Spanish American War Effects

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There were many major causes and effects of the Spanish American War. Prior to the war, the United States had achieved manifest destiny across the country. This provoked them to think they would be able to imperialize other countries. They were successful in opening trade and starting alliances with countries including Japan, Alaska, Hawaii, Samoa, and China. The U.S wanted to be better than all other countries. Requested trade with them by sailing into the Tokyo Bay with heavily armed warships, and presented them with a letter from the president requesting trade. Missionaries went to Hawaii to convert Hawaiians to Christianity. Some of the major causes of the war were social darwinism, trade, and humanitarian reasons. Rebellion in Cuba…show more content…
The first battle after McKinley asked congress to declare war on Spain, was in the Philippines. Theodore Roosevelt, Assistant Secretary of the United States Navy, instructed Commodore George Dewey, head of the Pacific fleet, to relocate his ships so they would be in place to strike when war started in the Philippines. On May 1st with only a small fleet of warships, Commodore Dewey was able to sink the entire squadron of Spanish ships in the Manila Bay, with not a single American life or ship lost. With many Filipinos in rebel against the Spanish, the United States found itself in control of the Philippine Islands. A Filipino by the name of Emilio Aguinaldo was enlisted by Dewey to help take over Manila from the Spanish. The Americans failed to notice that Aguinaldo was helping them, and soon he would be going against America. The next spot of interest for the war shifted to Cuba. In late June, poorly trained, yet anxious to fight American ground forces arrived in Santiago, Cuba. Roosevelt had given up his Navy post to join the war, and he led the well known Rough Riders unit. A very successful charge up San Juan Hill, was performed by the Rough Riders and led by Roosevelt. Concurrently, American ships had trapped a fleet of Spanish ships in the Santiago Harbor. When the ships made an attempt to escape, the U.S. shut them down, and the Spanish surrendered two weeks later. In December of 1898, a peace treaty was signed between the United States and Spain.Along with the treaty, Spain accepted Puerto Rico’s independence, and the United States was granted Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and the Pacific Islands of Wake and Guam. In return, the United States pain Spain $20 million. This treaty angered many Americans because they said that taking colonies violated the Declaration of Independence, while on the other hand,
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