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U.S attempt to purchase Cuba
The U.S offered to buy Cuba, but Spain denied and said that they "would rather see Cuba sink into the ocean." When Spain stopped slavery in Cuba, the U.S. invested money in Cuba's sugar cane. -
Cuba's First War for Independence
Spain experienced increasing political instability, which was reflected in the colony, ruled by arbitrary and ruthless captain-generals.
This leaded the Cubans to fight for independence, in a war that lasted ten years. -
José Martí led Cubas second war for independence
José Martí was born in Cuba, but lived in exile in New York. He helped gather Cubans to fight against Spain, leading the Second War for Independence (the "Little War") which lasted one year.
José Martí also tried to get the U.S involved in the war. -
Valeriano Weyler was sent to Cuba by Spain
Spain sent Valeriano Weyler to Cuba to calm down the rebellions. He put up to 300,000 Cubans into concentration camps, where thousands of them died from hunger and diseases. -
The yellow press begain to shape American public opinion with respect to Cubas civil war
The yellow journalist were writing stories about wells that were poisoned and children were being throwen to the sharks. These stories made the Americans feel bad for Cuba and want to help. -
U.S Invades Cuba
American forces landed in Cuba and began to converge on the port of Santiago. The army included African-American regiments and the Rough Riders (volunteer cavalry lead by Teddy Roosevelt.) -
Publication of the De Lome letter
Enrique Dupuy De Lome wrote a letter, that was published in the New York Journal. The letter was previously stolen by a rebel and was sent to the U.S newspaper. In his letter De Lome said that McKinley was weak. Some of the citizens were upset that the leader of their country was being mocked, which got some of the more patriotic citizens involved in the war. -
Explosion of the U.S.S Maine
The U.S.S Maine blew up in Havana, Cuba killing 260 men. President McKinley sent the ship to Cuba to bring home American citizens and protect American property. No one knows why the ship exploded. The New York Journal wrote an article blaming the Spanish for blowing up the ship. -
Naval blockade of Cuba
Admiral William T. Sampson effectively sealed up the Spanish fleet in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba. It was the beginning of the hostilities in the Caribbean. -
US declare war on Spain
After the pressure from the citizens (due to yellow journalism), the Congress agreed that president McKinley could declare war. The U.S actually declared war against Spain after the bombing of Battleship Maine in the Havana harbor. Part of the reason was to give support to Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines to be independent from Spain. -
Spanish surrender the Philippines
After the surrender of the Philippines, United States and Spain met in Paris to agree on a treaty, which ended up with the purchase of the Philippines to the United States for $20 million. -
U.S. Attack on Manila Bay the Philippine Capital
Commodore George Dewey told the U.S military to shoot at the Spanish ships in Manila. The U.S millatary destoryed every Spanish ship in Manila. After they got ride of the ships the U.S was able to land there and help the Philippines. -
Battle for San Juan Hill
The Battle on San Juan Hill is one of the most famous battles to take place in Cuba. The first part of the battle took place on Kettle Hill and started with an uphill charge led by the Rough Riders and two African-American regiments. -
Destruction of the Spanish fleet in Cuba
After the victory at San Juan Hill, the Spanish fleet tried to escape the American blockade of the harbor in Santiago. The naval battle that followed, along the Cuban coast, ended in the destruction of the Spanish fleet. -
Capture of Puerto Rico
After the victory at San Juan Hill, the Spanish fleet tried to escape the American blockade of the harbor at Santiago. On the heels of this victory, American troops invaded Puerto Rico. -
Armistice is signed between the U.S. and Spain
It was a cease-fire agreement, which ended the war after only 15 weeks of fighting. -
Treaty of Paris of 1898
The treaty between United States and Spain, resulted with
Spain freeing Cuba, turning over the islands of Guam in the Pacific, and Puerto Rico in the West Indies to the United
States, and selling the Philippines.
The treaty started a great debate in the United States about the issue of imperialism.
