Essay on The Cause And Effect Of The Spanish American War

American 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 democratic goals (Faragher, J., Buhle, M. J., Armitage, S. H. ,2008, Out of Many, A History of the American People, 6th ed., Vol. 2, p. 561). McKinley would eventually be forced to act in a humanitarian effort for the people of Cuba and to protect†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Hearsts New York Journal published a leaked letter in which the chief Spanish diplomat in Washington†¦ described President McKinley as weak and a petty politician. Hearst publicized the†¦letter under the scre aming headline: WORST INSULT TO THE UNITED STATES IN ITS HISTORY† (HIS104 U.S. History Since 1877 30-Jun-2008, OL20). The battleship, USS Marine was stationed in Havana’s harbor to protect American interest in Cuba. An explosion destroyed the vessel on February 15, 1898. â€Å"A naval court of inquiry blamed the explosion on a mine, further inflaming public sentiment against Spain† (HIS104 U.S. History Since 1877 30-Jun-2008, OL20). Again, the press stirred up the public with stories and headlines of a Spanish conspiracy. American now demanded revenge for the deaths of 266 sailors (Faragher, J., 2008, Out of Many). President McKinley demanded that Spanish government end brutality of the Cuban people, engage in armistice, and promise the eventual independence of Cuba. Upon Spain’s refusal, McKinley asked for a declaration of war. (HIS104 U.S. History, Lecture, 30-Jun-2008, OL20). â€Å"In order to assure the world that it was fighting only for the good of Cuba and not for colonial gain, the US passed the Teller Amendment, which promised to make Cuba independent after the war wa s over† (SparkNotes: The Spanish American War, 1898-1901: Summary). The â€Å"Splendid Little War† lasted but 12 weeks at theShow MoreRelatedEssay Causes and Effects of the Spanish American War1332 Words   |  6 Pagesimpulsively 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? 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