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In 1854, American Diplomats tried to get President Pierce to buy Cuba from Spain. In response, the Spanish said that they would rather see it at the bottom of the ocean than see us own it.
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Cuba's first war for independence was led by Cuban-born planters and rich natives.
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Jose Marti organized a cuban resistance using an active Guerilla Campaign and destroying property, especially American-owned sugar mills and plantations.
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This happened in the 1890's. Also known as Yellow Journalism, The Yellow Press was basically a news paper article that would over exagerate or just make up stories of bad things that Valeriano Weyler would do. They did this to make him seem like a really bad person and also to start a rebellion.
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Spain sends General Valeriano Weyler to Cuba to restore order. He was not a peaceful man though, he was very mean.
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A Cuban rebel stole a letter from the post office that was written by De Lome, a Spanish Minister of the United States. The letter contained insults toward McKinley, and the rebel leaked the letter the news paper The New York Journal so they published it.
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President McKinley sent the USS Maine to Cuba to bring back American Citizens from the danger, but the ship blew up in the Harbor of Havana. More than 260 men were killed.
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After the USS Maine was destroyed, U.S. forces wanted revenge. So they declared war.
