Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

The Cause and Effect of the Spanish American War

Better Essays
1004 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Cause and Effect of the Spanish American War
“American imperialism in 1898 was not a sudden abandonment of anti-colonial tradition but was a logical extension of commercial expansion, something the US had been doing throughout its history” (SparkNotes: The Spanish American War, 1898-1901,: Effects of the Treaty). President McKinley was not interested in wars of conquest or of territorial aggression. His interest in expansion was “to make the United States first in international commerce and as a means to implement its humanitarian and democratic goals” (Faragher, J., Buhle, M. J., & Armitage, S. H. ,2008, Out of Many, A History of the American People, 6th ed., Vol. 2, p. 561). McKinley would eventually be forced to act in a humanitarian effort for the people of Cuba and to protect America’s interest against Spain’s domination of Cuba.
“The immediate origins of the 1898 Spanish-American War began with the Wilson-Gorman Tariff of 1894. The American tariff…put restrictions on sugar imports to the United States; severely hurt the economy of Cuba, which was based on producing and selling sugar” (SparkNotes: The Spanish American War, 1898-1901,: Summery). Spain began imposing unreasonable high taxes on Cuba. Spanish troops ambushed and killed Cuba’s leader, José Martí and appointed General Valeriano Weyler as governor with orders to crush the Cuban rebellion. Weyler instituted concentration camps and forced the Cuban citizens into them so they could not aid the fight for freedom. These innocents starved and died from disease in the unlivable conditions of these camps.
Spanish atrocities against Cuban rebels were widely reported to Americans in newspaper publications. Publishers Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst used ‘yellow journalism’ to boost publications sales and to stir up sympathy for Cuba and patriotism of Americans. They ran sensational and false stories of mass executions and starving children (Faragher, J., 2008, Out of Many). “Hearst 's New York Journal published a leaked letter in which the chief Spanish diplomat in Washington… described President McKinley as "weak" and a "petty politician." Hearst publicized the…letter under the screaming headline: "WORST INSULT TO THE UNITED STATES IN ITS HISTORY"” (HIS104 U.S. History Since 1877 30-Jun-2008, OL20).
The battleship, USS Marine was stationed in Havana’s harbor to protect American interest in Cuba. An explosion destroyed the vessel on February 15, 1898. “A naval court of inquiry blamed the explosion on a mine, further inflaming public sentiment against Spain” (HIS104 U.S. History Since 1877 30-Jun-2008, OL20). Again, the press stirred up the public with stories and headlines of a Spanish conspiracy. American now demanded revenge for the deaths of 266 sailors (Faragher, J., 2008, Out of Many). President McKinley demanded that Spanish government end brutality of the Cuban people, engage in armistice, and promise the eventual independence of Cuba. Upon Spain’s refusal, McKinley asked for a declaration of war. (HIS104 U.S. History, Lecture, 30-Jun-2008, OL20). “In order to assure the world that it was fighting only for the good of Cuba and not for colonial gain, the US passed the Teller Amendment, which promised to make Cuba independent after the war was over” (SparkNotes: The Spanish American War, 1898-1901: Summary).
The “Splendid Little War” lasted but 12 weeks at the cost of some 500 Americans lives in the war with countless others dying of disease. Although Cuba gained its independence from Spain, it was now obligated to uphold The Platt Amendment, giving the United States the territory of Guantanamo Bay to build a naval base, the right to limit Cuba’s public debt, and the right of intervention to protect American interest. The terms of the Platt Amendment would eventually be incorporated into the Cuban-American treaty of 1903. The US also gained the Islands of the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico. (Faragher, J., 2008, Out of Many, ch. 20) Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders gained fame for their victory in the Battle of San Juan Hill. This recognition sent him on his way to governor of New York and then on to the Presidency (HIS104 U.S. History, Lecture, 30-Jun-2008, OL20).
Under McKinley and Roosevelt, America went on to “intervene in the Caribbean and Central America some 20 times over the next quarter century… Each intervention followed a common pattern… U.S. forces became embroiled in the countries ' internal political disputes,… the United States would train and fund a police force and military to maintain order and would sponsor an election intended to put into power a strong leader supportive of American interests. Unfortunately, the men who took power in many of these countries…established despotic rule”(HIS104 U.S. History, Lecture, Policing the Caribbean and Central America, 30-Jun-2008, OL20).
“The Spanish American War was a turning point in the history of the United States, signaling the country 's emergence as a world power. It reshaped the US foreign policy as a result of restructuring the nations’ interests in as much as illustrating humanity and morality as their norms” (Olley, J. ,01-Dec-2006,. A Historical Analysis of the Spanish American War; 1898 - Associated Content).

