Essay Causes and Effects of the Spanish American War

On April 19th, 1898, The United States impulsively waged a war with imperialist Spain that would forever change our country for better and for worse. There are many different factors that led to the war, but in my opinion, one key cause is of much greater importance than the others. As a result of the war, American became known as an imperialistic nation and a world power. How could such a â€Å"little† war have such a large impact on American society at the turn of the 20th century? The first reason for the Spanish American War was public opinion. In 1895, American citizens took notice of a Cuban revolt against their corrupt Spanish oppressor. The Cuban insurgents reasoned that if they did enough damage , the US might move in and help the†¦show more content†¦From 1895 to 1898, the yellow press exploited high public tensions for headlines regularly. In fact, Hearst is reported to have told one of his photographers: â€Å"You furnish the pictures and I’ll furn ish the war.† While public tensions before August 1898 were surely high, nothing turned the public against Spain like the tragic blowing up of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor. The lives of 260 American officers and men were lost. The yellow press and American investigators quickly blamed spanish officials in Cuba for the mysterious wreck. Although it is extremely unlikely that the spanish had anything to do with the Maine’s sinking, the War-Mad American public accepted this conclusion out of rage, overwhelmingly persuading President Mckinley to begin the war. McKinley personally did not want to fight a war against Spain, for he had seen enough bloodshed as a General in the Civil War. But the public, encouraged by the Cuban patriotic cause, yellow journalism, and the sinking of the Maine, clamored for a war. Finally, President McKinley yielded and gave the people what they wanted. He believed that the people should rule, even if they don’t know what’s best f or themselves. Public pressure was the main reason we went to war with Spain, and the biggest cultivator of public unrest was the blowing up of â€Å"The Maine†. On the other hand, there were also business and military interests than partly led to the war as well. In 1895, the US had an investmentShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Cause And Effect Of The Spanish American War953 Words   |  4 PagesAmerican imperialism in 1898 was not a sudden abandonment of anti-colonial tradition but was a logical extension of commercial expansion, something the US had been doing throughout its history (SparkNotes: The Spanish American War, 1898-1901,: Effects of the Treaty). President McKinley was not interested in wars of conquest or of territorial aggression. His interest in expansion was to make the United States first in international commerce and as a means to implement its humanitarian and democraticRead MoreThe Spanish American War s Impact On America892 Words   |  4 PagesThe Spanish American War’s Impact on America When addressing the Spanish-American War, and the changes that it ushered in for America, it’s important to look at more than just the war itself. The people involved in the war, weather individuals or groups of people, were the real force of change. From people who fought in the war itself, mindsets that emerged from the victory, or the economic advantages gained; all point to one important thing. America became a larger world power in the aftermath ofRead MoreCauses And Effects Of U.S. Imperialism812 Words   |  3 PagesIn analyzing the causes and effects of United States Imperialism from 1870 to 1916, one finds that there are three main factors. These major factors of United States Imperialism in this time period are: Hawaii, the Spanish-American war, and Theodore Roosevelt. In this time period Hawaiian islanders were very happy to live traditionally, but Americans were not content with the traditional ways of the Hawaiians (Buschini, n.pag.). Even though America seemed t o be on the road to imperialism with HawaiiRead MoreThe Spanish American War965 Words   |  4 PagesThe Spanish-American War was the event that placed the United States of America on the world stage. It showed the world the United States militaries might and strength and proved that the United States could back up their beloved Monroe Doctrine. It placed America as an Imperialistic Nation, which was one idea looked down upon by so many of its citizens. This war and its effect on the world had its pros and cons, but one thing is unarguably for certain, this event changed the way America has beenRead MoreThe Spanish American War in 18981256 Words   |  5 Pages The quote A Splendid little war by Secretary of State John Hay summarizes the Spanish American War in 1898. While this war could be seen as an act of aggression by the 20th century standards this war was beneficial to the United States of America while being deviating to the Kingdom of Spain for many reasons. There were many causes for the Spanish American War. The first long term cause was the Wilson Gordon Tariff. This tariff ultimately decreased tariff rates for may Europeans nations excludingRead MoreThe Revolutionary War : Wim Klooster s Book Revolutions1114 Words   |  5 PagesWorld expresses the deep roots of the revolutionary war period throughout various locations and circumstances. He strives to express the causes, effects, and the political civil war which caused the great uproar in the once colonial lands. This shift in history is noted in Klooster’s book and expanded upon in his chapter entitled â€Å"The Revolution’s Compared.† He notes the various commonalities between the American, French, Haitian, and Spanish American revolutions. Klooster’s organization, sourcesRead MoreThe United States Involvement During The Civil War1180 Words   |  5 Pages1898, Spain declared war on the United States. The U.S. prime objective was for the true Cuba n independence. In pursuing such goal, the string of conflicts began with the inhumane treatment of Cuban civilians in concentration camps by the Spanish, ‘yellow journalism,† and the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine. The United States involvement in the war was a combination of all of these factors; however, the most influential factor was the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine. The outrage of American citizens advancedRead MoreEffects Of Spanish American War On U. S1734 Words   |  7 PagesEffects of Spanish-American War on U. S. A. The Spanish-American war occurred in 1898 between the United States and Spain where the U. S. interrupted Cuba’s struggle for independence which resulted into the Philippine revolution. Some historians explain that the war publicized by the Hearst and Pulitzer newspapers which blame the sinking of the ship U. S. Maine on Spain, which had been sent to protect America’s interest and Americans living there. There was rising pressure on Congress to push theRead MoreThe Conflict Of The Civil War968 Words   |  4 Pagesa catalyst of societal restructuring and reform as war. Following the internal conflict of the civil war, the country experienced a state of peace with a focus on reconstruction and betterment of the overall public. These years of peace came to a close with the eruption of the extremely controversial Spanish American war, the first bloodshed America administered on foreign soil. Following the quelling of the controversial feelings the American public had towards external intervention, global conflictsRead MoreCuban Revolution By Andrew Caminiti1476 Words   |  6 Pagesback to 1868 when the United States defeated the Spanish Army giving Cuba its independence. The Cubans elected Fulgencio Batista who did not allow any more elections to take place. This angered many and a new revolution leader formed, Fidel Castro. Fidel overthrew the Batista Regime and named himself dictator. He started close economic ties with the Soviet Union. Shortly after this the United States ended any ties with the Cuban government. The causes of the Cuban Revolution were terrible conditions