Spanish-American War

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

1. American business owners- The american-people felt sympathetic toward the Cubans, and the business owners wanted the sugar plantations because it was rich in natural resources and full of new markets.

2. José Martí - he launched a revolution in 1895 and organized Cuban resistance against Spain, using an active guerilla campaign and deliberately destroying property, especially American-owned sugar mills and plantations. He counted on provoking US intervention to help achieve a free Cuba.

3. Valeriano Weyler - Was sent to Cuba to restore order. He fueled a war over newspaper circulation by imprisoning cubans in concentration camps.

4. Yellow journalism - It exaggerated the news to lure and enrage readers, which fanned war fever.

5. De Lôme letter - The De Lome Letter got Americans angered over the fact that their president was insulted by the Spanish minister. They found out about it because it was published in the New York Journal.

6. U.S.S. Maine - It was played up to make the American people think that the Spanish blew up the ship, and to make it seem like an act of war so that we could declare war on Spain.


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

7. Cuba - Cuba is released from Spain

8. Puerto Rico - IS given to the US

9. Guam - It is given to the US

10. Philippine Islands - US buys for 20 million