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U.S attempts to buy Cuba from Spain
In 1854, the U.S always had their eye on Cuba but in this year diplomats had recommended to President Franklin Pierce that they buy Cuba. Spain didn't like the idea and would rather see Cuba sink into the ocean than see it in the hands of the Americans. The U.S attempting to buy Cuba from Spain is important because it was one of the events that led us to the Spanish American war and this war ended with the U.S gaining Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. -
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Spanish American War Timeline
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Cuba's first war for independence
1868-1878
The 10-year war was the beginning of Cuba's fight for independence from Spain. Native planters and other rich Cubans rebelled against Spaniards which was unsuccessful. They wrote a constitution that abolished slavery and annexed the country to the U.S. Cuba's first war for independence was important because this event was the first move to try to free Cuba from Spain. -
Jose Marti led Cuba’s second war for independence
The Anti-Spanish portion of Cuba was soon in the second war of independence. In 1895, Jose Martí, a Cuban journalist, had begun a revolution. Jose gave orders to rebellious Cubans to go out and destroy property. He had hoped that this would provoke the U.S into helping them but, the U.S was on the edge on who to support in the war. The cry "Libre Cuba!" was adopted and got the U.S.'s attention. This is an important event because this war was noticed by the U.S, unlike the first war. -
They sent Valeriano Weyler to Cuba by Spain
Valeriano Weyler crowded central and western Cuba into concentration camps to stop the rebellions. 300,000 people were shoved into these camps and most of them died from hunger and diseases. This event is important because Weyler's actions of mistreating the rebels made Americans sympathize for the rebels which made the U.S more interested in helping Cuba. -
The yellow press shaped American public opinion with respect to Cuba’s civil war
Weyler’s actions not only started a war in reality but also in the newspaper. William Randolph and Joseph Pulitzer wrote exaggerated stories, which became known as yellow journalism. They wrote exaggerated stories about Weyler’s camps and said that he was poisoning the wells and feeding children to sharks. This is important because these stories deepened America’s sympathy for the Cuban people and angered them even more. These stories weren't true but, the Americans didn’t know that. -
Publication of the De Lome Letter
This letter, written by Enrique Dupuy de Lome, the Spanish Ambassador to the United States, criticized the U.S President William McKinley. The letter called him weak and thirsty for the admiration of the crowd. The minister apologized, but the American’s were extremely angry over the disrespect to their President. After this, very few Americans wouldn't be angry to go to war. The letter is important because this made Spain a target for the U.S and made the U.S want to go to war with Spain. -
The explosion of the USS Maine
President McKinley sent the USS Maine to Cuba to go pick up any Americans that might be in danger. The ship had blown up in Havana Harbor and killed 260 men. At the time, in a newspaper, the Americans blamed the Spanish for the explosion, but no one really knows how it happened or who caused it. This event is important because it increased American's anger at the Spanish and made the U.S want to go to war with Spain even more than they already did. -
The naval blockade of Cuba
The U.S. moved their more advanced ships all the way around Cuba so that the Spanish could not escape. This led the U.S. to defeat the Spanish in Cuba. This was important not only because this was the first military action the U.S. had taken directly against Spain but also because the U.S. warships stopped the Spanish fleet from harming more Cubans. -
The U.S declared war on Spain
At this time, all the Americans wanted war. On April 11, McKinley asked the congress if we could go to war with Spain. This was a week debate but the congress ended up agreeing with Mckinley. On April 20th, the U.S declared war with Spain. This is important because the U.S going to war with Spain helped free Cuba. -
The U.S attack on Manila Bay
On April 30th, the American fleet went to the Philippines. On the morning of May 1st, Commodore George Dewey commanded to open fire on the Spanish Fleet. His men destroyed every ship at Manila Bay and allowed them to land in the Philippines. This event is important because it ended any threat from Spanish, the U.S. didn't lose a single man, and the U.S became a world power. -
The U.S invades Cuba
On June 12th, American forces met on the port city of Santiago and invaded Cuba. Our army contained 17,000 of men, including rough riders. This event is important because they finally landed in Cuba to protect the Cubans. -
The battle of San Juan Hill
The battle started off on Kettle hill with an upcharge of the U.S soldiers. The Americans gained an advantage to take on San Juan Hill. Many soldiers were gunned down but the rough riders led the U.S to victory. This event is important because it was a huge event that led to the surrender of Puerto Rico and captures Cuba. It also got the rough riders more popular. -
Destruction of the Spanish fleet in Cuba
On July 3rd, the Spanish fleet tried to escape the blockades the Americans made in the harbor of Santiago. The Spanish fleet ended up getting destroyed when they try to escape. This event is important because it shows how powerful American forces really are compared to the Spanish forces. This event also led the U.S. to gain an entrance to Puerto Rico and get more countries. -
The U.S captured Puerto Rico
General Nelson A. Miles led the invasion of Puerto Rico and secured the island with minimal resistance and only seven deaths. This was important because it helped the U.S grow and become more of a world power. -
Armistice is signed between the U.S and Spain
After the Spanish kept losing to the U.S, the knew they would keep losing so they decided to agree on signing an Armistice. The armistice made a truce to end the war between the U.S. and Spain until a treaty was signed. This event is important because they agreed to stop fighting which prevented more wars, casualties, and deaths from happening until they signed a treaty. -
Spanish surrendered the Philippines
The American victory led the Spanish to surrender Manila bay to the Americans at the end of the Spanish-American War. The U.S troop landed in the Philippines and gained support from the Philippines because they wanted freedom from Spain as well. This event is important because it made the U.S. more of an empire by gaining countries to form it. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was signed on December 10th, 1898 by Spain and the United States. This treaty not only ended the Spanish American War but also the U.S gained Puerto Rico, Guam, Cuba, and the Philippines. This event is important because it ended the war and more causalities from happening. It's also important because it's how the U.S gained Puerto Rico, Guam, Cuba, and the Philippines and became a world power.
