9.2 The Spanish-American War and Its Consequences

The Spanish-American War of 1898 marked a turning point in U.S. foreign policy. Fueled by economic interests, yellow journalism, and public outrage over Spanish colonial rule in Cuba, the conflict propelled America onto the global stage as an emerging power.

The war's consequences were far-reaching. America acquired overseas territories, sparking heated debates over imperialism. This shift towards a more assertive international role would shape U.S. foreign policy for decades to come.

Causes of the Spanish-American War

U.S. Economic Interests and Cuban Independence

Top images from around the web for U.S. Economic Interests and Cuban Independence

• 

  Ten Years' War - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Sugar plantations in the Caribbean - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Cuban independence dream - PanARMENIAN.Net View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Ten Years' War - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Sugar plantations in the Caribbean - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for U.S. Economic Interests and Cuban Independence

• 

  Ten Years' War - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Sugar plantations in the Caribbean - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Cuban independence dream - PanARMENIAN.Net View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Ten Years' War - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Sugar plantations in the Caribbean - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• The United States had significant investments in Cuban sugar plantations and sought to protect American business interests on the island
• The Cuban War of Independence (1895) saw Cuban revolutionaries fighting against Spanish colonial rule
• Spanish forces employed brutal tactics to suppress the rebellion, including the use of concentration camps
• The Cuban struggle for independence garnered widespread sympathy in the United States

Yellow Journalism and Public Opinion

• American newspapers, particularly those owned by William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, sensationalized the conflict in Cuba
• The press exaggerated Spanish atrocities and pushed for American intervention
• Yellow journalism helped fuel public outrage against Spain and support for war
• The sinking of the USS Maine in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898, which killed 266 American sailors, was blamed on Spain without conclusive evidence
• The rallying cry "Remember the Maine!" further inflamed public opinion and pushed the United States closer to war

Political Pressure and Declaration of War

• President William McKinley initially reluctant to intervene but ultimately bowed to public pressure and lobbying efforts of pro-war politicians and business interests
• On April 11, 1898, McKinley asked Congress for authorization to intervene in Cuba
• Congress declared war on Spain on April 25, 1898

Military Strategies in the Spanish-American War

Naval Superiority and Blockades

• The U.S. Navy was technologically superior to Spain's aging fleet
• The United States quickly mobilized its naval forces and established a blockade of Cuba to prevent Spanish reinforcements and supplies from reaching the island
• Commodore George Dewey led the U.S. Asiatic Squadron in a surprise attack on the Spanish fleet at Manila Bay in the Philippines on May 1, 1898
• Dewey's decisive victory effectively eliminated Spanish naval power in the Pacific and paved the way for the American occupation of the Philippines

Land Battles in Cuba

• The U.S. Army, despite being ill-prepared and poorly equipped, launched an invasion of Cuba in June 1898
• American forces, including the "Rough Riders" led by Theodore Roosevelt, faced Spanish troops in battles at Las Guasimas and Kettle Hill
• The most significant land battle took place on July 1, 1898, at San Juan Hill near Santiago de Cuba
• American forces, supported by Cuban revolutionaries, captured the strategic heights overlooking the city

Naval Victory and Fall of Santiago

• The Spanish Caribbean fleet attempted to break the American blockade but was intercepted and destroyed by U.S. naval forces led by Rear Admiral William T. Sampson in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba on July 3, 1898
• This decisive naval victory, combined with the fall of Santiago to American troops, effectively ended the war in Cuba
• In the final major battle, American forces captured the city of Manila in the Philippines on August 13, 1898, following a mock battle staged with Spanish forces to minimize damage and casualties

Consequences of the Spanish-American War

Territorial Acquisitions and Treaties

• The Treaty of Paris, signed on December 10, 1898, formally ended the Spanish-American War
• Under the treaty, Spain ceded control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States
• The United States granted Cuba its independence, but the Platt Amendment (1901) gave the U.S. the right to intervene in Cuban affairs and established a permanent American naval base at Guantanamo Bay

Colonial Rule and Conflicts

• Puerto Rico became an unincorporated U.S. territory, with its residents granted U.S. citizenship in 1917 but denied full political rights and representation in Congress
• The U.S. acquisition of the Philippines led to the Philippine-American War (1899-1902), a prolonged and bloody conflict with Filipino nationalists led by Emilio Aguinaldo
• The war resulted in thousands of Filipino combatant and civilian deaths and the establishment of American colonial rule over the islands

Emergence of the United States as a Global Power

• The Spanish-American War marked a turning point in American foreign policy, with the United States emerging as a global power with overseas territories
• The war led to a more assertive U.S. role in international affairs, shaping American foreign policy throughout the 20th century
• Domestically, the war contributed to the rise of Theodore Roosevelt to national prominence, the growth of the American navy, and increased public support for a more active role in world affairs

Annexation Debates and Colonial Governance

Imperialism vs. Anti-Imperialism

• The acquisition of overseas territories sparked intense debates within the United States over the nature and extent of American imperialism
• Anti-imperialists (Mark Twain, Andrew Carnegie, William Jennings Bryan) argued that annexation violated American principles of self-government and democracy
• Imperialists (Theodore Roosevelt, Henry Cabot Lodge) believed the United States had a moral obligation to "civilize" and "uplift" the peoples of the newly acquired territories and that expansion was necessary for strategic and economic interests

Constitutional Questions and Territorial Status

• The annexation of Puerto Rico and the establishment of a colonial government raised questions about the constitutional status of unincorporated territories and the rights of their inhabitants
• The Supreme Court's "Insular Cases" (1901-1922) established the doctrine of territorial incorporation, holding that the Constitution did not fully apply to unincorporated territories like Puerto Rico

Criticism of Colonial Policies

• The U.S. government's handling of the Philippines, particularly the brutal suppression of the Philippine-American War and the establishment of a colonial administration, drew criticism from anti-imperialists
• Critics viewed these actions as a betrayal of American values
• The debate over imperialism and the proper U.S. role in world affairs continued to shape American politics and foreign policy in the years following the Spanish-American War, influencing decisions regarding the acquisition and governance of territories (Hawaii, Samoa, Panama Canal Zone)