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Proximity
Diplomats recommended buying Cuba from Spain to the United States. If the Spanish didn't agree to their terms that we would declare war on them. -
Abolishment of Slavery
The abolishment of slavery ment a lot to Americans. When the Cubans forced the Spanish to abolish slavery, Americans could then invest millions of dollars in the growing industry of the sugar plantations on the islands. -
Free Cuba
Jose Marti, a Cuban poet and journalist in New York launched a revolution. He organized resistance against Spain by destroying property, especially the American plantation. Marti counted on provoking the U.S. for a Free Cuba (Cuba Libre)! -
Sympathy for Cubans
Valeriano Weyler was sent to Cuba to restore order by herding the population of Cuba into concentration camps. Here they could not give aid to the rebels. In those concentration camps over 300,000 were kept and thousands of Cubans lost their lives due to hunger and diseases. -
Yellow Journalism
Journalist William Hearst, who worked for New York Journal and Joseph Pulitzer, who was a journalist for New York World printed exaggerated news reports to make their stories more intersting and so people would be more willing to buy the papers. These exaggerated stories included poisoned wells and children being thrown to the sharks. -
De Lome Letter
When Mckinley took presidency, demands for intervention were high. Trying to avoid crisis, Mckinley tried to stear clear of war with Spain. The New York Journal then published a private letter written by Enrique Dupuy de Lome, Spanish Minister to the United States. A Cuban rebel had stolen the letter and leaked it to the press. The letter criticized Mckinley calling him weak and bitter. The Spanish were then embarrassed and then apologized. -
USS Maine
President Mckinley ordered the U.S.S Maine to Cuba to bring home American citizens that were in danger from the fighting and also to protect American Property. On Febuary 15th the ship blew up in the Harbor of Havana, killing more than 260 men. That ment war. -
War Erupts with War
Now there was no holding back the war! it made no difference that the Spanish government agreed to almost everything that the United States demanded, including cease fire. Despite the Spanish conccesions, public favored war. When Congress finally agreed, on April 20th the United States declared war! -
Manila Bay
The Spainish thought that the Americans would decided to invade Cuba, but instead they went to the other side of the world to the Phillipines. When they got there George Dewey gave command to open fire on the Spanish, in Manila Bay. After hours of war Dewey's men had destoyed every Spanish ship there. His victory led U.S. troops to the land of the Philipines. He has the support of the poople who also wanted to freedom from Spain. They came together and in August Spainish troops surrendered. -
San Juan Hill
This was the most famous battle . The first part of this battle was near Kettle Hill, the Rough Riders and two African-American charged uphill. Their victory cleared the way for an attack on San Juan Hill. Although Roosevelt only played a minor role in this victory. all the newspapers declared him the hero of San Juan Hill. -
The battle at Satiago de Cuba!
Only two days after the battle of San Juan Hill, the Spanish fleet tried to escape the American blockade of the harbor of Santiago. The navel that followed along the Cuban coast ended up in destruction ny the Spanish fleet. American troops then invaded Puerto Rico on July 25th. -
Aquiring Land
The United States and Sain signed a cease fire agreement, ending a war, They both met in Paris to agree on this treaty. Spain ended up freeing Cuba and also turned over the islands of Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States. They also sold the U.S. the Philipines for $20 million. -
Platt Amendment
In the 1900 the newly foremed Cuban government wrote a constitution for and indepedant Cuba. It did not specify the relationships between Cuba and United States. In 1901 the U.S. stated that Cuba should add to its constitution, now known as the Platt Amendment. It states that Cuba could not make treaties that limit its independance or permit a foreign power to control any part oif its territory. The United States reserved the right to intervene in Cuba. Cuba was also not allowed to go into debt. -
Foraker Act
The Foraker Act is when President Mckinley signed a law that established civil government in Puerto Rico. This government had a governor and an executive coucil appointed by the President, it also had a House of Representative, a judicial system with a Supreme Court, and a non-voting Congress. Including all of the federal laws were in affect on the islands.
