This lesson is about the causes and results of the Spanish-American War: we'll see where, when, and why it was fought, who won, and what that meant on a global scale.
Updated: 11/21/2023
Spanish-American War Causes & Results | Who Won the Spanish-American War?
Table of Contents
- What was the Spanish-American War and when did it start?
- Causes of the Spanish-American War
- Where was the Spanish-American War Fought?
- Who Won the Spanish-American War?
- Effects of the Spanish-American War
- Lesson Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the most important result of the Spanish-American War?
The most important results of the Spanish-American war were: Cuba was granted their independence, the United States emerged as a world power, and Spanish colonization ended. After the war, the United States continued to fight, until 1901, against the Filipinos who wanted their independence. The United States did grant the Philippines their independence in 1901.
How and why did the Spanish-American War begin?
The United States got involved in Cuba due to economic and social concerns. The United States wanted to help the Cubans earn their independence from Spain. In addition, yellow journalism and the publication of the de Lome letter, the public believed that the Spanish government was trying to pick a fight with the U.S. After the U.S.S. Maine exploded the American public urged McKinley to declare war. While the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine was not the Spanish, it was the final event that resulted in Spain and the United States declaring war.
What did the U.S. gain from the Spanish-American War?
The Spanish-American War was a result of growing tensions between the United States and Cuba. The war was eventually a result of Cubans fighting for their independence from Spain, the United States' desire for new territories, and American public opinion being influenced by yellow journalism.
Table of Contents
- What was the Spanish-American War and when did it start?
- Causes of the Spanish-American War
- Where was the Spanish-American War Fought?
- Who Won the Spanish-American War?
- Effects of the Spanish-American War
- Lesson Summary
The Spanish-American War was a conflict between the United States and Spain over the independence of Cuba. The origins of the Spanish-American War pre-date the U.S. entrance into the conflict in April of 1898. In February 1895, the Spanish government and Cuban nationalists began fighting over Cuba's desire to be independent of Spain. By 1895, Cuba and Puerto Rico were the last colonial holding for Spain in the western hemisphere.
The United States would enter into the Spanish-American War in April of 1898 in order to help Cuba achieve independence and to obtain additional territories around the globe. The Spanish-American War would end in July of 1898 when Spain surrendered to the United States. The "Splendid Little War," as Secretary of State John Hay called the Spanish-American War, resulted in Cuba earning its independence, and the United States emerging as an imperial nation from the western hemisphere.
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The origins of the Spanish-American War pre-date the United States' declaration of war against Spain in April of 1898. In February of 1895, Cuban nationalists began fighting for their independence from Spain. Cuba's struggles to gain independence from Spain resulted in gaining the attention of the United States government and the public. The Spanish-American War was the result of:
- Cuba's struggle for independence,
- Yellow Journalism,
- The De Lome Letter
- The explosion of the U.S.S. Maine.
Cuba's Struggles for Independence from Spain
In February of 1895, Jose Marti began a revolution in Cuba against the Spanish government. Marti also feared that if the United States, which had expressed interest in annexing Cuba in the 1880s, gained further favor among wealthy Cuban plantation owners that Cuba might not be an independent country but be annexed by the United States. Unfortunately for the Cuban revolution, Marti was killed in battle on May 18, 1895. To fight the Cuban revolts, the Spanish government began relocating Cuban villages to suppress any aid the rebels might be receiving. In relocating the villages thousands of relocated civilians began to starve, became ill, and died. While some Cubans, like Jose Marti, did not want the United States to assist them, other Cuban leaders looked to the United States for help.
Many in the United States sympathized with the Cubans fighting for independence from their mother country. To the United States, Cuba's fight for independence from Spain reminded them of the colonies' fight for independence from the British in 1776.
