Identify and describe one of the events that signaled the beginning of American imperialism.

The Spanish-American War was an event that signaled the start of U.S. imperialism. The United States wanted colonies to control. Thus, we were looking for a conflict that could lead to us getting colonies.

The Spanish-American War was a conflict that we wanted. When the newspapers began to exaggerate how bad events were in Cuba, the government did nothing to refute the stories. The use of yellow journalism was a key factor in swaying American support for the war. When the Spanish ambassador, in a private letter that was intercepted, criticized President McKinley, American public opinion intensified against Spain. When the U.S.S. Maine exploded in Havana Harbor, we immediately blamed Spain for this event. Later evidence suggested Spain wasn’t responsible for this event.

When the Spanish-American War began, we attacked Spain in the Pacific Ocean and in Cuba. As a result of the war, we got Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines from Spain for $20 million. We now began our journey as an imperial power.