Spanish-American War Grade Level: 4-6 Teacher Guidelines pages 1 2 Instructional Pages pages 3 4 Activity Page pages 5 Practice Page page 6 Homework Page page 7 Answer Key page 8 9
Classroom Procedure: 1. Display the map of Europe and ask a student volunteer to identify Spain. Ask students how they think America had a war with Spain without troops ever going to Spain. 2. Allow for responses and discussion. Discuss how many countries controled territories outside their borders. 3. Introduce Cuba and the Spanish-American War, distribute the Spanish-American War content page. Save the final question for the closing discussion. 4. Read and review the information with the students, checking for understanding and answering any questions they may have related to Cuba and the war. 5. Distribute the Activity pages, colored pencils, and a world map to each student, or give access to a world map they can share. 6. Review the instructions with the students. 7. Once completed, collect all work and check for accuracy. 8. Distribute the Homework page. Students must fill in the blanks from the reading content. 9. Review the next day. 10. In closing, review the Spanish-American War. Ask students the question from the content page: Do you think you could have been a Rough Rider during the Spanish-American War? 11. Allow for responses and discussion. Approximate Grade Level: 4-6 Objectives: The students will be able to identify the reasons for the Spanish-American War, the main events and people of the war, and the results and impact of the war. Common Core State Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.3 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.5 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.7 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.5.3 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.3 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.7 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.2 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6.4 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.6.10 Class Sessions (45 minutes): 1-2 class sessions Teaching Materials/Worksheets: The Spanish-American War content page, Activity page, Homework page Student Supplies: colored pencils, world maps, handouts Prepare Ahead of Time: Need colored pencils and a world map for each student or some that can be shared. A map of Europe for the opening step showing the location of Spain. Copy handouts. Options for Lesson: Students may work in pairs for the activity. Assign each student a country to research and present to the class. (Spain, Philippines, Guam, Puerto Rico, Cuba) Assign a country to each student to draw a detailed map of the country, identifying the capital, and other large cities on the map. Assign the homework for in-class work. 2
Teacher Notes The Spanish-American War was brief three and a half moth war which gave Cuba its independence and also resulted in the U.S. gaining the territories of the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico. The lesson highlights the important events and people of the war. Many students need to know where Cuba is located, and its close proximity to the U.S., as well as the location of the territories. Additional Resources: CONTENT: http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/subjects/spanishamericanwar.htm (Content) http://www.history.com/topics/spanish-american-war (Content and videos) http://www.kidzsearch.com/wiki/spanish-american_war (Content) http://www.kidinfo.com/american_history/spanish_american_war.html (Content, photos, more) VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu5l4yqcpmm (8 min) https://www.schooltube.com/video/1d87e05d47434824a759/spanish%20american%20war (Assorted videos) http://www.pbs.org/video/2365053190/ (4 min and others) 3
Spanish-American War Do you believe a war can last just three and a half months? It happened between Spain and America from April 25, 1898 to August 12, 1998 during the Spanish-American War. The war had very little to do with the country of Spain, but was mainly fought over the independence of Cuba. Cuba was a colony of Spain, along with the Philippines., and there were Cuban revolutionaries who had been seeking and fighting for its independence for years. Many Americans were in favor of Cuba s independence and wanted the U.S. to step in and help them. Things slowly began to get worse in Cuba, so President William McKinley sent the U.S. battleship Maine to protect the American citizens and its interests. However, on February 15, 1898 an explosion sank the ship in the Havana Harbor. Though, there was never any proof of what happened, many Americans blamed Spain, and pressured McKinley to declare war. The Spanish-American War thus began on April 25, 1898. The Battleship Maine sinking in the harbor. The U.S. attacked battleships in the Philippines to stop them from traveling to Cuba, and on the 1st of May, the Battle of Manilla took place, when the U.S. navy easily defeated the Spanish navy taking control of the Philippines. 4
