Causes And Effects Of Spanish American War

The Spanish-American War began on April 25, 1898. The war ended with a victory for the United States on December 10, 1898. The signing of the Treaty of Paris between Spain and the U.S. gave Cuba their independence from Spain, and the U.S. control over Guam and Puerto Rico. The United States also purchased the Philippines Islands from Spain for twenty million dollars. All of these events led to the United States becoming a major powerhouse and let the rest of the world know the authority that they had. The major effects that stemmed from the war were that Cuba gained their independence from Spain, the United States gained Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, and the Spanish Empire collapsed. Cuba had been fighting for its independence from Spain for many years before the start of the Spanish-American War. After the sinking of the USS Maine in the Havana harbor in February of …show more content…
Spain ceded Guam and Puerto Rico to the U.S., but it made them pay twenty-million dollars for the Philippines. America did not mind paying the money since their thoughts were that of gaining a closer step towards Asia. The location of the Philippines made it the perfect stepping stone towards more economic advances with Asia. Puerto Rico and Guam were made part of the United States as territories. The United States had come out of this war victorious and as a power player. However, “Managing an empire turned out to be even more devilish than acquiring one” (Davidson, et al, p. 589). The Filipinos were not happy that the United States did not grant them their independence and so after the Spanish-American War had ended, the Philippine-American War began. “Under William Howard Taft, the first civilian governor, the Americans built schools, roads, sewers, and factories and instituted modern farming techniques” (Davidson, et, al, p. 590). This was to help prepare the Filipinos for their independence, which they finally gained in