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America Seeking Purchase of Cuba
Americans found interest in Cuba because of it's approximity, being 90 miles off the coast of Florida. Spain would have rather watched it sink in the ocean then to be owned by the United States. -
First Cuban War for Independence
Americans felt sympathy for Cubans rebelling and fighting for their freedom because they were once in their shoes during the Revolutionary War. -
Kicking Slavery to the Curb
On the seventh of October in 1886 Spain officially abolished slavery. This abolination made Americans even more intrigued to pursue Cuba. Before the abolination American's resisted investing in Cuba because slavery was not frowned upon. -
Investing in Cuba
Wealthy Americans wanted to invest in Cuba after the abolination of slavery. When slavery was abolished they could have sugar plantations without forced labor. -
American Press Stretching the Truth
Soon after Valeriano Weyler was sent to Cuba to restore order for Spain concentration camps were opened for civil citizens to stay while rebels were being shot and killed in the streets. American Press were exaggerating the truth by saying wells were being poisoned and children fed to sharks. American citizens were becoming furious with the Spanish Government by what they were reading in the newspapers. This soon became known as the Yellow Press. -
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Spanish-American War
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Leak to the Press
The New York Journal published a private letter in February of 1898 stolen by a rebel through a Havana post office in Cuba. The letter was written by Enrique Dupuy de Lome, The Spanish Minister of the United States. De Lome was criticizing McKinley saying he was "weak." -
Explosion in Harbor of Havana
The U.S. Military sent the U.S.S. Maine to sit in the Harbor of Havana for any one that needed to flee. It sat in the harbor for a few days before Febuary fifteenth when the ship unexpectingly blew up. -
Making Waves in the Philipines
The day before the battle American steam ships were sent off to the Philippines, the next day Commodore George Dewey told the soilders to open fire on the Spanish fleet in the Philippines capital of Manila. It didn't take long for the American troops to destroy all of the Spanish ships. -
Spanish Sealed in the Caribbean
After the War in the Philippines the Spanish saw that the U.S. navy was superior. The fight was becoming hostile, so Admiral William T. Sampson had to some how seal the Spanish fleets inside the harbor of Santiago de Cuba. He did this effectively, but U.S. did not have many proffesional forces, and had to train volunteers that were not prepared. -
Charge on San Juan Hill
After a battle at Kettle Hill, Teddy Roosevelt took his famous charge up San Juan Hill with the Rough Riders. -
Invasion of Puerto Rico
In the summer of 1898 US troops set sail to Puerto Rico. On July 25 the invasion began. The United States captured several Spanish colonies. -
The Runaway Empire
The Spanish-American war was shortly fought with the actual fighting lasting only 16 weeks. On December 10, 1898 Spain freed Cuba and turned over the island of Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States at the peace talks. -
Capturing an Empire
On December 10, 1898 while it was a sad day for Spain it was a joyous day for the US. At the peace talk the United States made an agreemant with Spain stating the US will gain control of Guam, Cuba and Puerto Rico. -
Treaty in the Air
(Please read in Southern accent) In 1899 on the sixth of Febuary history was made, the Treaty of Paris was signed. The treaty stated that Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines were now under the control of the United States.
