The Spanish American- War
Vocabulary-History
Plantation: A large farm where crops are grown, usually for sale, often associated with specific crops like
cotton, sugar, or tobacco.
Devastated: To cause severe and widespread damage or destruction to something.
Distress: Extreme sorrow, pain, or suffering. It can also refer to a state of danger or desperate need.
Yellow Journalism: Sensationalized and exaggerated reporting by newspapers to attract readership, often
characterized by misleading headlines, exaggerated events, and biased or unverified information.
Intervene: To become involved in a situation to alter or prevent an action, often to bring about a
resolution or to provide assistance.
Autonomy: The right or condition of self-government or independence, especially for a region or group
within a larger entity.
Jingoism: Extreme patriotism in the form of aggressive or warlike foreign policy, often marked by an
excessive belief in the superiority or greatness of one's own country, sometimes to the detriment of other
nations.
Blockade: A blockade is an act of sealing off a place to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving.
It's often done by naval forces to cut off supply lines or to restrict access to a particular area.
Naval squadron: A group of warships led by a commander.
Surrender: Yielding to opposing force.
Recruited: Enlisted into an organization.
Cavalry: Soldiers fighting on horseback.
Vessel: Large ship or container.
The Coming of War
Background: Cuba Under Spanish Rule
Cuba was one of Spain's oldest colonies in the Americas, generating significant wealth through its
sugarcane plantations. By the mid-1800s, Cuba produced nearly one-third of the world's sugar.
Until 1886, about one-third of the Cuban population was enslaved and forced to work on plantations
owned by wealthy landowners.
Early Cuban Rebellions
First Rebellion (1868): Cuban rebels declared independence and launched a guerrilla war against Spanish
authorities. The rebellion lacked internal support and collapsed after a decade. Many rebels, including
leader José Martí, fled to the United States.
Economic Ties with the U.S.: By the early 1890s, Cuba and the United States had close economic links.
Cuba exported much of its sugar to the U.S., and Americans invested around $50 million in Cuba’s sugar
plantations, mines, and railroads.
The 1894 Tariff Crisis and Renewed Rebellion
A new U.S. tariff on sugar in 1894 devastated Cuba's economy, leading to financial distress.
, In February 1895, Cuban rebels launched another rebellion. José Martí died during the fighting, but rebels
seized control of eastern Cuba, declared independence, and established the Republic of Cuba in
September 1895.
American Support for Cuba
President Cleveland declared the United States neutral at the uprising's onset.
Major newspapers like the New York Journal and the New York World published exaggerated stories of
Spanish atrocities, swaying American public opinion in favor of the rebels.
Spain sent nearly 200,000 troops to quell the rebellion. The rebels destroyed property, including
American-owned, to provoke U.S. intervention.
Calls for War
In 1897, William McKinley became president of the United States. In September 1897, he asked Spain
whether the United States could help negotiate an end to the conflict so that the United States would not
have to intervene in the war. Spain removed Weyler he was known for his violent actions toward Cuban
rebels. from office and offered the Cubans autonomy, but only if Cuba remained part of the Spanish
Empire. The rebels refused to negotiate.
Spanish loyalists in Cuba were enraged by Spain's concessions and rioted in Havana in January 1898.
McKinley sent the battleship USS Maine to Havana to protect Americans.
McKinley faced intense pressure to go to war, fueled by jingoism (aggressive nationalism) within the
Republican Party.
On April 11, 1898, McKinley asked Congress to authorize the use of force. On April 19, Congress
proclaimed Cuba independent, demanded Spain withdraw, and authorized the president to use armed
force. On April 24, Spain declared war on the United States, marking the beginning of the
Spanish-American War.
What events led to the war with Spain in 1898?
Cuba had been a Spanish colony for centuries, but by the late 19th century, there was a strong movement
for independence from Spanish rule. The Cuban people rebelled against Spanish colonial authority,
seeking autonomy.
Yellow Journalism: Sensationalist newspapers in the United States, known for their exaggerated and
sometimes outright false stories, played a role in escalating tensions. They reported extensively on
Spanish atrocities in Cuba, stirring up American public sentiment against Spain.
The sinking of the USS Maine: The USS Maine, an American battleship, exploded and sank in Havana
Harbor, Cuba, in February 1898. The cause of the explosion was never definitively determined, but
yellow journalism blamed Spain. This event further inflamed anti-Spanish sentiment in the United States.
