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U.S. attempt to purchase Cuba
President Franklin Pierce was told that he should buy Cuba from Spain by American diplomats in 1854. Franklin offered to buy Cuba for $130 million. Spain did not react kindly to this offer. The Spanish said “they would rather see Cuba sunk in the ocean” (Littel 346). America’s interest in Cuba didn’t dwindle. -
Cuba's First War for Independence Pt. 2
President Ulysses S. Grant of the U.S. doesn't go along with the plan but the Latin American governments agree with it. Also in September of 1872 slavery is abolished. In 1874, when the rebel leader Céspedes is killed the remaining rebels go to President Grant for help, but he declines. A peace treaty is signed in 1878 marking the end of The 10 Years’ War. -
Cuba's First War of Independence
The 10 Years’ War started on October 10th, 1868. Carlos Manuel de Céspedes is the plantation owner that started the fight for independence. 37 other plantation owners joined him. Céspedes freed his two slaves and armed them. During the war American Civilians are making profit by selling guns to the rebels. During September of 1872 the foreign minister from Columbia suggests that the United States and all Latin American Republics work together to help Cuba get their independence. -
Jose Marti led Cuba’s Second War for Independence
The Cubans kept on hoping for separation and in 1895 José Martí launched a revolution. He was a Cuban poet and journalists who was in New York after being exiled there. He set up a “guerrilla” organization that was founded just to destroy property, especially the American-owned sugar mills and plantations. The reason for that was Martí wanted to stop the interference of Americans in order to get their freedom. -
The Yellow Press begun to shape American public opinion with respect to Cuba’s Civil War
After news came out of the many Cubans dying in the camps, American reporters and writers started publishing many exaggerated stories about the deaths of the innocent Cuban people. All these stories caused the Americans to sympathize with the rebels of Cuba. This style of writing (the exaggeration of stories to enrage and lure readers) would soon be known as yellow journalism. -
Valeriano Weyler was sent to Cuba by Spain
Once Spain got news of the damage being done by the Cuban rebels, the country sent in General Valeriano Weyler in 1896 in hopes of restoring order. The General’s strategy for doing so was to push all the rural cubans from central and western Cuba into guarded concentration camps, so that no one could aid any of the rebels. Almost 300,000 cubans inhabited these camps, and thousands died due to starvation and disease. -
Publication of the De Lome Letter
American’s wanted to intervene in this war for Cuba. When President William Mckinley came into office in 1897, he wanted to avoid war with Spain by taking more “diplomatic” measures in resolving the crisis. First, it seemed like his ways were working, but then in February 1898 the New York Journal had published a private letter written by the Spanish minister of the United States saying his thoughts on President Mckinley. -
Publication of the De Lome Letter Pt. 2
Many of the names he had called Mckinley were disgraceful and harsh. This embarrassed the Spanish government to where they apologized and the minister resigned. Now the American’s were very very angry with Spain. -
Explosion of the USS Mein
February 15 1898, a few days after the publication of the De Lome Letter. The USS Mein was sent to Cuba on a “friendly visit” and to protect American citizens during the Second War of Independence. Once the ship was anchored the Captain and the officers left right before the ship exploded. 266 American sailors were killed in the explosion. -
US declares war on Spain
In April 1898, the US congress gave the president authorization to use military force on Cuba. The Teller amendment was signed by President McKinley. The amendment said that the US is just intervening with the intention of peace, and it was sent to Spain. President Mckinley sent a blockade of ships along the northern coast of Cuba. According to the international law Spanish saw the blockade as an act of war and declared war on the US. -
US Declares War on Spain Pt. 2
As a response on April 20th 1898, the US congress formally declared war. To the Americans it is known as the “Spanish-American War.” While the Cubans call it the “American intervention in Cuba’s War of Independence.” Theodore Roosevelt lead 6,000 rough riders to attack Santiago de Cuba. Roosevelt and the rough riders overcame 700 Spanish defenders in one day. -
US declares War Spain Pt. 3
In mid-August, the U.S. and Spain signed a bilateral armistice which ended the war. In December, at the Treaty of Paris the U.S. gains control of Cuba, the Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico. -
Puerto Ricans Given US Citizenship
Wilson signed the Jones-Shafroth Act. The act made Puerto Rico a U.S. territory which granted Puerto Ricans statutory citizenship.
