Spanish-American War
By: Stephanie Douglas
Letter from a columist
In the 1800s Cuba wanted their own freedom from Spain. After their first revolt was crushed they mounted a second rebellion. They used Gorilla Warfare tactics. This caught Spain by surprise, in response they took Civilians and put them into re-concentration camps. These were meant to be a good thing, however, 400,000 Cubans died in these camps. In the U.S newspapers were extremely popular. Newspapers saw the Cubans revolt as a good story to sell newspapers. In order to get a leg up reporters were allowed to be careless with their information and often stretched truths and flat out lied. These stories were not accurate at all, but they sold to the American people who saw this as a reminder of their Revolutionary War.
De Lome Letter and the USS Maine
Spain's ambassador to the U.S wrote a letter to a friend in Cuba calling the President weak and a terrible politician. Before this letter reached Cuba, it was intercepted and published. Americans were offended by this Spaniard's opinion on their Country's leader, and grew angry at Spain. The U.S sent one of their naval ships, the USS Maine, to protect American citizens in Spain. While in stationed in its harbor there was an explosion and the ship sank. Newspapers fed off of American's anger at Spain, and blamed the explosion on them before getting any of the facts. Americans quickly began calling for war with Spain.
Rough Riders and San Juan Hill
The U.S sent their navy to the Philipeens. There they quickly destroyed the Spanish fleet. From there the U.S sent special soldiers called Rough Riders to claim Cuba. These soldiers quickly took Kettle Hill and then fought their way through San Juan Hill. With Spain quickly loosing Cuban land and without a Navy for backup, after four months Spain surrendered. Cuba was free.
Anti-imperialist League and the Platt Amendment
In the cartoon below you see a character representing the U.S standing taller than the other people in the image. You see a Tailor 'preparing' the U.S for its new role as a world power. You also see three other 'countries' ready to serve the U.S this is a result of the Platt Amendment.
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