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What Caused The Spanish American War Dbq

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What Caused The Spanish American War Dbq
Question: "The explosion of the U.S.S. Maine caused the United States to invade Cuba in 1898." Use the documents provided and your own knowledge to evaluate this statement. Do you agree with this explanation of the causes of the Spanish American War? Why or why not? Use and cite evidence from the documents to support your analysis of this statement.

The statement, “The explosion of the U.S.S. Maine caused the United States to invade Cuba in 1898,” is not agreeable because there were other causes for the Spanish American War. The explosion of the Maine was perhaps caused America’s attention towards war to increase. When the Maine exploded many believed the Spanish were responsible even though the cause of the explosion was unknown. Headlines read, “Destruction of the War Ship Maine was Work of an …show more content…
Albert J. Beveridge in his Senate campaign speech in September 1898 stated, “In Cuba alone, there are 15,000,000 acres of forest unacquainted with the axe,” and “There are exhaustless mines of iron...there are millions of acres yet unexplored…(Document I). America has always been interested in expansion. Some Americans did have property in Cuba. In President McKinley’s State of the Union Address he listed reasons for declaration of war against Spain. One reason, which included American citizens, was “our people have such trade and business relations; when the lives and liberty of our citizens are constantly in danger and their property and themselves ruined…(Document D).”
The United States did not invade Cuba just because of the explosion of the Maine. The United States had multiple reasons for war against Spain. The sympathy from Americans for Cubans was a factor. So was the American interest of Cuba and expanding control. The explosion of the Maine was also a factor and increased outcry for battle. The United States generally went into this war because they believed in independence and felt sympathy for the
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