Why Did the United States Go to War with Spain in 1898? Essay

Tensions between Spain and Cuba had already commenced; Spain had controlled Cuba through its means of imperialism. With Cubans causing a fight for its independence, the Spanish military would round up Cubans and place them in camps. Territorial expansion

The United States was not justified in going to war with Spain in 1898. The nation was fighting with clear imperialistic intentions in mind; a majority of people saw the Spanish Empire as an obstacle to fulfilling the Monroe Doctrine and allowing American political and economic command over the entire Western Hemisphere, which made any possible chance to depose them feel necessary for progress. To that extent, many feared Spain would be detrimental to imports and exports because of their presence in the Caribbean Sea, which served as the main trade link between the U.S. and Latin

The Spanish American war started in 1898 and was a fight for Cuba’s independence which resulted in 379 American casualties in combat. The Spanish American War was justified because of the Monroe Doctrine, Correspondence between the United States and Spain, and the Platt Amendment, which were all created to protect American morals and freedom.

To protect the interests of the nation, the United States sent the USS Maine into Havana Harbor, but on February 15, 1898, the unthinkable happened. The battleship exploded, killing 260 members of the crew. Without a thorough investigation, the U.S. Naval Court of Inquiry stated the explosion was caused by Spain. Doubt from the public was virtually absent and the United States declared war on Spain, beginning the Spanish-American War. The war resulted in a swift American victory, leading to the addition of multiple territories. Although the explosion is now known to have been caused by an internal fire, it caused American intervention and imperialism in both Latin America and islands in the Pacific

The Spanish-American war was a conflict between Spain and the US. Causes of the Spanish american war can include: American support for Cuban independence, US wanting to protect their business interests

The subsequent bombing of the ship was blamed on the Spanish with virtually no evidence; however, yellow journalists Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst sensationalized Spanish “atrocities” in Cuba fanning the flames for war. McKinley sought support for a military campaign against the Spanish in Cuba on April 11, 1898 in his Message to Congress Requesing a Declaration of War. The address highlights four justifications for intervention in the region. McKinley’s third reason for intervention was “justified by the very serious injury to the commerce, trade, and business of our people” and fourth justification “…which is of the utmost importance. The present condition of affairs in Cuba is a constant menace to our peace and entails upon this Government an enormous expense” resonate with a sense of American imperialism. The primary concerns of the nation dealt with trade and business implications for American markets instead of the safety and security of the Cuban people. The Platform of the American Anti-Imperialist League supported the “immediate cessation of the war against liberty, begun by Spain.”

The Spanish-American war began when an unknown ship sank the USS Maine in Havana, which was sent to protect U.S. citizens and property after the anti-Spanish riots. Yellow journalism contributed to the U.S. declaring war by using “sensational stories that tugged at readers’ heartstrings to sell papers.” These papers blamed Spain for the sinking of the ship, even though they had no evidence to prove it. Spain declared war on April 24, 1898 and the U.S. declared war the next day. These declarations of war began the Spanish-American war. It lasted only four months.

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 excluding the commonwealth of Spain. This ultimately angered the Spanish and weakened international relationship between the United States and Spain. This tariff also instilled an anti-American feeling in Spain. This would lay down the groundwork for the next cause the “Delome Letter”

The excuse for entering the war was the rebellion by the Cubans against Spanish rule and the explosion of an American battleship U.S.S. Maine. The Spanish colonies in mainland North and South America became independent in the early 1800s, but Cuba and Puerto Rico remained Spanish. Many Americans in the U.S. sympathized with Cuba, which began in 1895, and also, maybe more importantly, U.S. citizens

On top of the explosion of the USS Maine, America had other reasons for declaring war on Spain. Humanitarian concerns were growing day by day as America had been hearing stories of Cubans being treated cruelly by the Spanish; poverty, starvation, and imprisonment are

The Spanish-American War was a disagreement between the United States and Spain. It all began in Cuba when they were seeking freedom, this was in the year of 1895. There were riots in Spain of drastic measure due to the prohibited of freedom, causing individuals to act out. The United States express concern for the rebels in the riots and became more involved after the ship Havana had sunk. The ship was protecting United States citizens and property after the rioting (cite).

The Cubans did not want to be under Spanish authority. While Cuba and Spain were at war, Cuba’s economy was on the brink of destruction. Cuba’s sugar dynasties and their production of sugar were hampered due to the war. This in my opinion is what really sparked President McKinley’s interest in war against Spain. President McKinley went to congress, presented the reasons for war against Spain, however he had ulterior motives that he was not forthcoming with.

The Spanish American War of 1898 was a four month long conflict between the United States and Spain that lead to U.S. acquisition of territory through the termination of Spanish colonial rule in the Americas. This war represented a significant turning point in American foreign policy, as it resulted in the portrayal of the U.S. as a dominant power within international relations. While the war did not directly make the U.S. a strong force, it signaled to the rest of the world that it was capable of playing a powerful role in diplomacy. The United States was not prepared for war, yet still entered the battle out of economic necessity due to the depression. Once the U.S. had gained control of the Philippines, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, isolationism ceased and recognition as a world power began. Prior to the Spanish-American War the U.S. was

The United States came to control Cuba as a result of the Spanish-American War of 1898. With the internal frontier officially closed in 1893, U.S. officials, religious leaders, and businessmen looked favorably upon U.S. expansion beyond its continental borders. Business leaders sought external markets in which to sell mass-produced industrial goods, and religious voices in America called for the civilizing and Christianizing of ~'lesser~' peoples abroad. Government leaders, and most ordinary Americans, believed the U.S. had a global mission to spread its way of life and uplift those outside its borders. The Washington Post declared, ~'The taste of empire is in the mouth of the people~' and Americans were eager to

It is important to read historical accounts of other countries in regard to analyzing the Spanish-American War because it helps to paint a more full picture of what caused the war. From one perspective only a partial story is told, which can seem bias or can be completely wrong. This is seen in the Spanish-American War from the perspective of Americans. It would seem that it is the Spanish’s fault for the destruction of the USS Maine, but once a different perspective is taken, it is realized that the explosion came from the inside of the USS Maine. We know it came from the inside because the hull of the wreckage is pointing outwards. This means the U.S. Maine was exploded intentionally to spark conflict, meaning it wasn’t the Spanish’s fault.