1. America
Becomes
an Empire

2. become an Imperial power?
Why did America
become an Imperial power?

3. Cuba

4. The Imperialist Taylor

5. Spanish American War Spain, once a large colonial power has lost many
Cuba, Guam, Philippines, Puerto Rico remain
US asks to buy Cuba
Rather see it sink into the ocean!
Cubans rebel against Spain
US sympathizes with Cuba

6. Spanish Misrule in Cuba

7. Valeriano Weyler’s “Reconcentration” Policy
Spanish General sent to crush the revolt
300,000 Cubans sent to concentration camps

8. Yellow Journalism William Randolph Hearst – New York Journal
Joseph Pulitzer – New York World
Both are battling for more newspaper circulation
Yellow Journalism
Exaggerated news and headlines used to lure and enrage reader

9. William Randolph Hearst
Yellow Journalism
Joseph Pulitzer
Hearst to Frederick Remington: You furnish the pictures, and I’ll furnish the war!
William Randolph Hearst

10. De Lôme Letter Dupuy de Lôme, Spanish Ambassador to the U.S.
Criticized President McKinley as weak and a bidder for the admiration of the crowd, besides being a would-be politician who tries to leave a door open behind himself while keeping on good terms with the jingoes of his party.

11. Theodore Roosevelt
Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the McKinley administration.
Imperialist and American nationalist.
Criticized President McKinley as having the backbone of a chocolate éclair!
Resigns his position to fight in Cuba.

12. Remember the Maine and to Hell with Spain!
USS Maine sent to bring American citizens back from Cuba
Explodes in Havana’s harbor
Kills 260 men
Used as Propaganda
Reasons are unknown but headlines state it was a Spanish missile

13. Remember the Maine and to Hell with Spain!
Funeral for Maine victims in Havana

14. The “Rough Riders” Regiment led by TR into Cuba Charged San Juan Hill
Became famous through Yellow Journalism

15. The Spanish-American War (1898): “That Splendid Little War”
Is there such thing as a
“Splendid War”

16. The
Philippines

17. The Spanish-American War (1898): “That Splendid Little War”

18. Dewey Captures Manila! First battle is in the Philippines
Commodore George Dewey opens fire on Spanish fleet
Spanish defeated within hours
Filipinos support Americans

19. Dewey Captures Manila!

20. The Treaty of Paris: 1898 Cuba freed from Spanish rule.
Spain gave up Puerto Rico and Guam.
The U. S. paid Spain $20 mil. for the Philippines.
The U. S. becomes an imperial power!

21. Cuban Independence? Platt Amendment (1903) Becomes a US protectorate
Cuba must lease Guantanamo Bay to US for naval and coaling station (GITMO – Detention Camp)
Cannot enter into any agreements with foreign powers that would endanger its independence
US can intervene in Cuban affairs if necessary to maintain an efficient, independent govt
Cuba must not build up an excessive public debt.
Senator Orville Platt

22. Our “Sphere of Influence”

23. Philippine American War
US imposes same authority as Spain
Forced into “zones”
Revolt started by Emilio Aguinaldo
Took 3 years to crush rebellion, 20,000 Filipinos, 4,000 Americans and $400 m.
20 times the price

24. Emilio Aguinaldo July 4, 1946: Philippine independence
Leader of the Filipino Uprising against US
July 4, 1946: Philippine independence

25. The American Anti-Imperialist League
Founded in 1899.
Mark Twain, Andrew Carnegie, William James, and William Jennings Bryan among the leaders.
Against imperialism and the annexation of the Philippines