Spanish and American Imperialism
By the end of the 19th Century, Spain's influence in the western hemisphere had significantly decreased. Due to the decrease in European influence in the western hemisphere, the United States hoped to fill the European void with its own influence. Cuba provided the United States with the first real opportunity to exert its influence in Latin American affairs. The United States had already invested almost $50 million in the Cuban economy by 1890. Additionally, U.S. and Cuban trade was worth almost $100 million. While the general public was horrified by the suffering of the relocated Cubans, other Americans were concerned that fighting between the Cuban people and Spain would disrupt trade, and negatively impact the U.S. economy.
Yellow Journalism
One of the contributing factors to why the United States public demanded the country enter into war against Spain was yellow journalism. Yellow journalism is the sensationalizing of media stories. During the late 1800s, American media giants William Randolf Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer competed to sell more newspapers. In order to gain readers, Pulitzer and Hearst frequently allowed their reporters to exaggerate the facts and details of their stories. Stories frequently had eye-catching headlines and drawings of events being covered.
The Cuban fight for independence gained the attention of both Pulitzer and Hearst, who sent reporters to Cuba. The stories of General Butcher Weyler's reconcentration of the Cubans caught the attention of the American public. Both Pulitzer and Hearst soon were publishing stories, many of which were proven to be false later, about the conflicts and suffering occurring in Cuba, which emotionally engaged readers and sold many newspapers in the United States.
One of the stories that caught many Americans' attention was the publication of the De Lome Letter. Enrique Depuy de Lome was the Spanish Minister to the United States. In a letter back to the Spanish government, de Lome made several negative comments about President McKinley. The letter was stolen and published in the New York Journal in February of 1898. The American public was outraged and de Lome's comments; which further increased the growing tensions between the countries.
The Sinking of the U.S.S. Maine
February 15, 1898, the U.S.S Maine explodes in Havana's harbor. The U.S. government had originally sent the U.S.S. Maine to Cuba to protect American economic interests in Cuba. Both Pulitzer and Hearst quickly published that the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine was a result of a Spanish attack. The image below is a copy of the New York Journal's coverage of the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine.
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The U.S. Navy began investigating the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine and determined that the explosion on the ship was not a result of subversive acts but of a malfunction on the ship. While the findings of the U.S. Navy were announced, the yellow journalism coverage of the U.S.S. Maine motivated the American public to ask the government to declare war. April 24, 1898, Spain declared war on the United States, who, in return, declared war on Spain on April 25, 1898.
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While the focus of the Spanish-American War started out as a way for the United States to aid Cuba in earning its independence, the conflict took the United States out of the Caribbean and into the Pacific. The United States' declaration of war on Spain was an opportunity to additionally expand into the Pacific, where Spain had additional territories. Obtaining territories in the Pacific would allow the United States to access Asian markets much easier and would allow the United States to add to its territorial holdings.
Caribbean Theater
The main conflicts of the Spanish-American War did occur in Cuba, between the Spanish, Cuban rebels, and the United States military. The American military was joined by voluntary fighters known as the Rough Riders. The Rough Riders was a voluntary cavalry group out of Texas and was led by the Secretary of the Navy, Theodore Roosevelt. Prior to the declaration of war, Roosevelt had been very vocal about the U.S. aiding Cuba and wanted to be involved in the conflict. Roosevelt and his Rough Riders were assisting the U.S. military in defeating the Spanish at San Juan Hill and Kettle Hill. Additionally, the United States sent over African American soldiers, known as Buffalo Soldiers. The United States entered Cuba and quickly found and defeated the Spanish Navy in Santiago, Cuba.
The United States also invaded Puerto Rico because it was also held by the Spanish. The invasion of Puerto Rico happened quickly, and the island was under the control of the United States by the end of July 1898.
Pacific Theater
The United States looked toward the Spanish Phillippines as a possible stepping stone to new markets in Asia. In the Phillippines, the United States found very little resistance from the Spanish. The United States arrived in Manila Bay on May 1, 1898, and quickly defeated the Spanish. The Filipinos, under the leadership of Emilio Aguinaldo, aided the United States and they declared the Phillippines independent of Spain on June 12, 1898.
