1. Origins
Spanish-American War

2. Spain Spain had once been the greatest empire in the world
However, by 1890 Spain’s overseas empire had been reduced to Cuba, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and a few smaller islands

3. Cuba Most Cubans were poor and worked manual labor
Worked on Sugar and Tobacco Plantations
The U.S. raised its tariff on foreign sugar (1894)
This made it hard for Cuba to export its sugar… which led to VERY high unemployment

4. Cuba’s Need for Independence
Jose Marti led a group of Cuban exiles (living in the U.S.) back to Cuba to declare Cuba’s Independence
Spain sent the Spanish Army to crush the rebellion
Spain used VERY brutal methods to repress an uprising. To isolate rebels, entire villages were forced into camps surrounded by barbed wire. Many died of disease and starvation

5. Yellow Journalism
The events taking place in Cuba raised humanitarian concerns across the U.S.
New York World : Joseph Pulitzer
New York Journal : William Randolph Hearst
These newspapers DELIBERATELY sensationalized the news, depicting the Spaniards as murderous brutes in order to sell more newspapers (known as Yellow Journalism).

6. Yellow Journalism
The extremely unbalanced reporting increased the paper’s circulation
Gave American’s an inaccurate picture of events taking place in Cuba
American’s began to want to get involved
American’s wanted to protect their investments in Cuba and protect trade with Cuba.

7. Triggers (De Lome)
De Lome Letter: The Spanish Ambassador (De Lome) sent a letter that was intercepted and then Printed in U.S. newspapers. It called American President McKinley weak and outraged Americans.
How does that make a group of people look if their leader is “weak” and unable to do things?

8. Triggers (U.S.S. Maine)
Maine sent to Cuba to protect the lives and property of Americans that were in Cuba.
It was anchored in Havana Harbor
Exploded for unknown reasons. Even though the cause remained unknown, Hearst and Pulitzer newspapers blamed the Spanish for sabotage.
It sunk and killed 258 sailors and injured many others.

9. Triggers (U.S.S. Maine)
The Sinking of the U.S.S. Maine set off a firestorm of protests in the U.S.
Spanish government was willing to halt fighting against the Cuban rebels and open the camps full of Cuban prisoners, but refused to grant Cuba its independence.
Remember the Maine! To Hell with Spain!!!