References
HIS104 U.S. History Since 1877 30-Jun-2008 (OL202). . Retrieved July 19, 2008, from http://angel.gcu.edu/section/default.asp?id=52358.
Faragher, J., Buhle, M. J., & Armitage, S. H. (2008). Out of Many, A History of the American People (6th ed., Vol. 2, p. 624). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
Olley, J. (01-Dec-2006). A Historical Analysis of the Spanish American War; 1898 - Associated Content. Retrieved July 20, 2008, from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/93329/a_historical_analysis_of_the_spanish.html
Spanish American War Summary. . Retrieved July 19, 2008, from http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/article/Spain/Spanish-American-War-Summary/845.
SparkNotes: The Spanish American War (1898-1901): Effects of the Treaty of Paris: 1899. . Retrieved July 15, 2008, from http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/spanishamerican/section9.rhtml.
SparkNotes: The Spanish American War (1898-1901): Summary. . Retrieved July 15, 2008, from http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/spanishamerican/summary.html.

References: HIS104 U.S. History Since 1877 30-Jun-2008 (OL202). . Retrieved July 19, 2008, from http://angel.gcu.edu/section/default.asp?id=52358. Faragher, J., Buhle, M. J., & Armitage, S. H. (2008). Out of Many, A History of the American People (6th ed., Vol. 2, p. 624). New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Olley, J. (01-Dec-2006). A Historical Analysis of the Spanish American War; 1898 - Associated Content. Retrieved July 20, 2008, from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/93329/a_historical_analysis_of_the_spanish.html Spanish American War Summary. . Retrieved July 19, 2008, from http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/articles/article/Spain/Spanish-American-War-Summary/845. SparkNotes: The Spanish American War (1898-1901): Effects of the Treaty of Paris: 1899. . Retrieved July 15, 2008, from http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/spanishamerican/section9.rhtml. SparkNotes: The Spanish American War (1898-1901): Summary. . Retrieved July 15, 2008, from http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/spanishamerican/summary.html.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    In the late nineteenth century, America was involved in an insurrection called the Spanish American War. Trying to end the fighting, a small group was sent to negotiate a treaty with Spain. The treaty called for the surrender of Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines to the United States. However, not everyone advocated this treaty. There were many factors that were debated during the ratification of the Treaty of Paris. The deciding factors of ratification were McKinley’s unsuccessful attempts at revising the treaty, the upholding of the constitution and McKinley’s campaign in America.…

    • 818 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    William Mckinley wanted “No wars of conquest; and avoid the temptation of territorial aggression. Mckinley was more interested in Hawaii and purchasing the Danish West Indies. He wanted to see peace be practiced more in Cuba. A treaty was…

    • 507 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Spanish American War is one of the most prominent wars in U.S. history. The war began on April 21, 1898 due to many different reasons. The real questions is, for what reasons did the U.S. get involved in this war? Well, the Spanish American War began due to the fight for Cuban independence, Yellow Journalism, the Spanish governor’s response to Cuban rebels, the De Lôme letter, and the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine.…

    • 742 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Roe v. Wade research paper

    • 2154 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Cited: Axlerod, Alan, Ph. D., The Complete Idiot 's Guide to American History, Alpha Books, 2000, Indianapolis, IN.…