Warships from other major powers, such as Germany, Great Britain, France, and Japan, began arriving in the Phillippines fearing that the United States might become aggressive toward their territorial holdings in the Pacific. However, these countries quickly backed down as the United States expressed no interest in taking over their territories. By July of 1898, the Phillippines were under the control of the United States, not even considering granting the Filipinos their independence.
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By July 1898, the Spanish-American War was over. The United States Secretary of State, John Hay, called it a "Splendid Little War," because of how quickly the conflict between the United States and Spain had come and gone.
Due to the short duration of the war, battle casualties of the Spanish-American War were low on both sides. The primary killers of the Spanish-American War were diseases such as yellow fever and typhoid. Approximately 3,000 Americans died during the Spanish-American War, but only 332 were battle-related. Historians suggest that about 90% of Spanish deaths during the war were related to disease; exact numbers are unknown by historians. However, historians have noted that the Spanish military had been significantly weakened by disease prior to the conflict breaking out which might have contributed to the United States' victory.
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The primary effects of the Spanish-American War were:
- Cuba gained independence from Spain
- Spanish colonial rule in the Caribbean ended
- The United States gained territories in the Caribbean and Pacific
- The United States emerged as a global power
The Spanish-American War marked the beginning of the United States' entrance into global involvement and becoming a world power.
Treaty of Paris of 1898
The Treaty of Paris of 1898 ended the Spanish American War. The treaty was signed and ratified in December 1898. Under the terms of the Treaty of Paris:
- Cuba was granted independence,
- The United States gained: Puerto Rico and Guam
- The United States paid Spain $20 million for the Philippines
While Cuba was granted independence under the Treaty of Paris, under the Platt Amendment Cuba was a protectorate of the United States. As a result of the Treaty of Paris in 1898, the Spanish empire ended and the United States was seen as a rising world power.
Theodore Roosevelt the War Hero
Due to Roosevelt's involvement in the Spanish-American War as the leader of the Rough Riders, he was seen as a national hero. While many of the stories of Roosevelt's leadership in Cuba during the Spanish-American War have been found to be exaggerated, his fame from the war helped him become President of the United States. In 1899, the Vice President died and President William McKinley named Theodore Roosevelt the new Vice President. In September of 1901, William McKinley was shot and killed; leaving Theodore Roosevelt to become President.
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Spanish Renaissance
After the Spanish-American war, the focus of the Spanish government returned to mainland Spain. The increased focus on domestic issues within Spain allowed Spain to flourish and would prepare them for the challenges that would emerge in Europe during the 1900s.
Philippine-American War
As a result of the Spanish-American War, the United States gained control over the Philippines. The Filipinos believed that by aiding the United States, they would have been granted their independence. Soon after the end of the Spanish-American War, the Filipinos began fighting the United States for their independence. From February 1899 to July 1901, the Filipinos fought the United States for their independence and did achieve it. However, the fight for their independence resulted in many casualties on both sides.
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The Spanish-American War lasted four months, from April 1898 to July 1898. The Spanish-American War was a result of growing conflicts between the United States and Spain. The conflicts were a result of:
- Concern for Cuban independence
- United States' desire for new territorial land holdings
- American Yellow Journalism
- The explosion of the U.S.S. Maine
Yellow Journalism was a media practice by Hearst and Pulitzer to sell newspapers to the American public. The Yellow Journalism stories were exaggerated headlines and stories, most of which were found to be false. When the U.S.S. Maine exploded in the Havana harbor, Americans were made to believe that the Spanish had killed Americans.
The Spanish-American War was fought in both the Caribbean and the Pacific. In both locations, the United States quickly defeated the Spanish and brought the war to an end. While many people died during the Spanish-American War, it wasn't due to battles but due to diseases such as yellow fever and typhoid. The Treaty of Paris of 1898 was signed in December of 1898 and:
- Granted Cuba's independence but was still protected by the United States.
