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Origins of the war

• Fighting in the Philippines and Cuba
• The peace process
• Consequences of the war

What were the causes of the Spanish-American War?

Where did the spanish-american war take place, how did the spanish-american war end.

Spanish-American War

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• PBS - American Experience - Scourge of the Spanish American War
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• Table Of Contents

What was the Spanish-American War?

The Spanish-American War was a conflict between the United States and Spain that effectively ended Spain's role as a colonial power in the New World. The United States emerged from the war as a world power with significant territorial claims stretching from the Caribbean to Southeast Asia.

The immediate cause of the Spanish-American War was Cuba's struggle for independence from Spain. Newspapers in the U.S. printed sensationalized accounts of Spanish atrocities, fueling humanitarian concerns. The mysterious destruction of the U.S. battleship Maine in Havana’s harbour on February 15, 1898, led to a declaration of war against Spain two months later.

The main theatres of combat in the Spanish-American War were the Philippines and Cuba. Fighting centred on Manila, where U.S. Commodore George Dewey destroyed the Spanish Pacific fleet at the Battle of Manila Bay (May 1, 1898), and on Santiago de Cuba, which fell to U.S. forces after hard fighting in July.

Spain’s military was outmatched from the opening of hostilities, and an armistice signed on August 12, 1898, brought an end to the fighting. The United States occupied Cuba and took possession of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. The bloody struggle for independence in the Philippines resumed in 1899, the U.S. having replaced Spain as the colonial power.

Spanish-American War , (1898), conflict between the United States and Spain that ended Spanish colonial rule in the Americas and resulted in U.S. acquisition of territories in the western Pacific and Latin America .

The war originated in the Cuban struggle for independence from Spain, which began in February 1895. The Cuban conflict was injurious to U.S. investments in the island, which were estimated at $50 million, and almost ended U.S. trade with Cuban ports, normally valued at $100 million annually. On the insurgent side, the war was waged largely against property and led to the destruction of sugarcane and sugar mills. Of more importance than its effect on U.S. monetary interests was the appeal to American humanitarian sentiment . Under the Spanish commander, Capt. Gen. Valeriano Weyler y Nicolau (nicknamed El Carnicero, “the Butcher”), Cubans were herded into so-called “reconcentration areas” in and around the larger cities; those who remained at large were treated as enemies. Spanish authorities made no adequate provision for shelter, food, sanitation, or medical care for the reconcentrados , thousands of whom died from exposure, hunger, and disease. These conditions were graphically portrayed for the U.S. public by sensational newspapers , notably Joseph Pulitzer ’s New York World and William Randolph Hearst ’s recently founded New York Journal . Humanitarian concern for the suffering Cubans was added to the traditional American sympathy for a colonial people struggling for independence. While these aspects of the war created a widespread popular demand for action to halt it, the U.S. was faced with the necessity of patrolling coastal waters to prevent gunrunning to the insurgents and by demands for aid from Cubans who had acquired U.S. citizenship and then had been arrested by Spanish authorities for participating in the rebellion.

The popular demand for intervention to stop the war and assure Cuban independence gained support in the U.S. Congress . In the spring of 1896 both the Senate and the House of Representatives declared by concurrent resolution that belligerent rights should be accorded the insurgents. This expression of congressional opinion was ignored by Pres. Grover Cleveland , who opposed intervention, though he intimated in his final message to Congress that prolongation of the war might make it necessary. His successor, William McKinley , was equally desirous of preserving peace with Spain, but, in his first instructions to the new minister to Spain, Stewart L. Woodford, and again in his first message to Congress, he made it plain that the U.S. could not stand aside and see the bloody struggle drag on indefinitely.

In the fall of 1897 a new Spanish ministry offered concessions to the insurgents. It would recall General Weyler, abandon his reconcentration policy, and allow Cuba an elected cortes (parliament) with limited powers of self-government. These concessions came too late. The insurgent leaders would now settle for nothing short of complete independence. The war went on in Cuba, and a series of incidents brought the United States to the brink of intervention. Riots in Havana in December led to the sending of the battleship Maine to that city’s port as a precaution for the safety of U.S. citizens and property. On February 9, 1898, the New York Journal printed a private letter from the Spanish minister in Washington, Enrique Dupuy de Lôme, describing McKinley as “weak and a popularity-hunter” and raising doubt about Spain’s good faith in her reform program. De Lôme immediately resigned, and the Spanish government tendered an apology. The sensation caused by this incident was eclipsed dramatically six days later. On the night of February 15, a mighty explosion sank the Maine at her Havana anchorage, and more than 260 of her crew were killed. Responsibility for the disaster was never determined. A U.S. naval board found convincing evidence that an initial explosion outside the hull (presumably from a mine or torpedo ) had touched off the battleship’s forward magazine. The Spanish government offered to submit the question of its responsibility to arbitration, but the U.S. public, prompted by the New York Journal and other sensational papers in the grips of yellow journalism , held Spain unquestionably responsible. “Remember the Maine , to hell with Spain!” became a popular rallying cry.

