The SpanishAmerican War The Coming of War 1898

The Spanish-American War

The Coming of War -1898 Cuba & Puerto Rico were Spain's last remaining colonies in the Western Hemisphere -Cuba revolted against Spain often -U. S. regarded Spain as being tyrants

Cuban Rebellion Begins -Cuba generated sugar in the mid-1800 s -1868 - Cuba rebels declare independence & launched a guerilla war = collapsed in 10 yrs. -rebels fled to the U. S. = Jose Marti – Cuban exile in NY who prepared/led new invasion of Cuba

Cuban Rebellion Begins -1890 s – U. S. and Cuba linked economically -bought sugar - invested $50 million in Cuba’s sugar plantations, mines, & railroads

Cuban Rebellion Begins -1894 – U. S. imposes a tariff on sugar = destroys Cuba’s economy -Marti attacks Cuba in Feb. 1895 -seizes control of eastern Cuba -declared independence – Republic of Cuba in Sept. 1895

America Supports Cuba -President Grover Cleveland declares U. S. neutral -many outside the Whitehouse supported the rebels Why would Americans support the rebels?

Causes of the Spanish-American War

Yellow Journalism -Yellow Journalism- sensationalist reporting, in which writers often exaggerated and even made up stories to attract readers -New York Journal- William Randolph Hearst -The Journal- Joseph Pulitzer

America Supports Cuba -Cubans did suffer horribly -Spain sent 200, 000 troops to put down the rebellion -General Valeriano Weyler aka “El Carnicero” -rebels destroyed American investments = hope for American intervention -Weyler sent thousands of rural men, women, & children to concentration camps = thousands die of starvation and disease

Calls for War -1897 – William Mc. Kinley becomes president -did not want to intervene - cost lives & hurt economy -tried to get negotiation between Spain & Cuba -Spain offers concessions = enraged Spanish loyalists in Cuba = riot in Havana -fearful for the safely of Americans U. S. sends the USS Maine in case of evacuation

Calls for War -February 9, 1898, a letter written by Spanish Ambassador to the U. S. was intercepted by a Cuban agent and leaked to the newspapers -De Lome letter- called Mc. Kinley weak b. c. he was trying to work things out with and practice diplomacy

Calls for War -U. S. S. Maine-exploded in the Havana Harbor (assume its Spanish) -Newspapers reported on the incident (many called for war) “Remember the Maine!” -April 19, 1898 Congress declared Cuba independent -April 24 th Spain declares war on U. S.

Factors Contributing to the Declaration of War