1. Answer the following Question
“Spain used Cuba as a mercantile colony.” Assuming the above sentence is true, which of the following would also be true? (multiple answers possible)
Spanish & Cuban businesses equally benefit from their trade with one another.
Spain refuses to allow Cuba to trade with anyone except Spain
Cuba is used to harvest raw goods for Spain
Free Trade is encouraged and protected in Cuba by Spain
Spain controls prices, what is produced, who produces it, and who sells items in Cuba

2. Cuba, China, and Philippines: American Imperialism
Unit 4

3. Cuban History Cuba was conquered by the Spain the 1550s
Bartolome de Las Casas’s criticism
Spain had to colonize Cuba with mostly slaves
Spain used Cuba as a mercantile colony
With the fall of the Spanish Armada
England occupied Cuba and allowed Cuba to sells its goods on the open market.
England gave Cuba back to Spain later
Spain used Cuba as a mercantile colony again

4. America Makes Ties with Cuba
In the 1850s American investors started making building large sugar cane plantations in Cuba
In 1884 US removed its tariff on Cuban sugar – 10 years later America restored the tariff – and Cuban economy was destroyed
Because of American investments 95% of Cuban exports went to the US.
Cuban Rebels attacked and destroyed Spanish and especially American property in Cuba
Americans were split between whether to support Spain or Cuban Rebels
America wanted to purchase Cuba from the Spanish
America investors wanted to protect their plantations in Cuba
American people sympathized with Cuban rebels
Yellow Journalism – “[the Spanish] poisoned wells and children being thrown to the sharks

5. America Angers De Lome Letter
In this letter Spanish minister Dupey De Lome wrote a letter to a Spanish official in Havana calling President McKinley “weak”
Americans took offense to this, and this worsened American opinion of Spain
USS Maine explodes and Journalists blame it on a secret Spanish war machine
Later it was found out the explosion on the Maine was caused by an internal explosion of coal dust.

6. Journal Entries Newspaper Headlines
“Search for Missing Bride Continues”
“Bride Missing! Groom’s Family Blames History of Mental Illness!”
How do these Headlines differ? Consider the wording and how a reader might respond to each one of them.

7. Discussion What does each headline imply?
If these were articles, which would you have wanted to read first?
Which do you think would have been the most reliable story? Why?
Why might different newspapers choose to present the same event so differently?

8. Need to Know • Cuba was colonized by Spain.
Cuban rebels had been fighting for independence.
Spain was thought to be brutal in repressing the rebellion.
U.S. had business interests in Cuba.
President McKinley had sent the Maine to Cuba (Why? To protect American interests? To prepare for war? To intimidate Spain? This is debated by historians. . .).
Maine explodes on Feb 15, 1898.

9. Explosion of the U.S.S. Maine, Havana Harbor, February 15, 1898

10. Awake United States! Eagle soar on high, and sound the battle cry!
This song was rushed into print between the sinking of the Maine on February 16, 1898 and the declaration of war on April 25, 1898.
Eagle soar on high, and sound the battle cry!
How proudly sailed the warship Maine,
a Nation’s pride, without a stain!
A wreck she lies, her sailors slain.
By two-faced butchers, paid by Spain!
Eagle soar on high,
And sound the battle cry
Wave the starry flag!
In mud it shall not drag!

11. Discussion Questions According to this song, who sunk the Maine?
Does this prove the Spanish blew it up?

12. Newspaper Readings
Read the two stories & fill out the graphic organizer
15 minutes to complete and to me

13. Critical Thinking Journals
Freedom of Press is Guaranteed by the 1st Amendment.
As shown by the Yellow Journalism displayed in the events surrounding the USS Maine and the DeLome Letters, what sort of limits (if any) should be placed on Press to prevent a similar event from occurring?

14. War with Spain
Even though Spain agreed to everything the US wanted, US was thirsty for war at this point.
The Philippines was the first battle
Before the declaration of war . . .
Admiral Dewey set up spies in Hong Kong to gather information about Spanish Navy
Dewey’s fleet was low on ammunition so he had an American cruiser delivered to his fleet, and it stopped by Japan to buy ammunition
When war was declared the American fleet attacked and defeated the Spanish fleet. The Americans only lost one man

16. Know What This Is?

17. War with Spain American troops landed in Cuba
Rough Riders (Led by VP Teddy Roosevelt) and two African American regiments led an uphill charge that made the victory of San Juan Hill possible.
Roosevelt was given the Medal of Honor in 2001
After 4 months of fighting and then 4 months of diplomacy, America signed the Treaty of Paris of 1898, agreeing to 4 terms
Cuba would become independent
Spain would give Puerto Rico to the US
Spain would give Guam to the US
US would pay Spain 20 million for the Philippines

18. Cuba

21. Cuba
After conquering Cuba the American forces went on to take over Puerto Rico
After the Spanish American war, Cuba became a protectorate of America
Bad:
US put Cuba under military control
US left Spanish officials in office
The Cubans who protested were imprisoned or exiled
Good:
Military provided food and cloths
US helped restore Cuban farms
Built Schools
US eliminated the threat of yellow fever
Cuban leaders sign the Platt Amendment in exchange for the US military to leave.
Cuba could not sign treaties that would limit its independence
US reserved the right to intervene in Cuba to preserve independence and maintain order
Cuba could not go into debt
US could establish a military base in Cuba
US military intervened several times to put down rebellions against conservative Cuban leader

22. Philippines

24. Philippines
Filipinos felt that the US promised to give them freedom and now the US was betraying them by not providing it to them immediately.
Rebels led by Emilo Aguinaldo used Guerrilla tactics to fight the United States.
The US put down the rebellion 3 years later, costing the Americans 400 million dollars and 4000 American lives.
After the Rebellion Taft was appointed governor of Manila and he established programs to improve education, hospitals, and sanitation.
5000 filipinos were students in 1898, 1,000,000 were students in 1920.
The Philippined became independent on July 4, 1946.

25. China

28. China China was having many governmental problems
Afraid that a stronger nation such as Japan or the European nations would take control of China, the US Secretary of State John Hay issued the Open Door notes.
These notes stated that China was a free nation to trade with, but its independence as a nation would not be challenged.
The Boxer Rebellion
The Chinese government asked the US and other European nations for assistance in putting down a rebellion
After the rebellion was put down it was tempting for the other imperial powers to take control of parts of China
The US then issued a second set of Open Door Notes