Spanish-American War Facts

• The Spanish-American War took place in 1898.

Conflict Precursors

• The Spanish-American War was preceded by three years of fighting by Cuban revolutionaries seeking independence from Spanish rule.
• From 1895-98, the conflict in Cuba garnered the attention of the American public because of the close economic and political instability.
• By early 1898, tensions between the United States and Spain were building which was stirred up by the U.S. press and political figures.
• After the battleship Maine exploded and sunk in Havana harbor on 15 February 1898, U.S. military intervention in Cuba became likely.
• On 20 April, Congress passed a joint resolution acknowledging Cuba's independence
• The resolution demanded Spain give up control of the island and authorized President William McKinley to use military measures to guarantee Cuba's independence.
• The Spanish government rejected U.S. demands and severed diplomatic relations.
• McKinley responded by ordering a naval blockade of Cuba and issued an order for the call-up and deployment of 125,000 military personnel.

War's Progression

• The first battle of the Spanish-American War occurred on 1 May.
• Commodore George Dewey's gave the order, "You may fire when you are ready, Gridley."
• The Navy's Asiatic Squadron defeated the Spanish squadron under Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasaron defending Manila Bay in six hours
• The Asiatic Squadron included cruisers Olympia, Raleigh, Boston, and Baltimore, gunboats Concord and Petrel, revenue cutter McCulloch, cruiser Charleston and monitors Monadnock and Monterey.
• The Asiatic Squadron forced the capitulation of Manila, sinking cruisers Maria Cristina and Castilla, and gunboats Don Antonio de Ulloa, Don Juan de Austria, Isla de Luzon, Isla de Cuba, Velasco, and Argos.
• Afterward, Dewey silenced enemy shore batteries and waited for land forces to capture Manila.
• By the end of July, 11,000 U.S. troops were on the ground under Major General Wesley Merritt, and by 13 August, Manila fell.
• On 27 May, under Admirals William T. Sampson and Winfield S. Schley, the U.S. Navy blockaded the port of Santiago.
• U.S. Marines landed on Guantanamo Bay and additional forces landed near Santiago in late June.
• From 1-3 July, U.S. ground forces defeated the Spanish army during the Battle of San Juan Heights.
• Admiral Pascual Cervera y Topete's squadron was demolished while attempting to evade the U.S. blockade of Santiago harbor.
• American ships destroyed Spanish destroyer Furor, torpedo boat Pluton, and armored cruisers Infanta Maria Teresa, Almirante Oquendo, Vizcaya, and Cristobal Colon.
• The Spanish lost all their ships, 350 personnel killed in action and 160 wounded.

War's End

• The war essentially ended due to the U.S. military's dominance and Spain's lack of preparedness.
• On 26 July, at the request of the Spanish government, the French ambassador in Washington, Jules Cambon, approached the McKinley administration to discuss peace terms
• A cease-fire was signed on 12 August.
• The war officially ended when the U.S. and Spanish governments signed a Treaty of Paris on 10 December 1898.
• The war ended Spain's colonial empire in the western hemisphere and secured the position of the US as a Pacific power.
• The U.S. victory compelled Spain to relinquish claims on Cuba and cede sovereignty over Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines ($20 million was paid by the United States).
• As a result of the conflict, the United States also annexed Hawaii.
• Consequently, the war enabled the United States to establish its predominance in the Caribbean and pursue strategic and economic interests in Asia and forged the building of the Panama Canal, linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Key Events

• 15 February: Battleship Maine exploded in Havana Harbor, Cuba, killing 266 American sailors which spurred action.
• 28 March: A U.S. Naval Court of Inquiry found the Maine explosion was caused by a mine.
• 4 April: The New York Journal issued a million-copy edition dedicated to the war in Cuba, calling for U.S. entry.
• 22 April: President William McKinley ordered a blockade of Cuba and suspended diplomatic relations.
• 24 April: Spain declared war against the United States.
• 25 April: Congress passed a resolution declaring a state of war had existed since 21 April.
• 1 May: Battle of Manila Bay saw Commodore George Dewey's Asiatic Squadron destroy the Spanish squadron in the Philippines.
• 10 May: Secretary of the Navy John D. Long ordered Captain Henry Glass to capture Guam on the way to Manila.
• 27 May: Admirals William Sampson and Winfield Schley formally blockaded Santiago de Cuba's port.
• 10 June: U.S. Marines landed at Guantanamo, Cuba.
• 18 June: John D. Long ordered Admiral William Sampson to create the Eastern Squadron for missions along the coasts of Spain.
• 20 June: Spanish authorities surrendered Guam to Captain Henry Glass and cruiser Charleston.
• 20 June: The main U.S. force appeared off Santiago de Cuba, with 16,200 soldiers in 42 ships, eventually assembling 153 ships.
• 22 June: U.S. troops landed at Daiquiri, Cuba.
• 1-3 July: The Battle of San Juan Heights took place.
• 3 July: The Spanish fleet tried to escape the blockade of Santiago Bay but was repulsed by a U.S. squadron under Schley whom destroyed Spanish destroyer Furor, torpedo boat Plutón, and armored cruisers Infanta María Teresa, Almirante Oquendo, Vizcaya, and Cristóbal Colón which resulted in the Spanish losing all their ships, with 350 killed and 160 wounded.
• 17 July: The Spanish surrendered to the United States at Santiago.
• 12 August: The United States and Spain signed the Protocol of Peace, ending hostilities.
• 10 December: The Treaty of Paris was signed, formally ending the Spanish-American War.
• 23 December: Guam was placed under the control of the U.S. Department of the Navy.
• 6 February 1899: The U.S. Senate ratified the Treaty of Paris, acquiring control of Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.

Test your knowledge of the Spanish-American War. This quiz covers key battles, figures, and outcomes of the conflict between Spain and the United States. See how well you know the details of this important historical event.