Reasons for WarGood Eh Bad 1.The US is directly attacked by a foreign nation Property of the US or its citizens (ships, overseas business, etc.) is attacked by a foreign nation To acquire new land or territory To protect foreign industries vital to the US (ex. Oil) Terrorist attack on US citizens or property To help a friendly nation that has been invaded by an enemy 7.To stop genocide DO NOW: Reasons to fight. Rate them (1-5). Which one is the best/worst reason and explain why? Once complete come up and mark your answers on the board

Chapter 18 Section 2 The Spanish – American War

Spanish Misrule in Cuba

In 1895, Cuban patriot Jose Marti launched a war for independence from Spain. Rebel fighters used guerilla tactics and hit-and-run raids against Spanish forces. General Valeriano Weyler responded…

General Valeriano Weyler: Spanish Governor of Cuba that used brutal tactics against the Cubans. He was responsible for detaining over 500,000 Cubans and killing over 100,000. *Americans sympathized with the Cuban desire for freedom.

President McKinley wanted to avoid war with Spain.

Yellow Journalism (Press):  Exaggerated publications; heightened dislike of Spanish government  Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World and William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal competed to publish the most grisly stories of Spanish cruelty, in order to sell more papers.

Yellow Journalism inflamed American emotions. In response, President McKinley warned Spain to make peace and sent the battleship Maine to Havana harbor to protect American citizens.

An explosion destroyed the Maine killing 266 U.S. Sailors. (February 15, 1898)

Remember the Maine!  People at the time blamed Spain.  McKinley still wanted to use force.  U.S. Navy was sent to blockade Cuban ports.  McKinley called for 100,000 volunteers.  In response to American actions, Spain declared war on the U.S.

The war began with U.S. victories in the Philippines.  George Dewey surprised and easily defeated a Spanish fleet at Manila Bay.  Rather than surrender to the Filipino independence fighters Spanish troops surrendered to U.S. forces.

Theodore Roosevelt Fights in Spanish – American War (3:09)

Theodore Roosevelt  Assistant Secretary of the Navy in the McKinley administration.  Imperialist and American nationalist.  Criticized President McKinley as having the backbone of a chocolate éclair!  Resigns from his position to fight in Cuba.

T.R. leads Rough Riders up San Juan Hill  5,400 U.S. soldiers die, 400 in battle, the rest from disease

DO NOW: Torture one to save one hundred. Would you approve it? Why or why not?

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 million for the Philippines.  U.S. becomes an imperial power!

Secretary of State John Hay called it a “splendid little war” Imperialism and the purchase of the Philippines led to much debate in the United States…

Americans Debate Imperialism William Jennings Bryan & Mark Twain:  Critics of imperialism  Attacked it, it was against American principles  The American Anti- Imperialist League was formed in 1899 President McKinley:  Supported imperialism  Argued the United States had a responsibility to “uplift and civilize” the Filipino people