SpanishAmerican War Mr Mize Imperialism By 1914 European

Spanish-American War Mr. Mize

Imperialism � By 1914, European countries had seized control of almost all of Africa and Southeast Asia.

: Reasons for Imperialism � 1. ECONOMICS – European countries wanted raw materials and consumers for their products � 2. 2) DUTY – many Europeans believed that it was their duty to spread Christianity and culture to other “backward” people. � Example: “White Man’s Burden”, poem by Rudyard Kipling � 3. COMPETITION – European countries wanted to take over an area before their competitors were able to.

Reasons for Imperialism Captain Alfred Mahan believed the following: � Future prosperity depended on foreign trade. � The U. S. needed a large navy in order to protect trading vessels. � The U. S. needed to acquire naval bases throughout the world. � As a result, the U. S. had a large, powerful navy by the late 1890’s known as the • Great White Fleet.

Hawaii � Strategic importance of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. � In 1875, Hawaii agreed to give the U. S. control of the seaport Pearl Harbor. � U. S. Marines forced Queen Liliuokalani to surrender Hawaii at gunpoint in 1893.

Cuba � Just like Hawaii, Cuba was very important to the U. S. � Had natural resources ◦ Tobacco ◦ Cotton ◦ Sugar � This made Cuba very wealthy � Which is why Spain controlled it

Cuba � Controlled by Spain � Spain was largest empire in Western Hemisphere � Was losing power � More countries were breaking away � This cost Spain a lot of money � Ruled by Queen Regent, Maria Christina

Cuba � Cuba tried to win independence from Spain…twice. � The second time, Queen Maria wanted to teach Cuba a lesson � She sent General Weyler ◦ AKA Butcher Weyler

Cuba � General Weyler ◦ Spanish governor of Cuba ◦ Used brutal tactics against the Cubans. ◦ Responsible for detaining over 500, 000 Cubans and killing over 100, 000. � Americans sympathized with the Cuban desire for freedom.

Yellow Journalism � Exaggerated media that contains little actual fact or research � Joseph Pulitzer’s World and William Randolph Hearst’s Journal competed to publish the most grisly stories of Spanish cruelty. � Did this to sell more newspapers � Saw war as a way of making more money � “You supply the pictures, I’ll supply the war. ” Hearst

Yellow Journalism � Heart and Pulitzer created stories of a weak Cuba being brutalized by a bullying Spain. � This convinced Americans that they were responsible for helping Cuba gain independence