parts and the cotton gin
3 - Alexander Graham Bell - invented the telephone
4 –
Christopher Sholes - invented the typewriter
5 –
George Eastman - invented motion pictures
4 – Natural Resources:
* Coal, iron ore, oil, timber
5 – Labor Force:
* The population in the United States tripled from 1860 – 1920
6 – Transportation / Shipping:
* There were many new ways to transport and “market” your products
1 – Railroads
2 - Sailing ships
3 - Steam ships
4 - Refrigerated railroad cars
31
6 – New Forms of Business:
* Many more new ways of doing business
1 – Corporations
2 – Trusts
3 – Holding companies
7 – Leadership:
* The nation’s best leaders were found after the Civil War
8 – Rising Standard of Living:
* There were new things to enjoy; everything from sewing machines to automobiles
32