Rough Riders The Rough Riders with their leader Theodore Roosevelt (center) The war also introduced a new breed of volunteer soldiers called Rough Riders, who were made up of ranchers, cowboys, and outdoorsmen; and led by a future President of the U.S., Theodore Roosevelt. The Rough Riders also had to travel by foot because their horses could not be transported to Cuba. The U.S. then went into Cuba to fight the Spanish in the Battle of San Juan Hill. During this battle the U.S. had met their match and were prevented by a small Spanish force from advancing, and many American troops lost their lives. The Rough Riders, though, came to the rescue and the Americans gained the advantage. The next, and final, battle was in the city of Santiago where the ground soldiers of the U.S. took over the city, and the U.S. navy destroyed the Spanish ships in the Battle of Santiago. The Spanish troops were surrounded and had no choice but to surrender to the U.S. on July 17. Since the Spanish forces were defeated, the fighting stopped about a month later on August 12, 1898. A formal peace treaty was signed by both countries on December 19, 1898. The Treaty of Paris gave Cuba its independence, but Spain, for $20 million, also gave up control of the Philippine Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico to the United States. Today many historians and others believe the Spanish had nothing to do with the sinking of the battleship Maine, and some of the American newspapers reported the facts incorrectly to the citizens of the United States. They in turn pressured the government to go to war against Spain. This type of newspaper reporting, when the facts are not fully given or changed, is called Yellow Journalism. Though the war lasted just a few months it had a great impact on the United States, Cuba, Guam, and the Philippine Islands, and Spain. Do you think you could have been a Rough Rider during the Spanish-American War? 5
Activity Name Date Using the following map images, shade and label Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, Philippine Islands. Also, label the different bodies of water and each of the continents on both maps. 6
Activity Name Date 7
Activity Name Date 1. From April 25, 1898 to August 12, 1998 the took place. 2. The war was mainly fought over the of Cuba. 3. was a colony of. 4. President sent the U.S. battleship to protect the American citizens and its interests. 5. On February 15, 1898 an explosion sank an American ship in the. 6. The U.S. attacked battleships in the to stop them from traveling to Cuba 7. The took place on May 1. 1898 when the U.S. navy easily defeated the Spanish navy. 8., who were made up of ranchers, cowboys, and outdoorsmen; were led by a future President of the U.S., 9. The U.S. went into Cuba to fight the Spanish in the. 10. The U.S. took over a city, and the U.S. navy destroyed Spanish ships in the. 11. The Spanish troops were surrounded in Santiago and had no choice but to surrender to the. 12. The fighting in the Spanish-American war on August 12, 1898. 13. A formal treaty was signed by both countries on December 19, 1898. 14. The gave Cuba its independence. 15. For $20 million Spain gave up control of the Philippine Islands, Guam, and to the United States. 16. Today many historians and others believe the had nothing to do with the sinking of the battleship Maine. 17. The type of newspaper reporting called is when facts are not fully given. 8
Homework Name Answer Key Date 1. From April 25, 1898 to August 12, 1998 the Spanish-American War took place. 2. The war was mainly fought over the independence of Cuba. 3. Cuba was a colony of Spain. 4. President William McKinley sent the U.S. battleship Maine to protect the American citizens and its interests. 5. On February 15, 1898 an explosion sank an American ship in the Havana Harbor. 6. The U.S. attacked battleships in the Philippines to stop them from traveling to Cuba 7. The Battle of Manilla took place on May 1. 1898 when the U.S. Navy easily defeated the Spanish Navy. 8. Rough Riders, who were made up of ranchers, cowboys, and outdoorsmen; were led by a future President of the U.S., Theodore Roosevelt. 9. The U.S. went into Cuba to fight the Spanish in the Battle of San Juan Hill. 10. The U.S. took over a city, and the U.S. Navy destroyed Spanish ships in the Battle of Santiago. 11. The Spanish troops were surrounded in Santiago and had no choice but to surrender to the United States. 12. The fighting in the Spanish-American war stopped on August 12, 1898. 13. A formal peace treaty was signed by both countries on December 19, 1898. 14. The Treaty of Paris gave Cuba its independence. 15. For $20 million Spain gave up control of the Philippine Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico to the United States. 16. Today many historians and others believe the Spanish had nothing to do with the sinking of the battleship Maine. 17. The type of newspaper reporting called Yellow Journalism is when facts are not fully given. 9