The Spanish-American War
The war between the United States and Spain was caused by
unsettling tension between the two countries; Spain, at that time, one of
the world's great powers, maintained colonies including Cuba, which lay
only ninety miles from U.S. soil. Lasting from April until August, 1898,
the war was fought to liberate Cuba from Spanish rule. During the course of
the war the United States acquired Guam, Puerto Rico and the Philippines,
and emerged as a world power.
In 1823, James Monroe issued a bold proposal called the Monroe
Doctrine, that stated one of the goals of the U.S. government was to
prevent further European influence in the western hemisphere. The Monroe
Doctrine proclaimed that the ...
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defeat them.
American newspapers, especially the yellow press of rival
publishers, William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, printed outlandish
stories of the Spanish oppression in Cuba. They included wildly exaggerated
accounts that a quarter of the Cuban population had been killed at the
hands of their Spanish oppressors. President William McKinley was urged to
pressure Spain into granting Cuba limited self-government. Under the
disguise of a "courtesy call," the United States Navy battleship ‘
Maine',was sent to Havana in January, 1889, to protect US citizens and
interests in Cuba.
On February 15 a mysterious explosion blew up the battleship,
which was moored in Havana Harbor, killing 260 officers and men. An
outraged American public fed by yellow journalism blamed Spain, although to
this day no one knows why the battleship exploded. Out of this unfortunate
episode an American battle cry emerged: “Remember the 'Maine' -- To Hell
with Spain."
On April 25, 1898, after a ...
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and Indian
Territories; President McKinley's personal physician, Dr. Leonard Wood, who
was previously also in the navy as was Roosevelt, was placed in command
with Lt. Col. Roosevelt being second in command of the 1st Regiment
Volunteer Cavalry.
The 2nd Regiment was recruited in Wyoming, the 3rd Regiment in the
Dakotas. These two regiments remained in the United States during the
fighting. Only a portion of the 1st Regiment, the 'Rough Riders', saw
action in Cuba. They received their nickname from the press in recognition
of their superior skill on horseback.
The largest single source of the 'Rough Riders' was from the New
Mexico Territory, 358 men, including 168 from Santa Fe. ...
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The Spanish-American War. (2008, October 17). Retrieved November 23, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Spanish-American-War/91593
"The Spanish-American War." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 17 Oct. 2008. Web. 23 Nov. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Spanish-American-War/91593>
"The Spanish-American War." Essayworld.com. October 17, 2008. Accessed November 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Spanish-American-War/91593.
"The Spanish-American War." Essayworld.com. October 17, 2008. Accessed November 23, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Spanish-American-War/91593.
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