Sources

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/John_Hay_signs_Treaty_of_Paris,_1899.JPG/250px-John_Hay_signs_Treaty_of_Paris,_1899.JPG

http://www.solpass.org/7ss/Images/war.gif

http://www.usgwarchives.net/pensions/spnamer/index.1.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1f/Journal98.gif/250px-Journal98.gif

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h61000/h61236.jpg

Cuba's Independence

The influence of Spain in Latin America and the Pacific was brought to an end after the Spanish-American War. The island of Cuba became free from its colonial rule. The Spanish-American War lasted ten weeks and resulted in 400 battle deaths.

-This was the Treaty of Paris in 1898. This guaranteed America more land and Cuba received independence.

Effects of Spanish American War

The resulting War lasted for 109 days and was a major US victory. The United States gained possession of the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico. The United States also emerged as a world power. It was a US victory and Spain lost its Pacific and Caribbean Empire. The U.S also expanded its economic influence in Latin America.

-This is another picture of the Spanish American War. The United States was victorious.

American Imperialism

The US was trying to build their empire. America always had an interest in Cuba. The US had tried to buy it off of Spain multiple times but Spain refused. The Americans seized an opportunity to take it. The USA had been waiting for the appropriate moment to intervene in Cuba to seize new territories outside of their country. When they realized that the Cuban insurgents were close to defeat to the Spaniards they intervened in the war to snatch the victory from the Cubans and try to keep Cuba.

Yellow Journalism

Yellow Journalism was another cause of the Spanish-American war. American journalists stuck anger and fear in the hearts of citizens. They exploded situations to huge proportions to rally public support for war. They were based on truth but tended to stretch the truth a lot. American journalists used yellow journalism to exaggerate how "evil" the Spanish were such as using propaganda pictures showing them as gorillas killing innocents to trick people into thinking they were worse than they actually were leading to the public to favor war.

-This is one of the journals published that included journalists supporting war.

USS Maine

As the violence of the revolutions worsened, the US sent the USS Maine to protect American interests in Cuba. While it was in the Harbor the ship exploded, killing the crew. Journalists claimed it was destroyed by a Spanish mine. The nation now had a reason for war, so it began. The explosion is still a mystery but evidence has suggested that a boiler explosion was actually the cause.