10.2 The Spanish-American War

U.S. and Cuba• Cuba was Spain’s colony, we were interested

because some businessmen had sugar companies there

• When Cuban leaders like Jose Marti called for a revolution (against Spain), we supported the Cubans

U.S. and Cuba• Spain sent General Weyler to tame the Cubans– He forced them into concentration camps, etc.

• The practice of “yellow journalism” focused (and sometimes exaggerated) on the horrible treatment of the Cubans

U.S. and Cuba• In the intercepted De Lome letter, a member

of the Spanish govt. insulted Pres. McKinley– The letter was printed in newspapers across the

U.S.– Naturally, this infuriated Americans• Even if McKinley was kind of a dud…

U.S. and Cuba• Feb 15, 1898 the U.S.S. Spain, which was

supposed to bring home U.S. citizens from Cuba, mysteriously exploded– We automatically blamed the Spanish, but no

one could prove it.– The rallying cry became “Remember the Maine,

to hell with Spain!”

U.S. beats up Spain• Attacked the Spanish in the Philippines (in Pacific)

before we invaded Cuba• We blockaded the Spanish fleet at Cuba, then

invaded with a poorly prepared army– We still won that invasion anyway– TR (before he became Pres.) lead his volunteers (The

“Rough Riders”) into the Battle of San Juan Hill

U.S. beats up Spain• In the Treaty of Paris (1898) we gained much

of Spain’s Pacific and Caribbean empire– We gained Puerto Rico and Guam for free– But we agreed to pay Spain $20 mil. for the

Philippines

• [BTW: treaties are named after the city they are signed in. Paris was the center of world then (and a pretty nice party town to boot) so many of history’s important treaties are called the “Treaty of Paris”]