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Chapter 22
Section 2
The Spanish-American War
American Interests in Cuba
• Spanish power was crumbling; few colonies
remained; Philippine Islands, Caribbean
islands of Cuba and Puerto Rico.
• Cubans revolted against Spain.
• Spain treated rebels harshly. Cubans forced
from homes thousands dies of starvation
+disease
Jose Marti
• Fought for Cuban independence
Think about this quote….what is it saying?
“ Cuba’s children……suffer in indescribable
bitterness as they see their fertile nation
enchained and also their human dignity
stifled……all for the necessities and vices of the
Spanish Monarchy”-Jose Marti quoted in Jose
Marti,Mentor of the Cuban Nation
• Americans were alarmed by Spain’s
brutality; business was concerned about
disruption of U.S. trade.
• N.Y. World (Pulitzer) N.Y.Journal (Hearst)
competed for readers by exaggerating
Cuban horror stories.
• Yellow journalism – sensationalized style
of writing.
• Named after a comic strip The Yellow Kid.
Steps to War
• American opinion forced President
McKinley to take action. (1898)
• Sent U.S.S. Maine to Havana to protect U.S.
citizens.
• Feb. 15th – the ship exploded and sank.
• “Remember the Maine” became a call to arms.
• Congressional resolution called for Cuba’s
independence; Spain cut off diplomatic relations.
On April 25, 1898, the United States
declared
war on Spain. The slogan of the war?
“Remember the Maine!”
The Battles for the Philippines
and Cuba
• 1st battle of the Spanish-American War in
the Philippines.
• Commodore George Dewey with support of
Filipino rebel Emilio Aguinaldo destroyed
the Spanish fleet in 7 hours.
• Dewey an instant hero; “Dewey’s Chewies”
The War in the Caribbean
• Theodore Roosevelt organized the First U.S.
Volunteer Cavalry; Rough Riders.
• Eclectic group of men; cowboys,miners, college
students, policemen, athletes, Native Americans.
• Captured San Juan Hill to gain control of
Santiago’s port.
• Treaty of Paris (1898) – gave U.S. control of
Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, Philippines.
Theodore Roosevelt
*popular man
*elected to
public positions
* Became Vice
President
* President McKinley
was assassinated in
1901, Theodore
Roosevelt became the
new President of the
United States.
• President Roosevelt steered the United
States more actively into world politics.
He liked to quote a favorite proverb,
"Speak softly and carry a big stick, and
you will go far.”
The New American Empire
• Philippines did not want to be a U.S
colony and rebelled with Aguinaldo;
not put down until 1902. (independent 1946)
• Cuba was forced to add the Platt
Amendment to its constitution; U.S.
could intervene anytime there was a
threat to “life,property, and individual
liberty.” (terminated 1936)
• Puerto Rico became an American
territory.
• Anti-Imperialist League was
formed, but not supported by the
American people.(Carnegie,Adams,Gompers)