U.S. History - The Spanish American War
The Imperialist Debate 2
Arguments against annexation : - having an empire violated human rights - having an empire violates American ideals of self-government Americans who opposed annexation formed a group called the Anti-Imperialist League. It soon claimed more than half a million members.
The War in Cuba : Fighting on Land and Sea
- June 21 - US troops sailed from Tampa, Florida to Santiago, Cuba - July 1 - The Battle of San Juan Hill was fought Fearing that the city was lost, the Spanish fleet anchored in Santiago Bay tried to escape - July 3 - Spanish fleet was destroyed by US Navy in the Battle of Santiago Bay - July 17 - Two weeks later, Spanish land force troops surrendered A week after that, US forces easily seized Puerto Rico from the Spanish troops. - August 12 - Spain asked for peace, Spanish officials met with McKinley at White House
Effects of the War
- Opened China to US trade - The Philippines and Guam gave the US military bases in Asia - US gained Puerto Rico and control over Cuba The Spanish-American War and the empire that came from it marked the US' emergence as a world power. The victory allowed the US to challenge Britain, Germany, Russia, and Japan for power and influence in China and throughout Asia. This made the US the most powerful nation in the Americas. These results came at a cost of over 2,000 American lives. Nearly all of these deaths resulted from yellow fever and other diseases.
Spain's Shrinking Empire
Before 1800, much of the Western Hemisphere belonged to Spain. - In the early 1800's, Spain lost most of its American empire when its colonies began declaring their independence - By 1825, Cuba and Puerto Rico were all Spain had left in the Americas
Cuban Unrest and American Business
Cuban unrest also troubled American businesses. The US had strong ties with Cuba. - Between 1888 and 1892, the numbers were on the rise - In 1893, there's a serious downturn - By 1895, Americans had invested more than $50 million in Cuba (help develop sugar industry) - US businesses feared that the revolution might threaten their investments
The War in Cuba : Preparing to Fight
Despite Dewey's quick Naval victory in the Philippines, the US was unprepared to fight a land war. - Land troops had to be organized and equipped to fight in both the Philippines and Cuba - About 17,000 regular Army troops and volunteers prepared to invade Cuba from Tampa, Florida in May of 1898 and prepared to fight in Cuba - They were issued old, outdated, equipment and supplies (were left old wool uniforms, almost no medical supplies, rations included canned meat, that was so old that soldiers nicknamed it embalmed beef)
The Final Steps to War
In 1897, a new US President, William McKinley, warned that the US would no longer tolerate Spain's mistreatment of Cuban people. - Spain responded by removing the general responsible for the mistreatment of the Cubans, releasing Cuban prisoners, and offering Cuba limited self-government - In January 1898, Spanish citizens in Havana, Cuba, rioted over Spain's new policies
The Treaty of Paris
In October 1898, representatives of the US and Spain, met in Paris, France, to negotiate a formal treaty of peace. The negotiations lasted until December. Spain agreed to : - give up all claims to Cuba - give Puerto Rico to the US - give Guam to the US - sell the Philippines to US ($20 million)
The Philippine-American War (1899-1902)
In the Philippines, the end of the war with Spain led to a new war, the Philippine-American War. Filipinos expected to be granted independence after helping US defeat Spanish - the Treaty of Paris made the Philippines a US possession - Filipinos rebelled against US forces - took three years to gain control of the islands When the war ended in 1902, it had cost far more lives and money than the Spanish-American War had. - The US granted the Philippines self-rule in 1916, but remained in US possession until 1946
Revolution in Cuba
Like other people in Latin America, Cubans wanted freedom from Spain. Cubans rebelled in 1868 (10 Years' War) - the war lasted for ten years (against Spanish troops) - Spain promised political/economic reforms - Spain did not keep its promise In the 1890's, Cubans began once again calling for freedom from Spain. The revolution began in 1895 - Cuban patriot, Jose Marti, fled Cuba at the end of 10 years' war - in 1892, he was living exile in the US, planning another revolt in Cuba - rallied Cuban-Americans, particularly in Florida to support Cuba's independence - Marti and a small group of followers sailed from Florida to launch a revolution (joined with other revolutionaries in Cuba) - the revolution was led by Jose Marti, who was killed in battle in weeks Spain sent more than 100,000 troops to Cuba to put down revolt (destroyed farms/crops & even executed suspected rebel sympathizers) (put hundreds/thousands Cubans in camps guarded by Spanish Army) - Spain brutally put down the rebellion - about 400,000 Cubans died of disease and starvation
What factors led to the Spanish-American War, and what was the impact of the American victory?
Marching to war - Yellow journalism - The Maine Fighting the Spanish Assessing the war's aftermath
Exploration Aboard the Maine
McKinley sent the USS Maine to Cuba to protect Americans there. - The Maine exploded in Havana's harbor, killing 260 US Sailors - The US press accused Spain of destroying the ship - Americans demanded war on Spain When Spain refused McKinley's demand for Cuba's independence, Congress declared war on April 25, 1898.
Pulitzer and Hearst Today
Pulitzer - Pulitzer prize for excellence in journalism, literature, or the arts Hearst The Hearst Corporation owns : - fifteen newspapers - twenty magazines in the US - twenty-nine television stations - the A&E, Lifetime, and History Channel cable networks
Yellow Journalism : The use of shocking or exaggerated information to attract readers
Some common characteristics of yellow journalism were : - sensational headlines about minor events - exaggerated and inaccurate stories - heavily reliance on unnamed sources (rumors) - shameless self-promotion
The Spanish-American War
The Maine was the pride of the US Navy in 1898. It was one of the first US warships to be built entirely of steel. However, the Maine's advanced technology was not enough to save it.
The Power of the Press
The press, or news media, had great power over public opinion in the late 1800's. - people in the 1890's got their information from newspapers Joseph Pulitzer - New York World William Randolph Hearst - New York Journal In 1897, the World and the Journal were competing to sell the most papers. The crisis of Cuba provided each of them a chance to attract more readers. Each paper tried to outdo the other by printing shocking stories about the rebellion.
The Imperialist Debate
The annexation of the Philippines was controversial in the US, too. Arguments for annexation : - having an empire made the US stronger - the US had a duty to spread its values to other peoples
American Policy and Public Opinion
The state of American policy and public opinion regarding Spain and Cuba in the mid 1890's : - When the revolution in Cuba began in 1895, President Grover Cleveland declared the US neutral; it didn't take either side - Some Americans worried that if the fighting continued, American property would be damaged - Many also doubted that Cubans were ready to rule themselves - Other Americans supported Cuban independence, reminded of US war for independence from in 1776
The Occupation of Cuba
US troops remained in Cuba to help set up the government and write a constitution. Teller Amendment (1898) - was part of a US declaration of war of Spain - declared that the US would not annex Cuba But after the war, US officials forced Cuba to add the Amendment to the constitution. Platt Amendment (1901) - limited Cuba's ability to make treaties with other nations - gave the US the right to intervene in Cuba's affirs - required Cuba to allow US military bases (current US base at Guantanamo) US forces remained in Cuba until 1901.
Fighting in the Philippines
US warships under the command of commodore George Dewey attacked the Philippines at the British colony of Hong Kong. - Dewey immediately steamed for Spain's main colony in the Pacific, the Philippine Islands - On May 1st, he attacked and destroyed the Spanish fleet in the Battle of Manila Bay - Dewey allied with Filipino rebels (gave him land forces to use until US could raise an army to send to Philippines) - On August 13th, US and Filipino forces captured city of Manila
