1. Events and Ideas #5 U.S. History Unit 2
Spanish-American War
Events and Ideas #5 U.S. History Unit 2

2. Contains: Crash Course video #28 – American Imperialism
Sinking of the USS Maine w/ questions
Spanish America War Summary

3. Essential Question:
What was the cause of the Spanish- American War and how did it effect the U.S. and the territories involved?

4. Background: Who? Where? Spain vs. America
Philippines, Cuba (Spain’s Colonies)
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, the result of American intervention in the Cuban War of Independence. American attacks on Spain's Pacific possessions led to involvement in the Philippine Revolution and ultimately to the Philippine–American War.
Revolts against Spanish rule had occurred for some years in Cuba.
In the late 1890s, American public opinion was agitated by anti-Spanish propaganda led by journalists such as Joseph Pulitzer and William Hearst which used yellow journalism to criticize Spanish administration of Cuba. After the mysterious sinking of the American battleship Maine in Havana harbor, political pressures from the Democratic Party and certain industrialists pushed the administration of Republican President William McKinley into a war he had wished to avoid. Compromise was sought by Spain, but rejected by the United States which sent an ultimatum to Spain demanding it surrender control of Cuba. First Madrid, then Washington, formally declared war.
Although the main issue was Cuban independence, the ten-week war was fought in both the Caribbean and the Pacific. American naval power proved decisive, allowing U.S. expeditionary forces to disembark in Cuba against a Spanish garrison already brought to its knees by nationwide Cuban insurgent attacks and further wasted by yellow fever. Numerically superior Cuban, Philippine, and American forces obtained the surrender.

5. USA
Cuba
The Philippines

6. Why?
Help give freedom to Spain’s colonies!

7. Crash Course Video: Episode: #28 – American Imperialism
Complete worksheet

8. Spain’s Reconcentration Policy in Cuba
What?
Civilians were forced into government run camps (with bad conditions)
Why?
Spain was fighting a guerilla war and needed to separate “good” from “bad guys
Reconcentration Policy
The Spanish (General Valeriano Weyler y Nicolau) understood very quickly that the key to a Spanish victory over the insurgents was to strip the guerrillas of their abilities to live off the land and camouflage themselves in groups of civilians. To this end, he began a policy of moving Cuban civilians to central locations where they would be under the control of the Spanish army.
In addition, he put the entire island under martial law.
The policy had disastrous consequences.
Unlike many concentration camps in the twentieth century, the idea was to keep the Cuban civilians alive and protected until the Spanish were victorious.
Unfortunately at least 30% perished from lack of proper food, sanitary conditions, and medicines.
The policy generated severe anti-Spanish feeling in the United States which helped propel it into war in 1898.
Finally, it did not benefit the Spanish in the war.
How did it lead to war?
Made Spain look bad in American eyes

9. American Economic Interests
What?
Many of Cuba’s sugar plantations were owned by Americans
Why?
United States was interested in protecting its economic interests
How did it lead to war?
Made Americans more likely to help out Cuba

10. “Yellow Journalists” What?
Newspaper created highly exaggerated stories
Why?
Make more $ if they keep US citizens concerned and interested
How did it lead to war?
It encouraged Americans to support the idea of war

11. “Yellow Journalism”
“You furnish the pictures, I’ll furnish the war William Randolph Hearst (ne
Why would this drawing that appeared in newspapers outrage Americans against Spain?

13. Sinking of the Maine in Havana Harbor
Why was the USS Maine docked in the Havana?
How many sailors were killed?
How long was the war?
What territories did the U.S. receive?

14. Sinking of the Maine in Havana Harbor
What happened?
USS Maine explodes in Havana, Cuba Harbor
Most Americans believe it was Spain’s fault
In 1976 US Navy analyzed the sunken ship, decided that the hull blew OUT not IN
The Maine is best known for her catastrophic loss in Havana Harbor on the evening of 15 February 1898.
Sent to protect U.S. interests during the Cuban revolt against Spain, she exploded suddenly without warning and sank quickly, killing nearly three quarters of her crew.
The cause and responsibility for her sinking remained unclear after a board of inquiry.
Nevertheless, popular opinion in the U.S., fanned by inflammatory articles printed in the "Yellow Press" by William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, blamed Spain.
The phrase "Remember the Maine, to Hell with Spain!" became a rallying cry for action, which came with the Spanish–American War later that year.
While the sinking of the Maine was not a direct cause for action, it served as a catalyst, accelerating the approach to a diplomatic impasse between the U.S. and Spain.
The cause of the Maine's sinking remains the subject of speculation.
Suggestions have included an undetected fire in one of her coal bunkers, a naval mine and her deliberate sinking to drive the U.S. into a war with Spain.
How did it lead to war?
“Spark” that started the war
“Remember the Maine! To hell with Spain!”

15. Headline of the Maine Explosion
Maine Explosion Caused by Bomb or Torpedo? 2/17/1898 New York World

16. War in the Philippines
In 1896, Emilio Aguinaldo lead a revolt in the Philippines against the Spanish
They lost and he was exiled to Hong Kong
When the U.S. declared war on Spain, they invited Aguinaldo to return to reignite the fight against the Spanish
Revolt Against Spanish Rule
In 1896, Aguinaldo took a leading role in the insurrection, against the Spanish government, which had controlled the Philippines for many years.
The Katipunans did not want Spanish rule. Aguinaldo showed himself to be an outstanding military leader, expert in using guerrilla military tactics to attack the Spanish. After Spain essentially trapped Aguinaldo and his rebels in mountain terrain, both sides decided to settle, and a treaty was negotiated with rebel leaders. Spain remained in control of the territory but promised to put reforms into place as well as pay a significant amount of compensation for damages. Aguinaldo was forced to go into exile in Hong Kong in 1897 as part of the agreement.
Participation in the Spanish-American War
When the United States declared war on Spain in 1898 at the start of the Spanish-American War, Aguinaldo went back to the Philippines at the invitation of the United States. As American naval troops attacked the Spanish troops, Aguinaldo reignited the Filipino revolt against the Spanish.