- Gave the United States Puerto Rico and Guam
- The United States paid Spain $20 million for the Philippines
As a result of the Spanish-American War, the United States emerged as a world power, while the Spanish era of colonization came to an end. The Spanish-American War also made Theodore Roosevelt a war hero due to his leadership of the Rough Riders, a voluntary cavalry group out of Texas. Also fighting for the United States were Buffalo Soldiers, or African American soldiers.
The Spanish-American War also resulted in a fight between the United States and the Philippines. From 1899 to 1901, the Filipinos fought the United States for their independence after the United States defeated the Spanish. The fight between the United States and the Philippines killed many people on both sides.
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Video Transcript
Causes
We're going to start by looking at some of the causes - number one being yellow journalism, which was really pushed to the forefront by William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer. At the same time, the war reflected a shift in the mindset among many Americans to pursue an expansionist policy - economically, but also backed up militarily. We're going to look at how it was fought by Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders and the Buffalo Soldiers. The lesson will also examine the Treaty of Paris and how it resulted in expanding U.S. power in the Caribbean and the Philippines.
Although the name could be misleading, the war was not fought in the mainland of Spain in Europe. The Spanish-American War is a different beast than other wars in which the U.S. had been involved at this point. It was not for freedom. It was not to protect U.S. borders. And it was not an internal conflict, such as in the U.S. Civil War. The Spanish-American War was fought over influence - it was about imperialist and expansionist drives.
What is imperialism? Well, it is when a nation works to expand its power and influence. The two primary methods of imperialism are military conquest and political diplomacy.
During this period of imperialism, there were many influences driving the U.S. government and popular opinion. One of these forces was yellow journalism. Yellow journalism is a sensational form of journalism. These journalists exaggerate, twist, and inflame the news to influence public opinion, cause action, and, above all else, sell more papers than their competitors! The two biggest names pushing the U.S. toward war with Spain with yellow journalism were William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer.
While these men's newspapers were very sensational, they pulled them from real events. One of the stories used effectively (especially by Hearst) was about the exploits of General Valeriano Weyler. Hearst published very graphic and biased stories about General Weyler's brutality in Cuba. Make no mistake, General Weyler was referred to as 'Butcher Weyler,' and he did relocate rebels to 're-concentration camps' that were cesspools of hunger and disease. Actions like Weyler's were not difficult to sensationalize.
Another effective piece in the papers was the De Lome Letter. The letter was written by Enrique Dupuy de Lome, who was the Spanish Minister to the United States. The letter was stolen and ended up being published in Hearst's New York Journal. In the letter, De Lome says President McKinley is 'weak and catering to the rabble and, besides, a low politician who desires to leave a door open to himself and to stand well with the jingos of his party.' A jingo is basically an extremely patriotic person who is likely to favor an aggressive foreign policy.
The last - and arguably final - piece the papers had to sensationalize that moved the U.S. to war was the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine. The Maine was sent to Cuba to protect Americans in Havana. An explosion destroyed the ship and killed 268 sailors. This tragedy was effectively used by the papers. The journal even offered $50,000 for anyone leading to the perpetrator! The obvious enemy was Spain, and this really got American sentiment going!
All of these sensational stories, especially the sinking of the Maine, put a great deal of pressure on the U.S. government. So, President McKinley sent a letter to Spain suggesting an armistice, or an end to hostilities. He asked that Spain close its re-concentration camps and that Spain grant Cuba its independence.
Behind the scenes, many American business leaders were concerned about their substantial investments in Cuba, especially the American sugar industry. Some American political and business leaders even advocated for annexing Cuba. As much as the yellow journalists sold the war to the public with ideas about spreading freedom and democracy to the Cuban people, the war was very much one of expansion and economic self-interest. This can be seen in the vocal opposition to the war raised by Andrew Carnegie, Mark Twain, Samual Gompers, and former President Grover Cleveland. The two leading views were that the war violated the core principles of democracy while others were guided by racism. They feared the assimilation of other races into the United States would harm the country's future.
