Mrs. Stoffl Honors U.S. History

 By the end of the 1800s, Spain’s imperial power was dwindling ◦ Only had the Philippine Islands, Cuba +Puerto Rico 1. Cubans Rebel Against Spanish Rule 2. The Yellow Press Inflames Opinion 3. The Maine Blows Up 4. The Nation Goes to War

 Spanish colony, Cubans revolted from but lost.  America offered to buy Cuba from Spain – TWICE! ◦ 1854  for $130 million to add a slave state ◦ 1897  for $300 million, Spain said “Would rather see Cuba sunk in the ocean than sold to the Americans”  Sugar cane market opportunities in Cuba after Spain abolished slavery in Cuba in ◦ By 1897 Americans invested over $50 million in sugar cane plantations, etc in Cuba ◦ Cuba unstable due to frequent rebellions

1895: The 2 nd War for Independence  Jose Marti – Cuban journalist who was exiled to NY launched a second rebellion in ◦ Organized a guerilla campaign + destroyed property throughout Cuba ◦ Focused on American owned mills and plantations to provoke U.S. intervention on behalf of the Cubans

 Sent General Valeriano Weyler to Cuba to put down the rebellion in  300,000 rural Cubans put in barbed wire concentration camps. ◦ Thousands died of disease and starvation  American newspapers responded to “Butcher” Weyler’s brutal actions…

 Those with business interests in Spain and Cuba wanted to avoid war in Cuba  Others attached to the “Cuba Libre!” cry that resonated with the American Independence movement.

 Situation in Cuba sparked a war over newspaper circulation: ◦ William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal versus Joseph Pulitzer's New York World in a war over newspaper circulation The newspapers used yellow journalism to report the events in Cuba  Sensational writing that exaggerates the news to lure and anger readers.  Likened Cubans to American rebels during the Revolutionary War and exaggerated Spanish atrocities

“You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the War”

 President McKinley sought to work w/ Spain diplomatically, despite mounting pressure to intervene in Cuba  ◦ But he threatened U.S. intervention if they did nothing  ∴ General Weyler called back to Spain, concentration camp policy changed, and Cuba received limited self- government…but they wanted full independence  Shortly after, Cuban rebels intercepted a letter written by Spanish minister to the U.S. ◦ Called the President weak, stupid and a crowd-pleaser  Spain government apologizes but Americans infuriated over insult to their President ◦ ∴ American jingoism: aggressive nationalism that inflamed relations w/ Spain

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 Occurred a few days after the publication of the De Lome letter  266 men killed

 McKinley orders an investigation ◦ Looked like a mine blew up the Maine ◦ Today we know that…?  American public opinion explodes many call for immediate war with Spain

 Despite Spanish concessions, on April 20, 1898 Congress declared war on Spain. ◦ Public opinion largely supported this decision ◦ Teller Amendment: stated that the U.S. had no intention of annexing Cuba  The U.S. attacked Spain first, not at Cuba, but at the Philippine Islands. ◦ Strategic and unexpected move ◦ April 30: U.S. destroyed the entire Spanish fleet at The Battle of Manila Bay in a matter of hours

 Captain of the U.S.S Olympia, led the charge at Manila.  The Filipinos supported Dewey as they too wanted independence from Spain.  Emilio Aguinaldo – fighting the Spanish on land while Dewey fought them on sea  Gained independence from Spain in August when they surrendered to the U.S. “You may fire when ready, Gridley!”

 U.S.S. Olympia – Only surviving steel ship of the Navy’s Great White Fleet still floating

 Naval blockage of Cuba – kept Spanish fleet in the Cuban harbor of Santiago  Battle of San Juan Hill – U.S. victory  2 days later the Spanish tried to escape the blockade… ◦ Battle of Santiago De Cuba – U.S. destroyed entire Spanish fleet.

 Volunteer cavalry unit under the command of Theodore Roosevelt who gave up job at Assistant Secretary of the Navy to lead the unit.

 Rough Riders and 2 African American regiments (9 th and 10 th Cavalry) charged Kettle Hill paving the way for the infantry victory at San Juan.  Newspaper declared Roosevelt the San Juan hero.

 Cease fire signed between U.S. and Spain on August 12, 1898  U.S. Sec. of State, John Hay: “Splendid little war”  easy and decisive wins  December 10, 1898 meeting in Paris: ◦ Spain freed Cuba ◦ Guam and Puerto Rico to U.S. ◦ Philippines sold to U.S. for $20 million

 Debate in America over the terms in the treaty ◦ IMPERIALISM DEBATE ERUPTS  Did U.S. have the right to annex the Philippines?  President McKinley said he prayed for guidance on the annexation of the Philippines…

“There was nothing left for us to do but to take them all, and to educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize and Christianize them.” But, in fact, most Filipinos by 1898 had been Christians for centuries.

The Anti-Imperialist League  Booker T. Washington: Settle race problems at home before taking on social problems abroad  Samuel Gompers: Feared Filipino immigrants would take American jobs  WJB and Mark Twain both avid anti- imperialists  Treaty of Paris violated the Dec. of Indep. by denying self-government to newly acquired territories

 Treaty of Paris approved by Congress on Feb. 6,  1900 election  McKinley and TR “war hero” as VP  U.S. “empire” now included Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines  Left with the question: How and when would the U.S. expand further?