The demand for intervention became insistent, in Congress , on the part of both Republicans and Democrats (though such Republican leaders as Sen. Mark Hanna and Speaker Thomas B. Reed opposed it), and in the country at large. U.S. business interests, in general, opposed intervention and war. Such opposition diminished after a speech in the Senate on March 17 by Sen. Redfield Proctor of Vermont , who had just returned from a tour of Cuba. In matter-of-fact and unsensational language, Proctor described his observations of the war-torn island: the suffering and death in the reconcentration areas, the devastation elsewhere, and the evident inability of the Spanish to crush the rebellion. His speech, as The Wall Street Journal remarked on March 19, “converted a great many people on Wall Street .” Religious leaders contributed to the clamour for intervention, framing it as a religious and humanitarian duty.

Popular pressure for intervention was reinforced by Spain’s evident inability to end the war by either victory or concession . McKinley’s response was to send an ultimatum to Spain on March 27. Let Spain, he wrote, abandon reconcentration in fact as well as in name, declare an armistice, and accept U.S. mediation in peace negotiations with the insurgents. In a separate note, however, he made it clear that nothing less than independence for Cuba would be acceptable.

The Spanish government was caught upon the horns of a cruel dilemma. It had not readied its army or navy for war with the United States, nor had it warned the Spanish public of the necessity of relinquishing Cuba. War meant certain disaster. The surrender of Cuba might mean the overthrow of the government or even the monarchy. Spain clutched at the only straws in sight. On the one hand, it sought support from the principal European governments. Aside from the British, these governments were sympathetic to Spain but were unwilling to give it more than weak verbal support. On April 6 representatives of Germany , Austria, France , Great Britain, Italy, and Russia called upon McKinley and begged him in the name of humanity to refrain from armed intervention in Cuba. McKinley assured them that if intervention came, it would be in the interest of humanity. An effort at mediation by Pope Leo XIII was equally futile . Meanwhile, Spain was going far in the acceptance of McKinley’s terms of March 27—so far that Minister Woodford advised McKinley that, granted a little time and patience, Spain could work out a solution acceptable to both the United States and the Cuban insurgents. Spain would end the reconcentration policy. Instead of accepting U.S. mediation, it would seek the pacification of the island through the Cuban cortes about to be elected under the autonomy program. Spain at first stated that an armistice would be granted only on application from the insurgents but on April 9 announced one on its own initiative . Spain, however, still refused to concede independence, which McKinley evidently now considered indispensable for restoration of peace and order in Cuba.

Yielding to the war party in Congress and to the logic of the position that he had consistently taken—the inability to find an acceptable solution in Cuba would result in U.S. intervention—the president, reporting but not emphasizing Spain’s latest concessions, advised Congress in a special message on April 11 that “the war in Cuba must stop.” From Congress he asked authority to use the armed forces of the United States “to secure a full and final termination of hostilities between the government of Spain and the people of Cuba.” Congress responded emphatically, declaring on April 20 that “the people of Cuba are, and of right ought to be, free and independent.” It demanded that Spain at once relinquish authority over Cuba and withdraw its armed forces from the island and authorized the president to use the army and navy of the United States to enforce that demand. A fourth resolution, proposed by Sen. Henry M. Teller of Colorado , renounced for the United States any idea of acquiring Cuba. The president beat back an attempt in the Senate to include recognition of the existing but insubstantial insurgent government. Recognition of that body, he believed, would hamper the United States both in the conduct of the war and in the postwar pacification, which he clearly foresaw as a responsibility of the United States. Upon being informed of the signing of the resolutions, the Spanish government at once severed diplomatic relations and on April 24 declared war upon the United States. Congress declared war on April 25 and made the declaration retroactive to April 21.

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Spanish American War

By: History.com Editors

Updated: May 2, 2022 | Original: May 14, 2010

The Spanish-American War was an 1898 conflict between the United States and Spain that ended Spanish colonial rule in the Americas and resulted in U.S. acquisition of territories in the western Pacific and Latin America.

Causes: Remember the Maine!

The war originated in the Cuban struggle for independence from Spain, which began in February 1895.

