Declaration of War — Spanish-American War
🏛️ House of Representatives
311-6
🏛️ Senate
42-35
📝 Details
Launched American empire. The Teller Amendment promised the US would not annex Cuba — a promise partially kept for Cuba but ignored for the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam. Yellow journalism by Hearst and Pulitzer manufactured war fever after the mysterious explosion of the USS Maine.
📖 Historical Context
The USS Maine exploded in Havana harbor on February 15, 1898, killing 266 sailors. William Randolph Hearst's newspapers blamed Spain ('Remember the Maine!'), though the cause was likely an internal coal bunker fire. Public pressure for war became irresistible. Spain agreed to virtually every American demand, but Congress declared war anyway.
⚡ Consequences
Spain ceded the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Guam; Cuba became nominally independent under US control. The US became a global imperial power. The Philippine-American War followed (1899-1902), killing 200,000-300,000 Filipino civilians. The Senate vote was close (42-35) because of fierce anti-imperialist opposition to annexing the Philippines.
👤 Key Figures
- ▸William McKinley — President, initially reluctant, then embraced empire
- ▸William Randolph Hearst — Publisher who manufactured war fever
- ▸Theodore Roosevelt — Assistant Secretary of Navy, resigned to fight
- ▸George Hoar (R-MA) — Senator, leading anti-imperialist who voted against
- ▸Mark Twain — Prominent anti-imperialist critic