Aim: Was the U.S. justified going to war with Spain in 1898? Do Now: Articles http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/theodore-roosevelt/videos/roosevelt-fights-in-spanish-american-war

The Spanish Empire at its height

I. The Spanish-American War (1898) Causes: 1. Humanitarian: Help the “poor” Cubans and Filipinos under Spanish rule “No man’s life is safe in Cuba. Americans are imprisoned or slain without cause…Blood on the roadsides, blood in the fields, blood on the doorsteps…blood, blood, blood!...Is there no nation brave enough to aid this blood-smitten land?”-New York World, May 17th, 1896

2. Jingoism: intense patriotism Jingo=war hawk

“You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war” -William Randolf Hearst (newspaper tycoon) to Fredric Remington (artist/painter) 3. Yellow Journalism: -sensationalistic, exaggerated journalism -intent is to sell papers, NOT report the truth -Joseph Pulitzer-New York World -William Randolph Hearst-New York Journal

4. The De Lome Letter: A letter by a Spanish diplomat that insulted President McKinley "... McKinley is weak and catering to the rabble, and, besides, a low politician, who desires to leave a door open to me and to stand well with the jingoes of his party." On February 9, 1898, the letter was published in the New York Journal, headlining it "THE WORST INSULT TO THE UNITED STATES IN ITS HISTORY".

5. The sinking of the U.S.S. Maine: Feb 15th, 1898 (260 of 354 dead)

6. Protect U.S. business interests in Cuba ($50 million in sugar and tobacco plantations)

The War May to August 1898 300,000 American troops 5,000 American deaths, 400 from battle

The Rough Riders

B. Outcome of the War Spain is defeated and stripped of her empire The U.S. Acquires the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam (turning point from nation to empire) The Platt Amendment (1901): Cuba agreed to: Give the U.S. a naval base (Guantanamo Bay) Permit the U.S. to intervene in Cuba’s affairs to preserve independence and maintain order

President McKinley on the Philippines I walked the floor of the White House night after night until midnight; and I am not ashamed to tell you, gentlemen, that I went down on my knees and prayed Almighty God for light and guidance more than one night. And one night late it came to me this way—I don’t know how it was, but it came: (1) That we could not give them back to Spain—that would be cowardly and dishonorable; (2) that we could not turn them over to France and Germany—our commercial rivals in the Orient—that would be bad business and discreditable; (3) that we could not leave them to themselves—they were unfit for self-government—and they would soon have anarchy and misrule over there worse than Spain’s was; and (4) that 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, and by God’s grace do the very best we could by them, as our fellow-men for whom Christ also died