The Spanish American War, 1898: “A Splendid Little War”Guided Reading Activity Answers

Spain: Colonial Rulers of Cuba

Cubans Demanded Independence from Spanish Colonial Rule.

Spanish “Reconcentration” Camps

The Revolutionary Jose Marti

Americans wanted to help Cubans win their independence, and were opposed to the cruel methods used by Spaniards to control the Cuban people. But in addition, Americans had over $50 Million invested in Cuban industries like sugar cane, rice, railroads, oil, or iron mines.

Sugar Cane Plantations

President William McKinley

President McKinley was opposed to war with Spain, claiming that “there seems to be an epidemic of insanity in the country” when he heard Americans clamoring for war. But yellow journalism was wearing down his efforts for peace.

Yellow JournalismYellow Journalism is a style of reporting and displaying news using sensational, exaggerated, and frequently untrue ways which distort reality and mislead readers or viewers of a news program. The name comes from a newspaper comic strip, “The Yellow Kid.” (LEFT)

Joseph Pulitzer of the New York World

William Randolph Hearst of the New York Journal

THE USS MAINEThe USS Maine was sent to Havana Harbor in Cuba in January of 1898, in order to protect the property and interests of American businessmen and visitors there. On February 15th, 1898, the ship mysteriously exploded.

Although no one really knows what happened to cause the explosion of the USS Maine, Americans blamed the Spanish – especially after reading newspaper headlines like this one, from Hearst’s New York Journal.

THE SPANISH-AMERICAN WARThe battle cry of the United States of America once the war with Spain began in April of 1898:

“Remember the

Maine!”

The Battle of Manila Bay, The Philippines

The Battle of Manila BayThe Battle of Manila Bay was the first

major event during the Spanish-American War – in May of 1898.

Commodore George Dewey and his men launched a surprise attack against the Spanish ships at anchor in Manila Bay.

The United States Navy sank the entire Spanish Armada, and not a single American life was lost.

Theodore Roosevelt, the Asst. Sec. of the Navy in 1898, had ordered the invasion.

Emilio Aguinaldo, the leader of Filipino forces seeking independence from Spain, helped the United States to defeat the Spanish on the Philippine Islands. When the US decided to claim the Philippines as a colonial possession later, Aguinaldo fought the US Army.

Emilio Aguinaldo, the leader of Filipino troops who fought with the United States against Spain – then against the United States from 1898 to 1901.

THE ROUGH RIDERSBefore Theodore Roosevelt was ever president of the United States, he quit his job as the Assistant Secretary of the Navy and organized his own volunteer cavalry unit – the Rough Riders – to fight in Cuba.

At the Battle of San Juan Hill, Buffalo Soldiers played a major role in the fighting against Spanish troops.

The Rough Riders at San Juan HillThe Rough Riders did successfully lead an assault on Spanish troops in Cuba. Theodore Roosevelt’s egocentric version of the events which took place at San Juan Hill (they called it that although the fighting actually took place at the less exotic sounding Kettle Hill) was ridiculed by one humorist of his day, who suggested the TR should have called his memoirs, “Alone in Cuba.”

COLONIES ACQUIRED BY THE UNITED STATES IN THE TREATY OF PARIS OF 1898The United States acquired several of Spain’s colonial possessions following the Spanish-American War – and they were forced to liberate the island nation of Cuba, which became an American protectorate. The US also acquired Puerto Rico, the Philippines (for $20 Million), Guam, and Wake Island.

CUBACuba was liberated, but the United States kept control of a naval base at Guantanamo Bay – which we still control today.

Puerto Rico

Guam

Wake Island

The Philippine Islands

The US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

The Platt Amendment, an addition to Cuba’s new constitution, allowed the United States to take control over certain Cuban affairs.

Cuba could not borrow money or create treaties of its own without American permission.

Most importantly the United States was allowed a naval base at Guantanamo.

The Filipino War for Independence, 1898 - 1901

After fighting with the United States to win its liberation from Spain, Filipinos were surprised and felt betrayed to learn that the United States intended to keep the Philippines as a colony of its own.

Starting in 1898, a three year war began between Americans and Filipinos led by Emilio Aguinaldo. According to your text, “about 4,000 Americans and 20,000 Filipinos were killed.” But other sources believe the casualties in the Philippines were much higher.

The Filipino War, 1898In his book, The Imperial Cruise, author James Bradley claims, “Most American history books claim that U.S. Forces killed about twenty thousand freedom fighters and two hundred thousand to three hundred thousand Filipino civilians; other sources estimate that the U.S. military sent one million to three million to their early graves.” (Bradley, James. The Imperial Cruise: A Secret History of Empire and War. New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 2009, p. 127)

WATERBOARDING DURING THE PHILIPPINE WAR, 1898 - 1901Waterboarding, a controversial torture technique which was used to interrogate terrorist suspects during the Bush administration’s War on Terror, was first practiced by American soldiers during the Philippine War.

The Philippines were granted Independence only after World War II came to an end.

The flag of the Philippines, which gained its independence in 1946, following World War II.