Spanish-American War and beyond

A war fought in Cuba in 1898

Spanish-American War and beyond

• Why would we fight Spain?

• Background:

• Spain controlled Cuba through a dictatorship

• A revolution in Cuba against Spanish rule calls for the US to get involved

Spanish-American War and beyond

• Cubans provoked US intervention by destroying our sugar plantations. U.S. must protect commerce and trade (Reason #1)

• This opportunity could let the US gain a naval base as well! (Reason #2)

Spanish-American War and beyond

• Jingoism: A super sense of patriotism and demand for aggressive action

• Page 179

Spanish-American War and beyond

• Yellow Journalism: A type of writing that prints the most sensational, exaggerated, and distorted stories for emotional effect

Spanish-American War and beyond

Spanish-American War and beyond

Spanish-American War and beyond

• Spanish leaders send a letter to the US telling them to stay out of this conflict (De Lome Letter)

• US must respond and do something

Spanish-American War and beyond

• USS Maine is then sent to the harbor of Havana, Cuba

• It blows up mysteriously in the middle of the night in the harbor

Spanish-American War and beyond

Spanish-American War and beyond

• Congress declares war on Spain in 1898

• The war lasted less than 4 months with a U.S. victory

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

Spanish-American War and beyond

• After 1900 the US continues to be involved in matters around the world

• Teddy Roosevelt: “Speak softly and carry a big stick”

Spanish-American War and beyond

• 1901 the US gained the right to build a Panama Canal to link the two oceans

• Reasons: Keep U.S. influence in Latin America and make a shorter route between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

• The US stayed involved in world affairs until 1914, with the outbreak of World War I

Spanish-American War and beyond

• The Spanish-American War, known as “The Splendid Little War” VIDEO