AMERICAN HISTORY

 1890s—Only Spanish colonies in western hemisphere are Cuba and Puerto Rico  1868—Cubans launch a series of revolts to Spanish rule  Spain sent leaders of the independence movement into exile  Jose Marti—exiled to NYC in 1878  He promoted independence through newspaper articles and poetry

 Marti founded the Cuban Revolutionary Party in 1892  Feb. 1895—another Cuban revolt  Marti joined them in April 1895 but was killed in battle a month later  Spain sent soldiers to suppress the rebels in 1896  Spanish put Cubans into camps to keep them from aiding the rebels

 Nearly 1/3 of people in camps died from starvation and disease  Spanish mistreatment of these people shocked Americans

 Many Americans were sympathetic to the Cuban cause  THE MEDIA’S ROLE  Most people get their news from daily or weekly newspapers  NYC had as many as 15 newspapers  New York Journal—William Randolph Hearst; New York World—Joseph Pulitzer

 Both papers told scandalous stories and put shocking pictures on their pages  Sensationalist writing became known as YELLOW JOURNALISM  Both papers through their support behind the rebels and didn’t use any Spanish sources for stories

 THE EXPLOSION OF THE MAINE  Hearst thought the Americans should intervene in Cuba  President William McKinley was reluctant to involve the USA  February 8, 1898—Journal prints a letter written by Enrique Dupuy de Lome that was acquired by the newspaper

 The letter ridiculed McKinley for being “weak and catering to the rabble”  Americans were outraged  Americans wanted war with Spain  USS Maine was sent to Havana to protect American lives and property  February 15, 1898—Maine mysteriously blows up killing 260 sailors

 Journal accused “an enemy” for the bombing but there was no evidence  Historians believe a fire in the coal room caused the explosion  Americans blamed the Spanish  “Remember the Maine” was a rallying cry  Late March—McKinley demands that Spain give Cuba independence

 Spain refused  Congress declared war on Spain on April 25, 1898

 Spanish-American War lasted only 4 months  WAR IN THE PHILLIPINES  Asst. Navy Secretary Roosevelt had sent orders to Commodore George Dewey to attack Spanish fleet in the Philippines if war broke out  Dewey rushed to Manila Bay  May 1, 1898—Spanish open fire but US is out of range

 Dewey did not want to waste ammunition because resupply was 7000 miles away  American navy had boats with iron and steel hulls  Heavy damage inflicted on the wooden Spanish ships  All Spanish ships were on fire and sinking  No US casualties but 400 injured or killed on Spanish side in the Battle of Manila Bay

 Next move was to attack Manila with the help of rebel leader Emilio Aguinaldo  US sailors remained in the bay but cut off Spanish forces  Spanish forces in Manila surrendered on August 14, 1898  THE WAR IN CUBA  TELLER AMENDMENT—After Cuba freed itself, the USA would leave the government and control of the island to its people

 Victory in Cuba was more difficult than first thought  US War Dept. was not as prepared as they should have been  Soldiers had woolen uniforms for a summer war  Mess pans-tin plates issued to soldiers—left over from the Civil War  Canned meat in Cuba was so sickening it was called “embalmed beef”

 Most soldiers were enlisted, but some were volunteers  Most famous volunteers were ROUGH RIDERS—a group organized by Teddy Roosevelt  US strategy was to capture Santiago by controlling the hills surrounding the city  July 1—soldiers work to control the hills  Rough Riders gained control of one hill in the BATTLE OF SAN JUAN HILL

 For their heroic actions, 6 soldiers, including Roosevelt, were awarded the Medal of Honor  July 3—US Navy sank the entire Spanish fleet in Cuba  Two weeks later—Spanish troops surrendered  Soon after, the US defeated Spanish forces in Puerto Rico

 CONSEQUENCES OF THE WAR  Spain had to give up all claims to Cuba and cede the Puerto Rico and the island of Guam to the US.  Spain turned over control of the Philippines to the US for $20 million  The war cost the US $250 million and some 2000 soldiers died from Yellow Fever  US now considered an imperialist nation  Within a year it would acquire the Pacific island of Samoa

 ARGUMENTS FOR ANNEXATION  Duty to spread US values overseas  McKinley though we should “educate, uplift, civilize, and Christianize the Filipinos”  Others saw the islands as an economic and strategic place to refuel/resupply ships  People didn’t want the islands to fall into the hands of other countries such as Germany or Japan

 OPPONENTS’ VIEWS  Some felt the annexation would violate the ideal of self-government  These people formed the Anti-Imperialist League in June 1898  Some people thought annexation would lead to a flood of new immigrants  Samuel Gompers (AFL) believed this would hurt American workers

 AMERICAN RULE  February 6, 1899—US Senate narrowly approved annexation treaty  Emilio Aguinaldo threatened military action if the US tried to assume control  Fighting broke out for 3 years  Finally Aguinaldo was captured  Final casualties—US--4,000, Filipinos--220,000 (mainly from disease)

SStated goal of the US was to prepare the Philippines for independence UUS appointed a governor FFilipinos were allowed to select the lower house of the legislature 11916—Voters won the right to select both houses JJULY 4, 1946—Philippines granted full independence from the USA TTHE END