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McKinley Elected President
William McKinley promises to protect American business and to free the Cuban people. In his campaign these two promises were made which he must fufill. Spain is in control of Cuba at this point in time. The US did not begin to help Cuba until the next year. It was not until conflicts in Cuba against Spain arose. -
Period: to
The Spanish American War
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The Maine
Tensions were already present between Spain and Cuba. The US sent the Maine over to Cuba to protect American citizens and their property. It exploded in the Havana Harbor. The cause of the explosion is unknown but the US assumed that the Spanish were to blame. This event angered many Americans. -
US Declares War on Spain
The US declares war on Spain for the independence of Cuba. The US said they had no intentions of taking the island for itself. Spain agreed to all the terms of the US. They did not withdraw from Cuba. This angered McKinley who asked Congress to declare war on Spain. -
First Battle in the Philipines
Commodore George Dewey leads a US Navy squadron into Manila Bay and destroys the anchored Spanish fleet. The battle only cost 7 American seamen wounded. This was the first battle of the Spanish American War. The Spanish did not have the resources to beat the US in this battle. This will be similar in many of the upcoming battles as well. -
Battle of San Juan HIll
An attack was ordered by US General William Shafter on the village of El Caney and San Juan Hill. The US wanted to capture El Caney but the Spanish put up great resistance. The US troops were able to split into two flanks to take San Juan Hill and Kettle Hill. The Rough Riders, Theodore Roosevelt and his 1st Volunteere Cavalry, were in the right flank attacking Kettle Hill. Both places were taken over by the US. -
Battle of Santiago de Cuba
Admiral Pascual Cervera y Topete had been dispatched from Spain to be in Puerto Rico but then changed to Cuba. Cervera's squadron had more modern warships. They were equipped with torpedos. There were several American warships on their way to Cuba. The US wins the battle in the end but they also lost several lives in the process. -
Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris ended the war in December of 1898. It was negotiated between Great Britain and America. Spain lost its claim to Cuba as well as another one of its colonies, Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico became a commonwealth of the United States. Spain also gave up the Philippines and Guam. -
Cuba Under American Control
After the war, the US helped Cuba rebuild. They were under contorl by US troops. They started schools, built roads, and tried to improve health care. They worked on getting rid of yellow fever. They continued to support Cuba for two years. -
Platt Amendment
After two years, the US allowed Cuba to elect their own government. A new Cuban assembly wrote a constitution. This constitution included the Platt Amendment. The amendment stated that Cuba could not transfer any land except to the US. It also gave the US the right to intervene in Cuba.
