Spanish-American War (1898)

Causes: How did each of the following help to cause the outbreak of the Spanish-American War?

1. American business owners-They invested millions if dollars in sugar cane plantations in Cuba, they wanted the government to support Spain in order to protect their investments.

2. José Martí-A Cuban poet and journalist, living in New York, launched a revolution in 1895 and organized Cuban resistance against Spain.  Deliberately destroyed property (Guerilla campaign), especially American owned sugar plantations.

3. Valeriano Weyler-Spanish General sent to Cuba in 1896 to restore order.  He herded the rural population of central and western Cuba into concentration camps so the civilians couldn't help rebels.  An estimated 300,000 Cubans were in these camps, and thousands died from hunger and disease.

4. Yellow journalism-when newspapers exaggerate things to catch readers' attention, this made Americans more sympathetic for the Cubans

5. De Lôme letter-a letter sent by the Spanish Minister to the United States.  It was stolen and published in the New York Journal.  He called President McKinley "weak" and "a bidder for the admiration of the crowd," the minister resigned.  This made Americans mad and want to go to war with Spain.

6. U.S.S. Maine-McKinley sent the U.S.S. Maine to Cuba to get Americans who were in danger from the fighting.  It blew up and more than 260 men were killed.  Although no one knew why the ship blew up, American newspapers said that the Spanish blew it up.  This further made the Americans want to go to war with Spain.

Effects: What happened to each of the following territories as a result of the Spanish-American War?

7. Cuba was freed.

8. Puerto Rico was given to the U.S. by Spain.

9. Guam was given to the U.S. by Spain.

10. Philippine Islands were sold to U.S. for $20 million by Spain.