-
U.S. attempts to purchase Cuba 1854
U.S. diplomats advised president Franklin Pierce to try to get the U.S. to buy Cuba from Spain. This is important because it shows that the U.S. wanted to continue building their empire. One excuse was calling it apart of Manifest Destiny. The U.S. also claimed that they wanted to kick out the Spanish tyranny as well as civilizing the Cubans while protecting them. But when the deal was inclined, Spain shot it down saying that they would rather see Cuba sink in the ocean. -
Cuba’s First War for Independence
Cubans rebelled against Spain between 1868 and 1878, American sympathies went out to the Cuban people. The Cuban revolt against Spain was not successful, but in 1886 the Cuban people did force Spain to abolish slavery. After the emancipation of Cuba’s slaves, American capitalists began investing millions of dollars in large sugar cane plantations on the island. -
Jose Marti led Cuba’s Second War of Independence
Jose Marti organized a Cuban resistance against Spain, using an active guerrilla campaign and deliberately destroying property like the sugar mills and plantations that were American owned. Marti counted on provoking the U.S. to intervene to help rebels achieve Cuba Libre! Even though Jose Marti died in his first battle. The Cubans got rid of the Spanish with the help of the U.S. -
The Yellow Press begun to shape American public opinion with respect to Cuba’s Civil War
The New York Journal led by William Randolph Hearst and the New York World led by Joseph Pulitzer were competing newspaper companies. When General Weyler from Spain began to set up concentration camps the stories were leaked to the U.S. newspaper companies. The two newspapers started to spin other stories to make them seem more enticing, which would sell more papers. The Yellow Press is important because it fueled American opinion to join the war. -
Valeriano Weyler was sent to Cuba by Spain
Spain responded to the revolt in Cuba by sending General Weyler to Cuba to restore order. He put the rural Cubans into barbed wire concentration camps in hopes to find out who the rebels were. About 300k Cubans filled the camps and many died of hunger and disease. These actions fueled a war on newspaper that had developed between US newspaper tycoons William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. To get more people to buy their newspaper they would exaggerate events that were happening in Cuba. -
U.S. Invades Cuba
American forces landed in Cuba after the explosion of the Main in the Caribbean in June 1898. The army of 17,000 included four African-American regiments of the regular army and the Rough Riders. They landed at Daiquiri to converge on the port city of Santiago. -
Publication of the De Lome Letter
On February 9, 1898 Enrique Dupuy de Lôme the Spanish Minister had written a letter to a government official in Havana. The ship that was carrying the letter had stopped at Cuba, and the letter was stolen. The letter then was sold to the American press where it was published which labeled President McKinley as “a low politician" and “a man who was weak and catered to the rabble” This made many Americans outraged and enhanced the war fever that was spreading throughout the country. -
Explosion of the USS Maine
On January 1898 the USS Maine entered the Havana Harbor. The next month it was blown up by a mine which tore the bottom of the boat off and sinking the Maine killing 260 people on board. The next morning parts of the twisted steel from the boat were recovered that were still afloat on the water. The Yellow Press blamed the Spanish, so McKinley ordered an investigation into who blew up the ship. After it was found that the Spanish did it, McKinley had no choice but to go to war. -
U.S. Declares War on Spain
After the U.S.S. Maine was destroyed, the Yellow Press was quick to blame it on Spain. Citizens that were pro-war intervention had the new rallying cry “Remember the Maine”. On April 11th 1898 McKinley asked congress to give him the use of military force on Spain. After a week of debating, Congress agreed to declare war on April 20th 1898. There was a group of Native Americans who was led by Buffalo Bill and Athletes would volunteer because of their physical abilities. -
Naval Blockade of Cuba
On April 21, 1898 the US Navy began the naval blockade in Cuba. Admiral William T. Sampson effectively sealed up the Spanish fleet in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba. -
U.S. Attack On Manila Bay
On May 1st at Manila Bay in the Philippines. General Dewey and the U.S. Asiatic Squadron destroyed the Spanish Pacific fleet in the first major battle of the Spanish-American War. 10 Spanish ships were sunk while only 1 american man was killed, by noon the Spaniards surrendered their base in Manila Bay. This showed the Americans strength making General Dewey into an American hero at the time. -
Battle for San Juan Hill
The battle in Cuba took place near Santiago. The first part, on Kettle Hill, featured a dramatic uphill charge by the Rough Riders and two African-American regiments, the Ninth and Tenth Cavalries. Gatling guns were used to take the hill. The Spanish weren’t use to these modern weapons and fled. Their victory cleared the way for an infantry attack on the strategically important San Juan Hill. Although TR played a minor role in the victory, US newspapers declared him the hero of San Juan Hill. -
Capture of Puerto Rico
American troops invaded Puerto Rico on July 25, 1898. Spain didn’t put up much of a fight; all the U.S. troops really had to do was to walk in and claim the land. The U.S. scrambled to get troops down in Puerto Rico before Spain surrendered. This shows that the U.S. wanted Puerto Rico apart of their empire. -
Armistice Is Signed Between the U.S. and Spain
U.S. and Spain signed a ceasefire agreement on August 12, ending what Secretary of State John Hay called “a splendid little war.” The actual fighting in the war lasted only 15 weeks. -
Treaty of Paris 1898
In 1998 the Treaty of Paris was signed by the United States and Spain on December 10th, 1898, and ended the Spanish American War. The United States then claimed authority over and title to Cuba, and ceded Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. -
Spanish Surrender the Philippians
April 30, 1898 the American Navy went to the Philippines. The next morning Commodore George Dewey gave the command to open fire on the Spanish fleet at Manila. A few hours later the whole Spanish fleet was destroyed This victory allowed U.S. troops to land in the Philippians. December 10 1898, Spain and the U.S. met in Paris to agree on a treaty. During this meeting Spain freed Cuba and turned over the islands of Guam and Puerto Rico. Spain also sold the Philippians to the U.S. for $20 million. -
Destruction of Spanish Fleet in Cuba
Two days after the charge of San Juan Hill, American soldiers attacked Santiago and the Spanish fleet tried to escape the American blockade of the harbor at Santiago. The naval battle that followed, along the Cuban coast, ended in the destruction of the Spanish fleet. Which was the beginning of the end of the war.