It is important to note that Spain agreed to a cease fire and to closing the camps, but wouldn't go as far as Cuban independence. Some say Spain agreed to all of the terms, and the U.S. went to war anyway. In any case, the sensationalism of yellow journalism reflects the emergence of mass media combined with rising literacy rates. The profit motives of these new outlets for disseminating information encouraged the creation of inflammatory stories and has parallels to the challenges presented by social media in the 21st century.
War
This means war! When Spain was seen as not meeting his demands, McKinley officially asked Congress to declare war on Spain, even though the United States was ill prepared. At that time, the U.S. Army only had 30,000 troops and it had no experience in conducting a war against a foreign power. On April 25, 1898, war is declared and volunteers swell the ranks of the American armed forces beyond the capacity of the Army to prepare or equip them properly; 17,000 troops are sent to handle this conflict. Two groups stand out in particular. One is Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders. The other group was actually the largest group in the conflict - they were the Buffalo Soldiers. The Buffalo Soldiers were originally the African American soldiers who made the U.S. 10th Cavalry, but the name Buffalo Soldiers came to be used for all the African American regiments formed just after the Civil War.
The war only lasts four months! Its short duration is largely due to the fact that the U.S., at this time, had a more modern navy than Spain, and on top of that, Cuba is only 90 miles from Florida. About 2,400 troops die in the war, but only about 400 of them die in battle. Ten times as many American soldiers died from malnutrition, malaria, or other diseases.
The United States also attacks Spanish forces in Puerto Rico and the Philippines. This comes as a surprise to Spain as the war had been presented as one to aid Cuban independence. In fact, many American business and political leaders had strategically identified the need for an American outpost in the Far East. They saw the Philippines as a perfect opportunity and location. The U.S. Navy defeated the Spanish forces in Manila Bay and benefited from support on land by Filipino independence fighters.
The Treaty of Paris, signed December 10, 1898, officially ends the war. As further proof this was a war about empire building, the United States demands Spain grant independence to Cuba and hand over to the U.S. all of its possessions in the Americas and Asia: Guam, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico.
Cuba is officially awarded independence, but the U.S. reserved the right to intervene in its affairs. Under the Platt Amendment, Cuba is considered a protectorate of the U.S., and since it is under U.S. protection, a military base is constructed at Guantanamo Bay under a lease of perpetuity.
In spite of reaping support from the Filipino independence movement, the United States never considered granting independence to the Philippines and quickly moved to suppress the movement. Although in reality it was an extension of the Spanish-American War, the U.S. conquest of the Philippines from Spain was only complete as the United States destroyed the First Philippine Republic in the Philippine-American War (1899-1902). In that time, 4,000 American soldiers died, 20,000 Filipino soldiers died, and 250,000 to as many as one million Filipino civilians were killed.
Lesson Summary
In summary, an era of U.S. imperialism ushered in the expansionist policies of the U.S. Yellow journalism built up stories about General Weyler, the De Lome Letter, and especially the U.S.S. Maine in order to create popular support for a war that many criticized as violating the founding principles of American democracy The U.S. sent Theodore Roosevelt, the Rough Riders, and the Buffalo Soldiers to fight the war in Cuba. The war is short, and the U.S. gains influence in the Caribbean and in the Philippines. The U.S. never considered granting independence to the Philippines and violently crushed the First Philippine republic in order to establish an outpost in Asia.
Learning Outcomes
When this lesson is completed, you should be able to:
- Understand the causes of the Spanish-American War
- Identify the use of Yellow journalism and its role in selling the war to the public.
- Remember the exploits of Teddy Roosevelt and the Buffalo Soldiers
- Analyze the motivations of many American leaders to initiate a war of expansion against Spain.
- Recognize the outward shift in American economic and foreign policy from continental to overseas expansion.
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Spanish-American War Causes & Results | Who Won the Spanish-American War?
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