-
U.S Attempts to Purchase Cuba
The United States had long held an interest in Cuba, which lied 90 miles south of Florida. In 1854, diplomats recommended to President Franklin Pierce to buy Cuba from Spain. The Spanish responded by saying "they would rather see Cuba sunk in the ocean." -
Period: to
Cuba's first war for independence
Even though America supported Cuba's revolt from Spain. Cuba was unsuccessful from gaining their independence from Spain. But Cuba made Spain abolish slavery in 1886. -
The Second War for Independence
Marti organized Cuban resistance against Spain, using an active
guerrilla campaign and deliberately destroying property,
especially American-owned sugar mills and plantations. -
Valeriano Weyler
Valeriano Weyler was sent to Cub by Spain to restore order. Weyler tried to crush the rebellion by herding the rural population of central and western Cubans into barbed wire concentration camps. They couldn't aid the rebels here. An estimated 300,000 Cubans were sent here. Where thousands died from hunger and disease. -
The Yellow Press
To lure readers, Hearst’s New York Journal and Pulitzer’s New York World printed exaggerated forms of stories—by reporters such as
James Creelma -- of “Butcher” Weyler’s brutality. Stories of poisoned wells and of children being thrown to the sharks deepened American sympathy for the rebels.This sensational style of writing, which exaggerates the news to lure and enrage
readers, became known as yellow journalism -
The De Lome Letter
The New York Journal published a private letter written by Enrique Dupuy de Lome he was the Spanish minister and it was meant to go to the United States but it was leaked by a Cuban rebel in Havana and the paper was talking on how Mckinley was 'weak' 'a bidder for an admiration of a crowd'. -
Explosion of the USS Maine
A few days after the publication of the de Lôme letter, American small resentment towards Spain turned to outrage. Early in 1898, McKinley had ordered the U.S.S. Maine to Cuba to bring home American citizens in danger from the fighting to protect American property. On February 15, 1898, the ship blew up in the harbor of Havana. More than 260 men were killed. Nobody really knew why the ship blew up but a few days later the American Newsletter blamed it on the Spanish and war was declared. -
U.S Declares War on Spain
The U.S. declared war on Spain. Since the U.S.S. Maine exploded in a Spain port the U.S. blamed Spain for it propelling us into the war. Spain tried to not go to war with the U.S. by doing everything we wanted including a 6 month cease fire. But it didn't work on April 20th the U.S. declared war. -
Naval Blockade of Cuba
Admiral William T. Sampson sealed up the Spanish fleet in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba. So that troops could safely land on the island without being contested. -
U.S. invades Cuba
We started the invasion. By blockading Cuba's ports. William T. Sampson. sealed the Spanish naval fleet in harbor of Santiago de Cuba. About 125,000 people volunteered to fight in Cuba. -
U.S. Attacks Manila Bay
In the morning General George Dewey ordered the american naval fleet to fire upon the Spanish at Manila bay. Within hours of the firing almost the entire Spanish fleet was destroyed at Manila bay. This turned into a victory and took the Philippines. -
Period: to
Spanish Surrender in the Philippines
The Spanish thought that the war would start in Cuba. But the first battle started in the Spanish colonies of the Philippines. In the morning on April 30th Commodore George Dewey gave the signal to open fire.In a couple hours Manila was destroyed and after months of fighting the Spanish surrendered the Philippines in August. -
Battle of San Juan Hill
The most famous land battle in Cuba took place near Santiago on July 1. The first part of the battle was near Kettle Hill featured a dramatic uphill battle. the Rough Riders and two African-American regiments, the Ninth and Tenth Cavalries. The victory cleared out for infantry attack to take San Juan Hill. -
Destruction of the Spanish fleet in Cuba
Two days after the battle on San Juan Hill, the Spanish
fleet tried to escape the American blockade on the harbor of Santiago. A naval battle followed and ended in the destruction of the Spanish fleet. After the victory American troops invaded Puerto
Rico. -
Armistice is signed between the U.S and Spain.
The United States and Spain signed an armistice on August 12, a cease-fire agreement, that the Secretary of State John Hay called “a splendid little war.” The war lasted about 15 weeks. -
Treaty of Paris
December 10, 1898, the United States and Spain met in Paris to agree on a treaty. Spain freed Cuba and turned over the
islands of Guam in the Pacific and Puerto Rico in the West Indies to the United States. Spain also sold the Philippines to the United States for $20 million. -
Capture of Puerto Rico
When the Americans and Spain discussed the Treaty of Paris. Spain gave America Guam and Puerto Rico in the deal. So Puerto Rico was not captured by battle but by discussion it was captured.
