UNITED STATES HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT - JMap

Anchor Paper – Thematic Essay—Level 5 – B
However, America did not officially declare war on Spain until the
sinking of the Maine, a U.S. ship. In 1898, the Maine had been
docked at a port in Cuba. While it was there, the ship exploded.
Although the source of the explosion was unclear, Americans quickly
blamed Spain for the disaster. Yellow journalism sensationalized the
sinking of the Maine, and it helped garner hate against Spain. Thus,
America declared war on Spain in 1898.
The Spanish American War was a very quick war. It did not take
long for American to defeat the Spanish despite the problems of
malaria and yellow fever. The Rough Riders led by Theodore Roosevelt,
black soldiers, and other American forces worked together to win.
Since America won, the nation benefitted from the war. From the
Spanish-American War, the United States gained control of the
Phillippines and Guam which added Asian markets and raw
materials for America’s growing industries. Cuba gained its
independence as a result too. America benefitted greatly from this
because it retained control over Cuba. Under the Platt Amendment, the
United States had the power to intervene in Cuban affairs. Thus, the
nation could protect its economic interests in Cuba, which was its
original goal. American economic imperialism boomed as investments
in sugar, railroads, and tobacco increased. Moreover, the United States
became respected as a world power after this victory. Thereafter, the other
European powers had to respect America’s dominance and interests in
Cuba. It remained a great source of natural resources and was a major
trading partner until Fidel Castro took over.
The goal of the United States in fighting in Vietnam was to prevent
the spread of communism in South East Asia. The Vietnam War
U.S. Hist. & Gov. Rating Guide – June ’13 [12] Vol. 1