History Spanish American War Quiz

publisher of the New York Journal that covered the USS Maine attack

William Randolph Hearst

sensationalized stories and headlines that exaggerated Spanish atrocities or withheld stories to stoke anti-Cuba feelings and readership

Yellow Press

aggressive nationalism

Jingoism

Army infantry unit composed of all volunteers led by T.R.

Rough Riders

Spain, a once great imperial nation since the 1500s with colonies around the world, was in

decline

What event grabs the US's attention?

A revolution in Cuba and the Philippines against Spanish rule and independence

What product did the US invest in Cuba?

$50mil on sugar plantations

President McKinley warned Cuba to

establish a peace with Cuban rebels

a private communication by Spain's ambassador to the U.S. is leaked calling McKinley "weak and stupid" and published by Hearst in his newspaper

"De Lome Letter"

To intimidate the Spanish and protect American interests, what is sent to the harbor in Havana, Cuba?

The U.S.S. Maine

What happened to the USS Maine in the middle of the night?

It blows up mysteriously in the middle of the night in the harbor killing 266 of the 360 American sailors

What was the cause of the USS Maine blowing up?

Mine or sabotage, didn't matter, Americans were dead and the country wanted WAR!

The media immediately blames Spain and wants to go to war, this media that over exaggerated what happened was called...

Yellow Journalism

Battle Cry:

“Remember the Maine, to Hell with Spain!”

April 21, 1898 McKinley asks Congress for

authority to use force against Spain

Congess agreed to 3 things:

1. Blockade of the island

2. 100,000 troops needed

3. Congress would declare war with conditions added like the Teller Amendment

the US would not annex Cuba, but fight for its independence

Teller Amendment

The war lasted less than 4 months with a total

US victory

What are the conditions under The Treaty of Paris?

Cuba gains its “independence”

U.S. gains the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam as territories from the Spanish

America entered the era of __________ and began gaining colonies around the world

imperialism

The U.S. promises to not get involved with

European affairs and growing tensions

“Spheres of Influence” for America

WESTERN HEMISPHERE

a US Naval Armada goes on a “good will cruise” around the world but was more for a demonstration of America’s military power for everyone to see

Great White Fleet

In the early 1900s, the United States has slowly amassed tremendous influence over and expansion throughout the

WESTERN Hemisphere

Since the 2000s, the world has again fallen into "spheres of influence". Today, its Russia, China, Iran, America each supporting other

lesser developed countries for mutual benefit

(Roosevelt) America needs to have a strong military to achieve the goals to deter aggression and ensure stability in the region

Big stick Diplomacy

(Taft) increase investments in businesses of Central America and not the use of the military to gain influence and stability

Dollar Diplomacy

(Wilson) focused on promoting American democratic values and ideals, supporting nations with similar principles, and using economic pressure like sanctions/trade embargoes, rather than military force, to influence non-democratic states

Moral Diplomacy

What is the US Policy in Puerto Rico called?

Foraker Act (1900)

What is the US Policy in Cuba called?

Platt Amendment (1902)

What does the Foraker Act State?

The US gov’t established a civil gov’t with a governor and legislature

Citizenship question remains unclear, they cannot vote but have to pay taxes

What does the Platt Amendment state?

had "the right to intervene on behalf of Cuba"

set up a naval base leased to the United States called Guantanamo Bay

Cuba, while independent becomes a protectorate to the US and its influence for decade

Desire to cut down on travel time for ships between Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through Columbian controlled region on modern day Panama:

Panama Canal

US sent warships to the region, like they did in Cuba, in support of the

Panamanians rebellion and to secure the $40mil route through land.

Newly formed nation of Panama gave the US control of the __________ for yearly rent of $250K as a gift for their help

“canal zone”

Opened in 1914, it would cut 8,000 miles &

40 days off sea voyages

Cause: Yellow Press 

Newspaper tycoons like Hearst and Pulitzer used exaggerated and sensationalized stories of Spanish brutality to manipulate public emotion and fuel a pro-war sentiment across America.

Cause: De Lome Letter

A leaked private letter from the Spanish ambassador enraged the American public by insulting President McKinley as "weak" and "stupid", effectively ending diplomatic hopes for peace.

Cause: USS Maine

The mysterious explosion of the battleship in Havana Harbor served as the final spark for the conflict, leading the U.S. to declare war under the rallying cry, "Remember the Maine!"

Cause: Sugar cane

The destruction of American-owned sugar cane plantations by Cuban rebels threatened millions of dollars in U.S. investments, creating strong economic pressure for the government to intervene.