review: the spanish- american war. spain in north america cuba – a spanish colony since 1492 cuban...
TRANSCRIPT
Review: The Spanish-American War
Spain in North America
• Cuba – a Spanish
colony since 1492
• Cuban nationalists
rebel in 1895
• Question for US:
what to do?
Spanish Oppression (?)
• Spain sends Valeriano Weyler
to put down rebellion
• Reconcentration camps –
isolate Cuban nationalists;
harsh conditions
• Americans sympathetic to
Cuban nationalists
• “Weyler the Butcher”
The de Lome Letter
• Published February 9,
1898 in the New York
Journal
• Calls McKinley “weak and
a bidder for the
admiration of the crowd”
• Angers Americans
Remember the Maine, to hell with Spain!
• US battleship
• Sinks in Havana harbor,
February 15, 1898
• 261 sailors die
• Cause later determined to
be an internal explosion
• Americans blame Spain
So why do Americans care?
• Yellow journalism – exaggerated or
sensationalized reporting
• Driven by competition for more readers
• Examples: New York Journal, New York World
• Publish aggressive, patriotic stories
promoting war with Spain
The Spanish-American War
• “Splendid little war” –
lasts about 14 weeks
• Two theatres
– Cuba: US invades and
wins
– Philippines: US Navy
defeats Spain
• Ends with Treaty of
Paris
The Treaty of Paris
• Spain leaves Cuba alone; Cuba
becomes “independent”
• US gets Philippines, Puerto Rico, and
Guam
• Debate in US over what to do with
Philippines
Why did the US go to war?
• De Lome letter
• Sinking of the Maine
• Yellow journalism
• Desire to expand – imperialism