Source: Quiz Answer Key, SAQs 1 and 5
Tags: Spanish-American War, imperialism, anti-imperialism, yellow journalism, Cuba, Philippines, Hawaii, Treaty of Paris, APUSH Period 7, U.S. foreign policy 1890s
Difficulty: Intermediate
Prerequisites: Familiarity with U.S. expansion in the late 19th century and basic understanding of the Monroe Doctrine.
By the 1890s the United States was shifting from a continental power into one with global ambitions. The Spanish-American War of 1898 sits at the centre of that shift: it was short, decisive, and left the U.S. with overseas territories for the first time. Understanding the war means grappling with competing explanations for why it happened (humanitarian concern vs. imperial ambition) and recognising that the outcome reshaped American foreign policy for the next century. If you are joining this material late, make sure you are comfortable with the Monroe Doctrine and the concept of Manifest Destiny, as both feed directly into this period.
The Spanish-American War was driven by a combination of genuine humanitarian outrage over Spanish treatment of Cubans and underlying imperial motives. The war's outcome, including the Treaty of Paris and new territorial acquisitions, transformed the United States into a world power and opened a new chapter in American foreign policy.
Spanish-American War (1898)
The brief conflict between the United States and Spain, fought primarily over Cuba. It resulted in Spain ceding territories including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. In simple terms, this is the war that turned the U.S. from a regional power into an imperial one almost overnight.
Yellow journalism
Sensationalised, exaggerated newspaper reporting, particularly by publishers like Hearst and Pulitzer, that inflamed public opinion in favour of intervention in Cuba. Think of it as clickbait before the internet: dramatic headlines designed to sell papers, not to inform accurately.
Treaty of Paris (1898)
The peace agreement ending the Spanish-American War. Spain ceded the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico to the United States and relinquished its claim to Cuba. In simple terms, this is the document that made the U.S. a colonial power with territories across the Pacific and Caribbean.
Imperialism
A policy of extending a country's political, economic, and social influence over other territories, often through military force or economic pressure. Think of it as one country reaching into another's affairs to expand its own power and markets.
Anti-imperialism
Opposition to the acquisition and control of overseas territories, often grounded in arguments about self-determination, constitutional principles, or moral objections. In simple terms, the belief that a republic founded on liberty has no business ruling people who did not consent to it.
Concentration camps (reconcentración)
Camps established by Spanish General Weyler in Cuba, where civilians were forcibly relocated. Conditions were brutal and death rates were high. Think of it as Spain's attempt to cut off support for Cuban rebels by confining the civilian population, with devastating humanitarian consequences.
The American public grew increasingly alarmed at Spain's treatment of Cuban civilians, particularly the reconcentración policy that confined Cubans to camps under appalling conditions.
Yellow journalism amplified these concerns, often embellishing reports of Spanish atrocities to generate outrage and sell newspapers.
The humanitarian framing cast U.S. intervention as a moral duty: liberating an oppressed people from colonial brutality.
The United States sought to expand its political, economic, and social influence beyond the North American continent.
The war provided a convenient vehicle for that expansion, opening access to Caribbean and Pacific territories.
As a direct result of the conflict, the U.S. acquired an overseas empire, gaining control of the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
The Spanish-American War marked the moment the United States emerged as a recognised world power.
The war demonstrated American military strength, particularly naval capability, to an international audience.
The Treaty of Paris formalised territorial acquisitions that made the U.S. an imperial power, fundamentally changing its role on the world stage.
The cartoon depicts territories (Philippines, Hawaii, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Panama) before and after U.S. involvement, framing intervention as liberation.
From an imperialist viewpoint: the cartoon supports the idea that American involvement improved the lives of people in these territories, portraying intervention as benevolent.
From an anti-imperialist viewpoint: one could read the cartoon as exposing the paternalism of the imperialist position, where "rescue" is really a justification for control.
Historical events that support the cartoon's perspective include the annexation of Hawaii (1898), the Philippine-American War, and U.S. involvement in Cuba and Panama.
The debate over humanitarian intervention vs. imperial motive did not end in 1898. Modern foreign policy discussions about military intervention abroad, from the Balkans to the Middle East, echo the same tension between altruistic justifications and strategic self-interest.
Students often assume the Spanish-American War was caused by a single factor. In reality, humanitarian concerns and imperial ambitions operated simultaneously, and exam answers benefit from acknowledging both.
Yellow journalism is sometimes treated as the sole cause of the war. It inflamed public opinion but did not create the underlying conditions (Cuban suffering, U.S. expansionist aims) from nothing.
The Treaty of Paris is sometimes confused with other treaties of the same name. This one is specifically the 1898 agreement ending the Spanish-American War.
Students sometimes forget that the war also affected the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico, not only Cuba.
⚠️ The Spanish-American War is a classic SAQ and LEQ topic. Be prepared to argue multiple perspectives (humanitarian, imperialist, turning point) with specific evidence.
⚠️ The Treaty of Paris (1898) and its territorial consequences are frequently tested.
⚠️ Cartoon analysis questions (like Question 5) expect you to identify the point of view and support it with at least two specific historical events or concepts.
⚠️ "Turning point" language is a signal that the exam wants you to explain change over time, comparing what came before and after the war.
True or False: Yellow journalism was an objective style of reporting that accurately depicted events in Cuba.
Fill in the blank: The Treaty of _______ (1898) ended the Spanish-American War and ceded territories to the United States.
True or False: The Spanish-American War resulted in the U.S. acquiring the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
Fill in the blank: Spanish General Weyler's _______ policy forcibly relocated Cuban civilians into camps.
True or False: The imperialist argument for the war focuses on humanitarian concerns for the Cuban people.
Answers: 1. False (it was sensationalised). 2. Paris. 3. True. 4. Reconcentración. 5. False (that is the humanitarian argument; the imperialist argument centres on U.S. expansion).
Q: Briefly explain one argument that supports the view that the Spanish-American War was caused by humanitarian concerns.
A: The American public and government were alarmed by Spain's reconcentración policy, which confined Cuban civilians to camps under brutal conditions. Yellow journalism amplified these reports, generating widespread sympathy and a sense of moral obligation to intervene.
Q: Briefly explain one argument that supports the view that the war was caused by imperialist motives.
A: The United States sought to expand its political, economic, and social influence beyond its borders. The war provided a means to acquire overseas territories and extend American power into the Caribbean and Pacific.
Q: Why is the Spanish-American War considered a turning point in U.S. foreign policy?
A: The war demonstrated American military strength and, through the Treaty of Paris, resulted in territorial acquisitions that made the U.S. an imperial power. The combination of military prestige and new overseas possessions repositioned the United States as a major player in international affairs.
Q: From an imperialist's perspective, how does the "What the United States Has Fought For" cartoon justify American intervention?
A: The cartoon portrays U.S. involvement as having improved the lives of people in Cuba, Panama, Hawaii, and other territories, framing intervention as a form of benevolent liberation rather than conquest.
This material connects directly to the study of presidential foreign policies (Roosevelt, Taft, Wilson), as the Spanish-American War set the stage for Big Stick Diplomacy, Dollar Diplomacy, and Moral Diplomacy. It also links to the broader theme of American expansion, including the construction of the Panama Canal and U.S. relations with Latin America and Asia in Period 7.
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