SPANISH AMERICAN WAR (April 21, 1898- Aug 13, 1891)
under Mckinley
– Causes:
– Cuban revolts, concern US has investments in Sugar plantations
– U.S. had sympathy for the plight of the Cuban people
– Yellow journalism
– De Lome letter: Spanish official disrespects Pres William Mckinley
– In Feb 15 1898, People think Spain blew up the the USS Maine a U.S.
battleship of the coast of Cuba
– In April 1898 the US DECLARES war against Spain
– US, Cuba, Philippines VS. Spain
– Teller Amendment: Passed at start of the war (Means the US have no intention of
taking over Cuba)
– S/A War ENDS in August 1898 with the Treaty of Paris
– gives the U.S. Guam, Cuba, Puerto, and the Philippines
– Spain is paid $20 million dollars though
– Teller Amendment replaced by the Platt amendment in 1901
– US could maintain naval base in Guantanamo bay
– Foraker Act (1900)
– Puerto Rico was granted a limited degree of popular govt.
– Emilio Aguinaldo: leader of the Philip. Independence movement against Spain
– thought the Phili. would receive Independence
– Brutal guerilla war takes place between the US and the Philip.
– Formal independence does not come until 1946
– Boxer Rebellion 1890
– Uprising attempt to remove foreign influence from China
– Foreign offices attacked, chineses christian missionaries being killed
– Put down eventually by international force
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WORLD WAR I (July 28, 1914 – Nov 11, 1918)
US joins April 6, 1917
Under Wilson
– Us initially Neutral
– Causes:
– immediate cause: assassination of Franz Ferdinand (June 1914)
– German sinking of the Lusitania 1915, apologizing but then sinking the Sussex in
1916, Sussex Pledge
– Zimmerman note: British intercept a German proposal to Mexico for a joint
alliance
– In the note they ask Mexico to attack the US and they would be allowed
