The War Of 1898 And Its Impact On The Country

Cuba “held an economical potential that attracted American business interests and a strategic significance for any Central American canal” (Goldfield, Abbott and Anderson, p 638). Cuban rebellion “erupted again in 1895 in a classic guerrilla war… [and] American economic interests were seriously affected” (book pg638). The Spaniards started confining the locals to concentration camps “where tens of thousands died of starvation and disease” (book pg 638). This gained a lot of publicity throughout America as journalist’s were reporting the harsh treatment, which helped persuade our nation to intervene. Furthermore, this led to growing tension between Spain and

Cuba is near Florida and we already had business associations with them. Also, the Spanish were trying to take over them. We were against the Spanish and we didn’t want them to expand so this lead to the Spanish- American War. This war also is fought over the Philippines. We ended up winning the war. We felt Cuba could expand and also maintain the business we already had. Also, if we go to when the Cold War was occurring, we were threatened that Cuba would join the USSR and become communists. The reason we wanted Panama was simply for the Panama Canal. We wanted the Panama Canal since it was a faster route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean so this would fasten the process of trade which means more business would be occurring so this would give us more wealth and power.

President Mckinely knew that they had to protect Cuba because they were so heavily involved. The United States would also benefit from this because Cuba and the Philippines were essential for trade and business. The sugar market and tobacco trade was very much affected by the revolution that was happening in Cuba. This made the Americans quick to act. This gave them another reason to get involved with foreign affairs.

On the other hand, there were also business and military interests than partly led to the war as well. In 1895, the US had an investment

The Cuban people were in need of dire help, their citizens dying on the streets and in concentration camps. The U.S looked from afar, debating whether it was the right thing to do to get involved in a foreign conflict. Despite the majority of Americans wanting to go to war and defend the rights of the Cuban people, whether it was opinion conceived from yellow journalism, political influences or just a humanitarian responsibility, McKinley did not want any part in this war and he fought barrier after barrier to resolve the matter peacefully. When the extensive negotiations failed with the prideful Spanish, and after the Maine sinking, the De Lôme Letter, and increasing political and social pressure, McKinley finally saw no other way to resolve this matter than by war. Kagan believes that McKinley entered this war on an agenda of helping the Cuban people with their independence from Spain and stopping the brutal concentration camps and cruel policies of Weyler and the Spanish. Although I agree with this, I also believe that a secondary motive of wanting to get involved was because Cuba had many “negro” leaders and people living on the island. Politicians didn’t want colored people taking charge of the country so they deemed them unfit to govern themselves as Kagan puts it “[Cuban people] were unfit for democracy and incapable of establishing a stable and reliable

By the year 1901, the United States possessed one of the largest navy’s in the world, a growing empire, and the respect of the world as a growing power. It gained these achievements by being involved in the growing imperialism of this era along with Britain, France, Germany, and Japan. However America did not gain its power spontaneously. During the Gilded Age and prior America established policies and precedents that would lead America into the discussion as a world power. Although the United States expansionism in the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-centuries was a continuation of the social and cultural continuation of the past, it was also resulting from the departure from the methods of the past in the government’s pursuit of new economic and political endeavors.

Though after the Spanish-American War, Hawaii was able to gain attention as expansionists envisioned ships sailing from the eastern seaboard through a Central American canal to Hawaii and then on to China. It took President McKinley to successfully maneuvered annexation through Congress by means of a majority vote. Cuba was also played a part in American foreign affairs during the turn of the century. After the United States imposed the Wilson-German Tariff, Cuba, depending on imports heavily, fell in to a deep economic crisis. This caused the Cubans to launch a revolution in 1895. Though the Spanish government did provide modified reconcentration and promised some autonomy for Cuba. President McKinley was a known imperialist that wanted independence of Cuba achieved without an U.S. war if possible. Though the revolution seemed to have no end, so the U.S. set the battleship Maine to demonstrate U.S. concern and protection for Americans in Cuba. After its explosion, the U.S. declared war on Spain. The U.S. forces would quickly defeat the Spanish in Cuba and also in the Philippines. The U.S. took the Philippines saying that it was a Spanish colony even though the war was going on in another hemisphere. There were also other incidences in other parts of the world. The U.S. asked China to keep an Open Door policy. This meant that China had to respect the principle of equal trade opportunity for all nations in their spheres of influence. This caused the Boxers to hold