Vocabulary-History
Plantation: A large farm where crops are grown, usually for sale, often associated with specific crops like
cotton, sugar, or tobacco.
Devastated: To cause severe and widespread damage or destruction to something.
Distress: Extreme sorrow, pain, or suffering. It can also refer to a state of danger or desperate need.
Yellow Journalism: Sensationalized and exaggerated reporting by newspapers to attract readership, often
characterized by misleading headlines, exaggerated events, and biased or unverified information.
Intervene: To become involved in a situation to alter or prevent an action, often to bring about a
resolution or to provide assistance.
Autonomy: The right or condition of self-government or independence, especially for a region or group
within a larger entity.
Jingoism: Extreme patriotism in the form of aggressive or warlike foreign policy, often marked by an
excessive belief in the superiority or greatness of one's own country, sometimes to the detriment of other
nations.
Blockade: A blockade is an act of sealing off a place to prevent goods or people from entering or leaving.
It's often done by naval forces to cut off supply lines or to restrict access to a particular area.
Naval squadron: A group of warships led by a commander.
Surrender: Yielding to opposing force.
Recruited: Enlisted into an organization.
Cavalry: Soldiers fighting on horseback.
Vessel: Large ship or container.
The Coming of War
Background: Cuba Under Spanish Rule
Cuba was one of Spain's oldest colonies in the Americas, generating significant wealth through its
sugarcane plantations. By the mid-1800s, Cuba produced nearly one-third of the world's sugar.
Until 1886, about one-third of the Cuban population was enslaved and forced to work on plantations
owned by wealthy landowners.
Early Cuban Rebellions
First Rebellion (1868): Cuban rebels declared independence and launched a guerrilla war against Spanish
authorities. The rebellion lacked internal support and collapsed after a decade. Many rebels, including
leader José Martí, fled to the United States.
Economic Ties with the U.S.: By the early 1890s, Cuba and the United States had close economic links.
Cuba exported much of its sugar to the U.S., and Americans invested around $50 million in Cuba’s sugar
plantations, mines, and railroads.
The 1894 Tariff Crisis and Renewed Rebellion
A new U.S. tariff on sugar in 1894 devastated Cuba's economy, leading to financial distress.
, In February 1895, Cuban rebels launched another rebellion. José Martí died during the fighting, but rebels
seized control of eastern Cuba, declared independence, and established the Republic of Cuba in
September 1895.
American Support for Cuba
President Cleveland declared the United States neutral at the uprising's onset.
Major newspapers like the New York Journal and the New York World published exaggerated stories of
Spanish atrocities, swaying American public opinion in favor of the rebels.
Spain sent nearly 200,000 troops to quell the rebellion. The rebels destroyed property, including
American-owned, to provoke U.S. intervention.
Calls for War
In 1897, William McKinley became president of the United States. In September 1897, he asked Spain
whether the United States could help negotiate an end to the conflict so that the United States would not
have to intervene in the war. Spain removed Weyler he was known for his violent actions toward Cuban
rebels. from office and offered the Cubans autonomy, but only if Cuba remained part of the Spanish
Empire. The rebels refused to negotiate.
Spanish loyalists in Cuba were enraged by Spain's concessions and rioted in Havana in January 1898.
McKinley sent the battleship USS Maine to Havana to protect Americans.
McKinley faced intense pressure to go to war, fueled by jingoism (aggressive nationalism) within the
Republican Party.
On April 11, 1898, McKinley asked Congress to authorize the use of force. On April 19, Congress
proclaimed Cuba independent, demanded Spain withdraw, and authorized the president to use armed
force. On April 24, Spain declared war on the United States, marking the beginning of the
Spanish-American War.
What events led to the war with Spain in 1898?
Cuba had been a Spanish colony for centuries, but by the late 19th century, there was a strong movement
for independence from Spanish rule. The Cuban people rebelled against Spanish colonial authority,
seeking autonomy.
Yellow Journalism: Sensationalist newspapers in the United States, known for their exaggerated and
sometimes outright false stories, played a role in escalating tensions. They reported extensively on
Spanish atrocities in Cuba, stirring up American public sentiment against Spain.
The sinking of the USS Maine: The USS Maine, an American battleship, exploded and sank in Havana
Harbor, Cuba, in February 1898. The cause of the explosion was never definitively determined, but
yellow journalism blamed Spain. This event further inflamed anti-Spanish sentiment in the United States.
