1. Decision Making: The Spanish
American War
Crisis in Cuba 1898
The Philippines Crisis 1899
What considerations should guide the
development of American foreign policy?
Did America’s emergence as a world power
move us closer or further from its founding
ideals?

2. Crisis in Cuba 1898
• Read the handout
– Underline important facts
– Circle any vocabulary you don’t know
• Fill in the decision-making organizer
• Use the decision making organizer to write out your decision.
Your decision should include the following sentences at a
minimum:
– What is the problem?
– What is your goal?
– What is your decision?
– What is your rationale (reason) for the decision?
– What are possible unintended consequences of your decision?

3. Essential Questions
Activity Focus:
Why did the
United States go
to war against
Spain in 1898
and why was the
outcome
significant?
Unit Focus:
When should the
United States go
to War?
Unit Focus: Did
America’s
emergence as a
world power move
it close or further
away from its
founding ideals?
Unit Focus: What
considerations
should guide the
development of
American foreign
policy?

4. What are three
causes of the
Spanish American
War?
GOAL

5. Crisis in Cuba
• April 1898- President ___________
faced a crisis in _____________
– Spanish government controlled Cuba
as a _____________
– _____________ faced an all-out
rebellion on the island
• Cuban rebels were waging a __________
– Rebel soldiers blend in with civilian
population
• Inspired by their martyred leader
_____________________

6. Crisis in Cuba
• _________________
– In charge of ______________ forces
in Cuba
– Moved civilians into
________________________
– Many Cubans grew sick and some
died
• Summer of ___________
– Spain removes _________________
– Spain grants Cuba some
_________________

7. Crisis in Cuba
• February 1898-
____________________
(Spanish ambassador)
letter released in
American newspapers
– Call President McKinley a
____________________

8. _________________Explodes in Havana
Harbor, Feb. 15, 1898

9. Sensationalized “________________”
• The more extreme
newspapers urged
“Remember the
Maine! To Hell with
_____________!”
• The U.S. Naval Court
of Inquiry reported on
March 21 that it was
_________________
to fix responsibility for
the explosion.

10. Crisis in Cuba
Outcomes
• The U.S. declared war and
defeated Spain in only six
weeks
– Winning two naval battles-
Philippines and Cuba
– Winning major land battle in
Cuba
• U.S. took control of Cuba,
Puerto Rico, Guam, and
Philippines
• Teller Amendment
– After U.S. overthrows Spanish
rule in Cuba, it would return
control of island to Cubans

11. Crisis in Cuba Outcomes
• The _________declared war and defeated
_____________ in only six weeks
– Winning two naval battles- ___________________
and __________
– Winning major land battle in ___________
• U.S. took control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam,
and Philippines
• ____________________
– After U.S. overthrows Spanish rule in Cuba, it would
return control of island to Cubans

12. Crisis in Cuba Outcomes
• ___________________
– Required by American leaders
– Gave U.S. the right to send troops to Cuba to
restore order when the U.S. government felt
necessary
– U.S. established base at Guantanamo Bay
• U.S. kept control of Guam and Puerto Rico

13. Crisis in Cuba Outcomes
• Effects of the War
– More than ________________as many
Americans died of disease than of
wounds suffered in battle
– Spain was no longer a
____________________ and the U.S.
became one
– War established a precedent regarding
________________ and the use of
propaganda in U.S.
– __________________________became
a war hero
• Led ____________________________-
volunteer cavalry regiment composed of
ranchers and cowboys

14. Crisis in Cuba Outcomes
• Effects of the War
– U.S. became an imperialist
power- took control of
Puerto Rico, Guam, and
other islands
– Americans felt justified in
spreading democracy to
Cuba
– Many Cubans resented the
Platt Amendment
– After the end of U.S.
occupation, Cuban
governments became
corrupt and inefficient

15. What are three
outcomes of the
Spanish
American War?
GOAL

16. The
Philippines
Crisis 1899
• Read the handout
– Write down any
vocabulary you
don’t know
• Create and fill in
the decision-
making organizer in
your notes.
Problem Goal(s)
Alternatives Pros and Cons
Unintended Consequences
Decision(s) Rationale for Choice

17. The Philippines Crisis Outcomes
• ______________ fought a
________________ against U.S.
forces in which both sides engaged in
torture and execution of prisoners
• The war divided the
_________________
• U.S. occupation did some
___________
• Built roads, hospitals, and bridges
• Increased literacy rate from 20% to
50%
• English became the dominant
language
Emilio Aguinaldo, first president
of the Philippine Republic, in
1898

18. The Philippines Crisis Outcomes
• In 1916 U.S. became first
Western power to grant some
form of _____________ to a
colony
• Rich people dominated the
government
• Philippine economy
_______________ greatly
• U.S. could not effectively
defend the
_____________________
• Asian countries began to view
U.S. as imperialistic