    • 2154 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The third passage, written by a historian, reveals that McKinley justified going to war with Spain for humanitarian efforts. It was no secret that Spain was oppressing the people of Cuba. McKinley reasoned to the American public that the U.S. needed to liberate the Cuban people from Spain, leaving room for McKinley to negotiate for the Philippines, setting the Filipinos free and giving America rule over this island before another powerful nation could take over. Many pro-expansionists excused this motive for expansionism as a side-effect.…

    • 322 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    [xxvi] Michael P. Johnson, ed., Reading the American Past: Selected Historical Documents, Volume I: To 1877, 3rd ed. (Boston and New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2005), 225-26.…

    • 2484 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Spanish-American War

    • 727 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Spanish-American war was a conflict between the United States and Spain over the independence of Cuba. This was a huge change for the United States in the matter of foreign affairs. The United States had previously stayed in a state of isolationism which is when a country does not involve its self in other counties affairs unless it directly involves them. President Roosevelt did not want for the United States to stay like that so he started to involve the United States in other countries affairs. The first big event the United States involved it's self with was with the independence of Cuba with Spain. The United States wanted the to get their freedom and independence so they helped Cube get what they wanted. In February of 1859 Cuba started…

    • 727 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    An Omitted History

    • 2186 Words
    • 9 Pages

    References: Bowles, Mark D. (2011). American History: 1865 - Present: End of Isolation. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUHIS204.11.2/sections/fm…

    • 2186 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Spanish-American war was a conflict originating in Cuba and Spain, until The United States joined in 1898, officially marking the beginning of the war. Some of the collateral damage of this war was many of Spain’s Pacific possessions such as the Philippines also revolting against spain. The public opinion of America was bolstered…

    • 909 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Spanish-American war started in 1898 because America believed that the Spanish territory of Cuba deserved independence however Spain denied them their independence. As Cuba rebelled against the Spanish government, the United States set over a war ship named the USS Maine to protect U.S. businesses and interests in Cuba. However, the USS Maine mysteriously exploded and killed 266 American soldiers which caused the United States to declare war on Spain since they thought that the explosion was planned by Spain.…

    • 81 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In 1895 the Cuban revolution in Spain began. The United States media used newspapers to portray the excessive suffering that Cubans were enduring under the control of the Spaniards. The media also depicted President McKinley as a coward for not intervening to assist the Cubans. (Module 22: War with Spain)…

    • 959 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The four main causes of the Spanish American War was the U.S supporting the independence of Cuba, the defend of the U.S’s business interests in Cuba, the introduction of the yellow journalism, and the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine. The U.S. attacked Spain after declaring war with them in the Philippine Islands. Though the United States took Guam first, without a hassle, the U.S.S. Charleston traveled from Hawaii to the Philippines to assist Admiral Dewey’s fight with Spain at Manilla Bay. The U.S had a foreign policy during the Spanish American War. The United States. went against that policy by declaring war on Spain because the United States believed they were attacked by Spain first and were justified in declaring war on them as a result of…

    • 196 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In 1880, with the death of his father, his mother moved her family to Asbury Park…

    • 572 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    The Spanish civil war was a major conflict between the Republicans and Nationalists, which was fierce and bloody as over 500,000 people were killed. It began in July of 1936, and waged on until April of 1939. Although later conflicts have overshadowed it, the Spanish civil war remains one of the bloodiest conflicts of our modern era as well as one of the most consequential as resulted in a brutal dictatorship that lasted for almost forty years after. Aside from the dead, the war left thousands of citizens homeless and persecuted; no living Spanish citizens were left unaffected by the war. Aside from the consequences that came after the war, this essay will also cover the most significant causes of it that came beforehand.…

    • 1486 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Yellow Journalism

    • 1349 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Since the sinking of The Maine was such a big deal, it left a lot of room for Yellow Journalism to take over. The American press did not have any doubts about who had been responsible for the sinking of The Maine. “It was the cowardly Spanish,” said the American press (The…

    • 1349 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays