Ch 18: Emerging World Power Section 2: The Spanish American War
The Imperialist Tailor
Cuba
Spanish Misrule in Cuba
Cuba Under Spanish Rule Cuban Revolts took place from 1860’s-1890’s The Cuban War for Independence: 1895 Spain would exile or kill the leaders of this movement (Jose Marti, exiled to Spain then US) Spain placed Cuban farmers in work camps (200,000 dead) Most Americans sympathized with the Cubans, found similarities with Cubans from the American Revolution
Valeriano Weyler’s “Reconcentration” Policy
Yellow Journalism A type of journalism that distorts and exaggerates the news to create sensations and attract readers William Randolph Hearst vs Joseph Pulitzer. New York Journal New York World
“Yellow Journalism” & Jingoism William Randolph Hearst Joseph Pulitzer Hearst to Frederick Remington: You furnish the pictures, and I’ll furnish the war! William Randolph Hearst
Characteristics of Yellow Journalism Headlines in huge print, often of minor news Many pictures, or imaginary drawings use of faked interviews, misleading headlines, and false information from so-called experts dramatic sympathy with the "underdog" against the system. Emotional words and symbols; scare tactics
How the War came about… McKinley, a Civil War veteran, was not willing to go to war (despite intense media pressure) The Spanish had declared McKinley “weak” in a letter (deLome)published by William Randolph Hearst(NY Newspaper man responsible for Yellow Press) The American people viewed this as an obvious insult and it fueled American jingoism (aggressive nationalism) Outraged McKinley sent the USS Maine to Havana Harbor to protect US interests($50 million in sugar cane) and citizens in Cuba (and to show he was “tough”)
De Lôme Letter Dupuy de Lôme, Spanish Ambassador to the U.S. Criticized President McKinley as weak and a bidder for the admiration of the crowd, besides being a would-be politician who tries to leave a door open behind himself while keeping on good terms with the jingoes of his party.
USS Maine While in port the Maine explodes killing 260 sailors Immediately, the US blames the Spanish for blowing up the ship The public was enraged and demanded reaction, “THE DESTRUCTION OF THE MAINE WAS THE WORK OF THE ENEMY!” read a newspaper In reality it appears an explosion in the engine room was responsible
USS Maine
Theodore Roosevelt Assistant Secretary of the Navy. “I should welcome almost any war, for I think this country needs one” First Volunteer Cavalry, nicknamed the "Rough Riders.“ Stop, drop, that’s how rough riders roll…..(DMX)
Remember the Maine and to Hell with Spain! Funeral for Maine victims in Havana
Remember The Maine! April 11th: McKinley requests permission from Congress to go to war in the “name of humanity” April 25th: Congress declared War on Spain Teller Amendment: Once Cuba won its independence the US would leave the island to the control of its people
The Philippines
The Spanish-American War (1898): “That Splendid Little War”
Dewey Captures Manila!
Emilio Aguinaldo July 4, 1946: Philippine independence Leader of the Filipino Uprising. July 4, 1946: Philippine independence
Dewey Takes the Philippines p. 595 Where did the US first attack at the outbreak of the Spanish American War and why? Did Dewey face heavy resistance in the Philippines? Which Filipino Nationalist was also fighting the Spanish in the Philippines?
William H. Taft, 1st Gov.-General of the Philippines Great administrator.
The “Rough Riders”
War in Cuba p. 595-596 What obstacles did the US soldiers face in Cuba? Who were the Rough Riders and what battle did they make famous? How many soldiers died and what were the main causes? Map Exercise
The Treaty of Paris: 1898 Cuba was freed from Spanish rule. Spain gave up Puerto Rico and the island of Guam. The U. S. paid Spain $20 mil. for the Philippines. The U. S. becomes an imperial power!
Effects Of The War Sec of State John Hay called it the “splendid little war” but it created a new problem for the US, what to do with the territories the US had freed The Treaty of Paris in 1898 ended the war and forced Spain to surrender Cuba, Puerto Rico and Guam and the US paid Spain $20 million for the Philippines The Teller Amendment would not allow the US to take Cuba but said nothing of the Philippines and created a controversy over imperialism in the US Spanish American War Video