Why was the Spanish-American war fought?
The Spanish-American War (1898) was fought over the liberation of Cuba from Spain. During the 1870s the Cuban people rebelled against Spanish rule. The Spanish subdued the rebellion, but peace on the Caribbean island could not be maintained. Worsening economic conditions resulted in a revolution in 1895. American leaders feared that the insurrection (rebellion) would neither end in victory for the Cubans nor would the Spanish be strong enough to put down the rebel forces. Meanwhile, the American public had been reading a steady stream of newspaper stories from the island and were increasingly supporting U.S. intervention. In November 1897, U.S. President William McKinley (1843–1901) convinced Spain to grant Cuba limited self-government within the Spanish empire. Nevertheless, the move did not satisfy the Cuban rebels, who were determined to gain independence. As…
