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The Cuban Revolt Against Spain Begins
The Cubans revolted against the Spanish which led to the Ten Year War. They were fighting for independence. They were unsuccessful, but it eventually led to the abolishment of slavery in 1886. -
Mahan's Theory For Greatness
Alfred T. Mahan declared that to become a powerhouse country we first had to have a strong naval force. He also said if we took control of Hawaii, Caribbean Islands, and the Panama Canal we could be a huge force to recon with. Americans craved to be a powerhouse, so they sought out to do exactly what Mahan spoke of. -
Jose Marti's Revolution
The second war for independence in Cuba was led by Jose Marti. He did this by enforcing a guerrilla campaign and purposely destroying American property to provoke US intervention. Cuba Libre! -
Yellow Press
The Spanish/American war was known as the media war. Exaggerated headlines created chaos among the nation and got all Americans involved in the fight. The "Call to Duty" message was posted in the newspapers as well. It drew in 125,000 volunteers to assist in the war effort. -
Cruel Spanish Response to Cuban Revolt
Valeriano Weyler was sent to restore order and govern Cuba. His plan to control the rebels was called the "Reconstruction Plan". This plan involved sending Cuban civilians to concentration camps where hundreds of thousands died. -
The De Lome Letter
The De Lome Letter represented scandal in the United States. It was a private letter written by the Spanish minister, Enrique Dupuy de Lome, critizicizing President McKinley. However, when a Cuban rebel got his hands on the letter, it wasn't long until the New York Journal published it to the Americans, exposing the minister. -
The U.S.S. Maine Explodes
The U.S.S. Maine's task was to bring home American citizens in Cuba to protect them and American property from the fighting. The ship exploded in the Havana Harbor killing more than 260 men. The American newspapers blamed this tragedy on the Spaniards even though there was no real proof. This rallied the American cry for intervention in Cuba. -
War In The Caribbean
Adm. William T. Sampson led American forces in a naval blockade of Cuba. American forces were soon able to take control of the island and invade Puerto Rico. The Spanish surrender later in August. -
War In The Philippines
Commodore George Dewey and the American Fleet opened fire on the Spanish fleet at Manila Bay. They quickly destroyed all Spanish ships. This victory allowed the Americans to take control of the land in the Philippines. Here they joined the Filipino rebels and their leader Emilio Aguinaldo. Within months the Spanish troops had surrendered. -
San Juan Hill
San Juan Hill played a crucial role in the most famous land battle in Cuba near Santiago. The attack was led by the Rough Riders. Theodore Roosevelt who helped lead the Rough Riders was claimed to be the hero of San Juan Hill by the newspapers back in the states. -
Cease-Fire Agreement
This agreement ended the fighting in the Spanish/American War. The fight lasted only 16 weeks. -
Treaty Of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was the treaty that ended the Spanish/American war. It was also the start of the American empire because of these three reasons:
1. Cuba was freed, yet it was known as a protectorate to the US. This gave America control over Cuba in a twisted way.
2. Guam & Puerto Rico were given to the US.
3. The Philippines was sold to the US for $20 million dollars. -
Annexation Of Hawaii
Because the US was aquiring islands in the Caribbean and the Philippines, it was decided that Hawaii should be annexed too. Doing it all at once would make it seem less imperialistic and more as if the Americans were trying to assist the Hawaiians. -
An Imperialized United States
Once the Treaty of Paris was officially passed by the Senate, it was obvious that the United States had finally become an imperialistic nation with an empire of its own.
