The Spanish American War started in April 1898 when the United States declared war on Spain after one of their battleships, Maine, was sunk in Havana Harbor on February 15, 1898. The Cubans and American's fought together in this war. After that happened everyone in America was enraged and very angry that someone would attack us. Everyone wanted revenge so having people volunteer to sign up for the war wasn't a problem. Everyone wanted to participate and defend our country. The future president at that time, Theodore Roosevelt gathered troops and became famous from leading the Rough Raiders during the battle of San Juan Hill. Ground battles took place in Cuba and Puerto Rico. The war wars won by the United States and they began to occupy and take control of these colonies after Spain surrendered.
The Cuban's were being mistreated by Spain and were even being started to put into concentration camps. Although the United States had agreed not to go to war with Spain the battleship was attacked and sunk. As it turns out the ship wasn't even attacked by Spain though. There was believed to be and explosion from inside the ship. Many people who believe in conspiracy theories believe that the United States needed as reason to get involved and help out with Cuban's, but also wanted everyone to agree to go to war so they did that to their own ship and blamed in on Spain. At the end of the 4 month war the Treaty of Paris was signed on December 10, 1898 and American and the Cubans had won.
Fun Fact: Only about 400 American Soldiers were killed in the war, but more than 4000 died from diseases such as yellow fever, typhoid, and malaria.
Fun Fact: Only about 400 American Soldiers were killed in the war, but more than 4000 died from diseases such as yellow fever, typhoid, and malaria.
Yellow journalism was used a lot by people in Spain to make us look like badly to others and because they were treating Cuban's unfairly and claiming they weren't. Yellow Journalism is a crude exaggeration of something to sway readers to what side the writer of the story wants you to be on.
Before becoming President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt was the Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He resigned in 1898 to organize the Rough Riders, the first voluntary cavalry in the Spanish-American War. The U.S. was fighting against Spain over Spain's colonial policies with Cuba.