spanish american war 1/28/15. president william mckinley started out his political career when he...
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Spanish American War
1/28/15
VS
President William McKinley
Started out his political career when he helped fight in the Civil War for the union side
He studied law which started his political career and later have two terms as governor for Ohio
After the panic of 1893, the republicans had the advantage over democrats Nominated McKinley as their presidential candidate
The Fight Over Cuba
America wanted to take over Cuba for a long time, since Jefferson Eventually they just settled with Cuba being independent
Cuba gained its independence from Spain in the mid-1860s United States wanted to support their independence
However Spain wanted to gain control of Cuba again
There was a mysterious explosion on the USS Maine in the Havana harbor
Spanish American War
McKinley used “yellow journalism” to try and start the war Use of sensationalism and exaggeration
McKinley asked Congress for a declaration of war Congress declared war on April 25, 1898
McKinley asked for volunteers to fight in the war
Splendid Little War
One of the most favorable wars in American history since the Revolutionary War
Teddy Roosevelt called the war a “Splendid Little War” because of its short time period Only lasted 16 weeks
2,500 died from mainly diseases like yellow fever
$250 million spent on the war
Events of the War An army of regular troops and volunteers under
Gen. William Shafter and including Theodore Roosevelt and his 1st Volunteer Cavalry, the “Rough Riders” landed on the coast east of Santiago and slowly advanced on the city in an effort to force Cervera’s fleet out of the harbour.
Cervera led his squadron out of Santiago on July 3 and tried to escape westward along the coast.
In the ensuing battle all of his ships came under heavy fire from U.S. guns and were beached in a burning or sinking condition.
Santiago surrendered to Shafter on July 17, thus effectively ending the war.
End of the War On August 12, Spain surrendered By the Treaty of Paris (signed Dec. 10, 1898),
Spain renounced all claim to Cuba, ceded Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States, and transferred sovereignty over the Philippines to the United States for $20,000,000.
The effects of the war was a turning point for Spain and America Spain turned away from overseas colonial prospects
United States emerged as a world power and major player in international arena
Platt Amendment
Sponsored by Republican senator Orville Platt in 1901 Cuba was required to provide land for American
bases To devote national revenues to pay back debts to the
US To sign a treaty that would be detrimental to
American interests and to acknowledge the right of the US to intervene at any time to protect its interests in Cuba
War in the Philippines President McKinley sent 5,000 troops to
occupy Philippines Main reason was to Christianize and civilize them
At first the Filipinos trusted the Americans at first and then realized that the Americans wanted to take over Modern warfare broke out
Conquest of the Philippines became a U.S. territory
White Man’s Burden
There were many critics against America’s takeover of the Philippines Mark Twain, Andrew Carnegie, William Jennings
Bryan, Harvard philosopher William James