Spain’s brutally repressive measures to halt the rebellion were graphically portrayed for the U.S. public by several sensational newspapers engaging in yellow journalism , and American sympathy for the Cuban rebels rose.

Did you know? The term yellow journalism was coined in the 19th century to describe journalism that relies on eye-catching headlines, exaggeration and sensationalism to increase sales.

The growing popular demand for U.S. intervention became an insistent chorus after the still-unexplained sinking in Havana harbor of the American battleship USS Maine , which had been sent to protect U.S. citizens and property after anti-Spanish rioting in Havana.

War Is Declared

Spain announced an armistice on April 9 and speeded up its new program to grant Cuba limited powers of self-government.

But the U.S. Congress soon afterward issued resolutions that declared Cuba’s right to independence, demanded the withdrawal of Spain’s armed forces from the island, and authorized the use of force by President William McKinley to secure that withdrawal while renouncing any U.S. design for annexing Cuba.

Spain declared war on the United States on April 24, followed by a U.S. declaration of war on the 25th, which was made retroactive to April 21.

Spanish American War Begins

The ensuing war was pathetically one-sided, since Spain had readied neither its army nor its navy for a distant war with the formidable power of the United States.

In the early morning hours of May 1, 1898, Commodore George Dewey led a U.S. naval squadron into Manila Bay in the Philippines. He destroyed the anchored Spanish fleet in two hours before pausing the Battle of Manila Bay to order his crew a second breakfast. In total, fewer than 10 American seamen were lost, while Spanish losses were estimated at over 370. Manila itself was occupied by U.S. troops by August.

The elusive Spanish Caribbean fleet under Adm. Pascual Cervera was located in Santiago harbor in Cuba by U.S. reconnaissance. An army of regular troops and volunteers under Gen. William Shafter (including then-former assistant secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt and his 1st Volunteer Cavalry, the “Rough Riders”) landed on the coast east of Santiago and slowly advanced on the city in an effort to force Cervera’s fleet out of the harbor.

Cervera led his squadron out of Santiago on July 3 and tried to escape westward along the coast. In the ensuing battle all of his ships came under heavy fire from U.S. guns and were beached in a burning or sinking condition.

Santiago surrendered to Shafter on July 17, thus effectively ending the brief but momentous war.

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Treaty of Paris

The Treaty of Paris ending the Spanish American War was signed on December 10, 1898. In it, Spain renounced all claim to Cuba, ceded Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States and transferred sovereignty over the Philippines to the United States for $20 million.

Philippine insurgents who had fought against Spanish rule soon turned their guns against their new occupiers. The Philippine-American War began in February of 1899 and lasted until 1902. Ten times more U.S. troops died suppressing revolts in the Philippines than in defeating Spain.

Impact of the Spanish-American War

The Spanish American War was an important turning point in the history of both antagonists. Spain’s defeat decisively turned the nation’s attention away from its overseas colonial adventures and inward upon its domestic needs, a process that led to both a cultural and a literary renaissance and two decades of much-needed economic development in Spain.

The victorious United States, on the other hand, emerged from the war a world power with far-flung overseas possessions and a new stake in international politics that would soon lead it to play a determining role in the affairs of Europe and the rest of the globe.

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The Spanish American War Essay

Reasons and background of the war, consequences.

The Spanish American War started in 1898, and the reason of this conflict was the liberation of Cuba. The war started after Spain’s rejection of the American request for the resolution of the Cuban struggle for independence. The expansionist sentiment within the US government, and the imperialistic moods of American political tradition motivated the government to work out the plan for separating Cuba from Spain (The annexation plan also included Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam).

The starting point of the conflict was the revolution in Cuba. After that events the US government sent in the warship USS Maine, which revealed the immense political interest of the United States in that region. The American tabloids accused Spain of the oppression in the Spanish colonies.

Originally, the Spanish-American War was started for a great deal of reasons. It is emphasized that the most important reasons are treatment of the Cuban people by the Spanish government, yellow journalism, business interests and the fact that the United States government wished to flex its muscles as a world power (Post, 1999). The starting point of the conflict was the sinking of US battleship Maine in Havana harbor February 15, 1898. The US claimed that Spanish government is guilty for this sinking, however, it has not been proven. The United States were not prepared for this war, and according to logic the war should be lost by US troops. There was shortage in everything except volunteers, as the agitation, held by yellow journalism, was immense.

