1. The Spanish American War

2. The Cuban Rebellion Spain “owned” Cuba and its people Jose Marti asked America for help; Cuba rebelled against Spain Spanish fought back by putting Cubans in camps, starving and hurting them

3. War Fever Cuba is close to America; Americans were worried about bad things happening so close Many Americans wanted to intervene; Cleveland wanted to do nothing, McKinley wanted to resolve it peacefully YELLOW JOURNALISTS wrote shocking (false) stories to promote war “You furnish the pictures and I’ll furnish the war”

4. “Remember the Maine” In 1898, McKinley sent a ship (The Maine) to protect Americans in Cuba Ship exploded; 260 people died America demanded Spain stop being cruel to Cuba; Congress recognized Cuban independence; Spain refused, US declared war on Spain

5. War in the Philippines Spain also owned the Philippines (thousands of miles away, near China) Sec’y of Navy Teddy Roosevelt wanted to prepare US troops for trouble in Philippines US supplied weapons, men for Filipinos to revolt against Spaniards; US took city of Manila frm Spain

6. Fighting in Cuba US traps Spanish army in the Harbor of Santiago US and Cuban soldiers on land drove off the Spanish Many US soldiers in Cuba were African American

7. The Rough Riders TR resigned as sec’y of the Navy to fight in Cuba Led Rough Riders (college kids, farmhands) at the Battle of San Juan Hill; captured it after two days of fighting This battle won the war; the US then took Puerto Rico from Spain, too. Spanish signed an armistice (peace agreement) and gave up.

8. “A splendid little war” Spanish American war lasted less than 4 months Not without problems; 400 soldiers died in battle, but 2000 + died of disease African Americans were discriminated against in army

9. Acquisitions Treaty of Paris (1898) is official end of war; ended Spanish Empire Cuba became a US “protectorate” (independent but technically under our control) Puerto Rico and Guam became US territories and we bought Philippines from them

10. Cuban Protectorate Many Americans didn’t want Cuba to be independent; didn’t think they could handle it. US Troops stayed in Cuba for about 3 years Platt Amendment gave Cuba independence, but made them agree to an American Naval Base and right to intervene in affairs

11. New Gov’t for Puerto Rico Foraker Act (1900) set up an American Gov’t for Puerto Rico By 1917, Puerto Ricans were given US Citizenship Many still wanted independence

12. Acquiring the Philippines Anti-Imperialists didn’t want foreign expansion (think about our history as a colony) Imperialists won the debate and took over Philippines with military gov’t. Philippines revolted; 4000 US soldiers died; 200,000 Filipinos died US decided to allow civilian rule (Taft!)- Philippines didn’t gain full independence til 1947.