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The Spanish-American War
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U.S recommended to purchase Cuba
The diplomats racommended to President Franklin Pierce that the United States would benefit greatly if they bought Cuba from Spain. His reasoning behind this centered around the location of Cuba since it was in close proximities to Florida. Spain responded by stating that they would rather see Cuba sunk in the ocean. -
Empire Building
Around this time, the U.S decided that they wanted to join the imperialistic powers. In order to do this, they would have to begin building an empire. The world powers in Europe had already begun constructing empires before this time. In other words, the U.S was behind. -
American Investments in Cuba
After slavery was abolished in Cuba, Americans began investing millions of dollars in sugar cane plantations on the island. Americans refused to invest in these plantations before this time because slavery did not follow American morals. -
Cuban Revolution
Organized by Jose Marti, the Cuban Revolution aimed to ruin American sugar mills and plantations. It was a known fact the U.S would not help Spain, so this was a way to guarantee America's participation in the war, helping the rebels. -
Cubans Put in Concentration Camps
General Weyler tried to end the rebellion and restore order by placing the entire population of Cubans in centeral and western Cuba into barbed wire concetration camps. This way, the Cubans in camps couldn't help rebels. About 300,000 Cubans were sent to these camps and thousands died. -
Yellow Journalism Begins
William Hearst(New York Journal) and Joseph Pulizer(New York World) were competing for readers. They took the stories from the Cuban Revolution and exagerated them to obtain more readers. These stories created America sympathy for the Cubans. -
De Lome Letter
The New York Journal published the de Lome letter which was written by Enrique Dupuy de Lome, the Spanish minister to the US. The letter criticized President McKinley calling him "weak" and "a bidder for the admiration of the crowd." -
Sinking of U.S.S. Maine
President McKinley sent the U.S.S. Maine to Cuba to bring home the American citizens in danger because of the revolution and to protect American property. On Feb 15 the ship blew up in the harbor of Havana. The explosion killed 260 men. The reason the ship exploded is unknown, but it was blamed on the Spanish. The Americans now wanted war and their battle cry was "Remember the Maine!" -
US declares war on Cuba
American public opinion favored war. After a week of debating, Congress agreed to declare war. -
Battle for Manilla Bay
The first battle of the Spanish American war took place in the Philippine Islands. Commodore George Dewey gave the command to open fire on the Spanish at Manila Bay, the Philippine capital. The US Navy destroyed every Spanish ship there. This allowed US troops to land in the Philippines. -
American Forces Land in Cuba
American troops were mostly new soliders. They lacked adequate suplies and effective leaders. Despite all this, American forces landed in Cuba began to move towards the port city of Santiago. These forces included Teddy Roosevelt and the Rough Riders. -
Battle of SanJuan Hill
Victory at Santiago cleared the way for the strategic attack on San Juan Hill. Roosevelt and his units played a small part in this victory, but US newspapers declared him the hero of San Juan Hill. -
American Troops Invade Puerto Rico
Shortly after the victory at San Juan Hill, the American Troops invaded Puerto Rico. This was the final battle of the Spanish American War. -
Cease Fire Agreement
Signed by the US and Spain. It ended what Secretary of State John Hay called "a splendid little war." The war had only lasted 16 weeks. -
Treaty of Paris
The US and Spain met in Paris to agree on this treaty. These were peace talks. Spain agreed to free Cuba and gave the US the islands of Guam and Puerto Rico. They also sold the US the Philippines for $20million. -
Approval of the Treaty of Paris
The Treaty of Paris was greatly debated in the US. People didn't know if it was right to annex the Philippines because they didn't know if it was considered imperialism. On Feb. 6 this question was settled when the Senate approved the Treaty of Paris.