While congress was convening and accepting the resolutions which supported Cuban independence, Senator Henry M. Teller of Colorado offered the amendment which was aimed at ensuring that the United States is not wishing to set up the permanent control over Cuba after the cessation of hostilities from Spain. The Amendment was accepted, however, the resolution required immediate Spanish withdrawal, and it included the point, that the US president is capable to use the military forces in the volumes, he considers sufficient to help Cuba achieve independence from Spain. President McKinley signed this resolution, and ultimatum was sent by diplomatic mail to Spain on April 20, 1898. Spanish government decided to terminate the diplomatic relations with the USA, and announced war in three days after sending the ultimatum.

This war is regarded as the starting point of American entry on the world political and diplomatic arena as the independent State. Since that the United States has entered numerous treaties, conventions and agreements, and participated in the great deal of conflicts. Spain was no longer the imperial power. This defeat was the reason of national disaster because of the kinship of peninsular Spaniards with Cuba, which was considered as another province of Spain, but not a colony (Rosenfeld, 2000). Few territories stayed under Spanish overseas control.

From cultural and social perspective, the war originated the appearing of new generation, which was the basis of the renaissance of the Spanish culture. The financial benefits for Spain were enormous. The capitals, which were held by Cuban capitalists was brought back to Spain, and invested into Spanish industry.

The political consequences were serious. It reasoned the weakening of king’s power of Alfonso XII.

• Post, C. J. (1999). The Little War of Private Post: The Spanish-American War Seen up Close . Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press.
• Rosenfeld, H. (2000). Diary of a Dirty Little War: The Spanish-American War of 1898 . Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.
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Spanish American War - Free Essay Examples and Topic Ideas

The Spanish-American War was a conflict in 1898 that pitted Spain against the United States. The conflict began as a result of Spain’s colonial policies in Cuba, which sparked a rebellion in the island nation. The United States entered the conflict to protect their interests in Cuba and sought to overthrow Spanish rule in the Caribbean nation. The war lasted only a few months, with the United States emerging as victors. The war resulted in Spain ceding control of Cuba, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines to the United States. The war marked a turning point in global politics and helped establish the United States as a major world power.

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Understanding the Spanish-American War: Causes and Consequences

This essay about the Spanish-American War of 1898 explores the conflict between Spain and the United States, focusing on Cuba’s struggle for independence and the geopolitical ambitions of both nations. It highlights the sinking of the USS Maine, the subsequent battles, and the Treaty of Paris, which marked the end of hostilities. The essay also examines the war’s complex legacy, including the debates over imperialism and self-determination that arose from the United States’ acquisition of overseas territories.

How it works

The Spanish-American War of 1898 unfolds like a tapestry woven from the threads of ambition, intrigue, and the clash of civilizations. It is a tale of two nations, Spain and the United States, locked in a struggle for supremacy that would reverberate across oceans and shape the course of history.

At its heart lies Cuba, the Pearl of the Antilles, where the flames of revolution flicker defiantly against the backdrop of Spanish tyranny. The Cuban quest for independence, fueled by the fervor of patriots and the anguish of the oppressed, provides the spark that ignites the powder keg of war.

But beneath the surface currents of liberation lies a complex mosaic of interests and agendas. For the United States, still basking in the afterglow of Manifest Destiny, the allure of empire beckons, promising new markets and strategic dominance in the Caribbean and beyond. Meanwhile, Spain, once the mistress of a vast global empire, finds herself struggling to maintain her grip on the last remnants of her colonial dominions.

The sinking of the USS Maine in Havana harbor serves as the catalyst for conflict, setting in motion a chain of events that will lead to war. The cries of “Remember the Maine!” echo across the land, stirring the passions of a nation and galvanizing support for intervention.

From the shores of Cuba to the distant islands of the Philippines, the Spanish-American War unfolds with all the drama of a Shakespearean tragedy. Battles are fought, lives are lost, and in the end, the spoils of victory are divided amongst the victors.

The Treaty of Paris, signed amidst the ruins and the rubble, marks the end of hostilities and the beginning of a new era. Spain, once the mistress of an empire that spanned the globe, finds herself forced to relinquish her colonial possessions, while the United States emerges as the preeminent power of the Western Hemisphere.

Yet, for all its triumphs and glories, the Spanish-American War leaves in its wake a legacy tinged with ambivalence. The acquisition of overseas territories raises troubling questions about imperialism and self-determination, challenging the nation’s sense of identity and moral purpose. The annexation of the Philippines, in particular, proves to be a bitter pill to swallow, as the United States finds itself embroiled in a bloody insurgency that will test its resolve and its commitment to its own ideals.

As we reflect on the causes and consequences of the Spanish-American War, we are reminded that history is a tapestry woven from the threads of human ambition and folly. And in its intricate patterns, we may find the lessons of the past that will guide us towards a more enlightened future.

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