17. Battle of Manila Bay What Happened at Manila Bay?
Surprise naval attack sunk the crumbling Spanish Navy
The Battle of Manila Bay took place on 1 May 1898, during the Spanish-American War. The American Asiatic Squadron engaged and destroyed the Spanish Pacific Squadron. The battle took place in Manila Bay in the Philippines, and was the first major engagement of the Spanish-American War. The battle was one of the most decisive naval battles in history and marked the end of the Spanish colonial period in Philippine history.
Increased Americas confidence

18. Rough Riders Who were the Rough Riders? Who was their leader?
Teddy Roosevelt resigns as Assistant Secretary of the Navy to lead a “Cowboy Calvary”
Teddy’s popularity from this leads to his becoming Vice President and President

19. Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders
The majority of the men did come from the Western territories of New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma, and Indian territory.
cowboys made up the single highest occupation with 160 registered,
miners constituted the second highest occupation with 87,
ranchers and cattlemen
In the performance of San Juan Hill and in the Congress of Rough Riders, Roosevelt's group rode on horses and demonstrated their superior fighting prowess as the premium western man

20. San Juan Hill What famous Battle did they participate in?
Bloodiest Battle of the War
Decisive battle of the War
Greatest victory for the Rough Riders
“Buffalo Soldiers” (Blacks) or the 10th and 24th Infantry Regiments who did much of the heaviest fighting were ignored by the press.
The Battle of San Juan Hill (July 1, 1898), also known as the battle for the San Juan Heights, was a decisive battle of the Spanish–American War.
This fight for the heights was the bloodiest and most famous battle of the War.
It was also the location of the greatest victory for the Rough Riders, as claimed by the press and its new commander, the future Vice-President and later President, The American press at the time overlooked the fact that the
Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th and 24th Infantry Regiments had actually done much of the heaviest fighting.

21. Results
U.S. defeats Spain & becomes a world power

22. An American Empire is Born
When the war was over, Emilio Aguinaldo declared the Philippines free
The U.S. would not release the Philippines and fought with Aguinaldo and the rebels for three more years
Philippines is annexed by the U.S.
1946 Philippines becomes an independent country
This wartime cartoon from Puck magazine shows the American image of erstwhile ally Emilio Aguinaldo once he began his rebellion against American occupation of the Philippines. (c) Bettmann/Corbis
On June 12, 1898, before the conflict ended, Aguinaldo declared the Philippines free from Spanish rule. He then founded a Philippine republic on January 23, 1899, complete with a national flag and a national anthem. Aguinaldo was proclaimed president and established his capital at Malolos.
The peace treaty negotiated between Spain and the United States undermined Aguinaldo’s plans for an independent Philippines. The United States took over the Philippines as a possession from Spain. Aguinaldo started another rebellion, this time against the Americans already occupying his country. He eluded American forces for three years as he led other rebels in desperate guerrilla warfare. After being caught by the better-armed U.S. forces on March 23, 1901, Aguinaldo acquiesced to taking an oath of allegiance to America. On April 19, 1901, Aguinaldo publicly proclaimed peace between his rebels and the Americans. Hostility towards the United States eased as the United States began working with Filipinos to make the Philippines an independent country.
On July 4, 1946, representatives of the United States and of the Republic of the Philippines signed a Treaty of General Relations between the two governments. The treaty provided for the recognition of the independence of the Republic of the Philippines as of July 4, 1946, and the relinquishment of American sovereignty over the Philippine Islands.

23. An American Empire is Born
Puerto Rico becomes an unincorporated area of the U.S.
Allowed to become U.S. citizens in 1917.
Allowed to elect their own governor in 1947.
Allowed to elect their own governor in 1947.
i. Puerto Rico belongs to the commonwealth of the United States.
ii. Most likely Puerto Rico will remain the way it is.
iii. Yes, the U.S. is over their shoulder but they don’t pay taxes to the American government but they get the benefit of social security and other social programs.
Garita at Fort San Felipe del Morro in Puerto Rico

24. An American Empire is Born
U.S. promised Cuban independence but with strings attached.
Platt Amendment governed Cuba:
No treaty with other powers.
U.S. had right to military bases.
Cuban debts must be kept low.
U.S. right to intervene to keep order.
Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro, built in 1589 to guard the eastern entrance to Havana bay.
U.S. promised Cuban independence but with strings attached.
Platt Amendment governed Cuba.
i. No treaty with other powers.
ii. U.S. had right to military bases.
iii. Cuban debts must be kept low.
iv. U.S. right to intervene to keep order.

25. Results Becomes President in 1901 when President McKinley is shot
Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt is elected Vice President in 1900
Becomes President in 1901 when President McKinley is shot
U.S. maintains Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba

27. Spanish American War Summarized
AAJ0M Nice summary – no questions

28. Summary: Answer the Essential Question in a small paragraph
What was the cause of the Spanish- American War and how did it effect the U.S. and the territories involved?