William McKinley

Birth-Death: (1843 - 1901 ) Term: (1897-1901 )

Europe was changing throughout the latter part of the nineteenth century. Germany and Italy became independent nations by 1880, while Spain and France were losing their prestige. As Spain's condition deteriorated, the Cubans began a rebellion, and when the United States newspapers heard about events off the coast of Florida, they provoked McKinley into beginning a war. The Spanish American War lasted only a hundred days and showed the growing power of the United States. It also marked the first time that the United States acquired territory for colonization, and thus became an imperialistic country.

Major Events with Bill McKinley

1896 - Election of 1896

    The election of 1896 was the final battle in the silver vs. gold war. The silverites took over the Democratic National Convention and nominated William Jennings Bryan after his "cross of gold" speech. The Republicans nominated William McKinley on a gold platform. The results were suprisingly decisive as William McKinley won more than 50% of the popular votes and more than two-thirds of the electoral votes.

1898 - Spanish American War

    The Spanish American War was a result of massive yellow journalism. The event that sparked the war was the explosion on board of the battleship Maine stationed in Havana Bay. Although no reason for the explosion has been found, the newspapers, especially Hearstıs New York Journal and Pulitzers's New York World, stretched the truth and cried out for war.

    The main objective of the war was also questionable. The first battle took place not on Cuba, but rather in Manila Bay, part of the Philippines, showing that the United States was looking to expand its boundaries and acquire new territories.

    During the war the US stated that it would not annex Cuba in the Teller Resolution. However, the Platt Amendment, which was also passed, limited Cuba's foreign policy and made it necessary for Cuba to consult with the United States before making any decisions.

1899 - Treaty of Paris

    The Treaty of Paris affirmed the United States entrance into the world of imperialistic powers. The treaty was ratified in the Senate by a 57:27 vote, just one over the required two-thirds majority. The treaty provided that Spain would give up all claims to Cuba, that the United States would officially purchase the Philippines for $20 million, and that Spain would cede Puerto Rico and Guam to the United States.

1900s - Insular Cases

    After the United States expanded into the Pacific, questions of the rights of the new citizens arose. Were the people in the Philippines entitled to the same citizen rights as the people in Texas? Would the children born in these parts of the world become citizens? The Supreme Court was quick to rule in the Insular cases that Congress has the ultimate authority over the colonies. Thus, it was shown that the "Constitution does not follow the flag."