Prior to the 1890’s, the United States followed a foreign policy of seclusion to worldly matters. This idea stemming from George Washington’s Farewell Address to “avoid entangling alliances” became the foundation for American seclusion and detachment, a policy which resulted in this country being able to overcome tremendous internal difficulties facing the rising, fast-changing state of America. The Manifest Destiny enlarged American borders and created speedy industrialization, which made the nation powerful. New interests and concepts also began to change our foreign policies such as social Darwinists, which stressed the significance of forte and evolution, while others assimilated the “little brown brothers” who needed to be taught responsibly. {1-2 sentences on the economics of the Gilded Age before 1898: Panics, economic growth after the Civil War, 2nd Industrial Revolution} Urged by economic benefits, people wanted new markets for their goods, while others ravished the riches of new land. Due to the America’s strive to become the Worlds greatest nation throughout history, the American economy was able to benefit after the Spanish American war and World War II, as opposed to the inflation and lead up to the Great Depression which World War I inflicted on the economy.

The quote "A Splendid little war" by Secretary of State John Hay summarizes the Spanish American War in 1898. While this war could be seen as an act of aggression by the 20th century standards this war was beneficial to the United States of America while being deviating to the Kingdom of Spain for many reasons.

Cuba didn't want another foreign country imposing their government over them, which America brought upon them anyways by not granting them full independences and having moderate control over them. Both Spain and America abandon them which left corrupt rebel types in control with no outline of governance or proper constitution. It also granted Native people rebelling against U.S. rules. As time goes on, America is looking at Cuba as an enemy from the Cuban missile crisis in 1962 and not an allied country even though they joined a war to help them gain their independence. So basically, America joined a war to make an enemy and intervening into the war they could have avoided. This may have brought a decent amount of gain for them, but countless U.S. lives were lost from it, and created

Americans endured numerous monetary, social, and political issues in the post-Common War time. I have distinguished one of each of these sorts of issues that I accept were among the most critical amid the time of 1865-1900. The monetary issue that I accept had one of the greatest effects on Americans at the time is the Incomparable Railroad Strike of 1877. The social issue that I feel extraordinarily influenced America after the Common War is Chinese movement. One of the greatest political issues, to me, is the Populist Party.

The Spanish-American War was fought mainly for economic reasons. The United States' primary motivation for entering the war was “purely economic” (Spanish-American War). The United States had a vested interest in Cuba – almost fifty million dollars invested in the island nation. Additionally, America had a sound trade history with Cuba: trading more with the Spanish colony than its motherland (Cuba). The rotting Spanish Empire provided a hindrance to American business interests. Tariffs and trade fees were especially troublesome to American businessmen. After the war, America had successfully the profitability of their investments. This was done through the Platt Amendment. This amendment had essentially dictated Cuba's economic policy: allowing Americans to check Cuban national debt and foreign treaties (Platt Amendment).

When the citizens had bought all that they could buy, there was a decrease in demand. Suddenly, the industries had an excess of goods and no one to sell it to. At this point, the Fordney-McCumber Act began to cripple the economy of America. Other nations introduced high tariffs to boost their revenue and to spite the United States. Sadly for the United States, these high tariffs and low demand were instrumental in the depression that America experienced. When the stock market crashed on October 29th, 1929 or “Black Tuesday”, the united states, along with other nations were in economic turmoil and the widespread prosperity of the 1920s ended abruptly. The depression threatened people's jobs, savings, and even their homes and farms. During the heart of the depression, over one-quarter of the American population was out of work. For many Americans, these were extremely hard times. When Roosevelt was voted into office, he introduced the New Deal. While this plan tried to help the united states out of it’s isolationist rut, the second world war was the final solution. Mobilizing the economy for world war finally cured the depression. Millions of men and women joined the armed forces, and even larger numbers went to work in well-paying defence jobs.

Almost one hundred and fifty years after the birth of the United States of America, the country and its people stepped unabashed into the modern age. Following years of gloom and war, the public desired change. Though it took some years after the close of World War 1, the United States began to evolve. With high tariffs, federal tax cuts, and the increase of mass production among other things, America’s economy began to grow rapidly. Economic growth occurred simultaneously with social and cultural growth and these factors brought WW1 America toward the modern age.

At the turn of the century many things were happening that would affect America in ways that would have never been expected. The 1900-1940 era would have truly been an exciting time to live in. Over these four decades Americans would face some of the