The Spanish-American War (Cornerstones of Freedom Second Series)

Rating:
Summary: The events and context of the U.S.'s first overseas war
Review: For most Americans the Spanish-American War boils down to the battleship Maine exploding in Havana harbor and Teddy Roosevelt leading the Rough Riders up San Juan Hill. In this "Cornerstones of Freedom" volume Mary Collins not only provides more details about the war, but she does an excellent job of explaining the context for the war. The first third of the book is devoted to the history of Cuba and the conditions that led to a series of revolts against Spain in the last half of the 19th-century. Collins covers how the yellow press turned the destruction of the Maine, which was probably an accident, into the spark that ignited the war. The battles of Manila Bay in the Philipines and Santiago de Cuba effectively win the war for the Americans, despite the fact the army was woefully organized or supplied.

Collins argues that "The Spanish-American War" marked the beginning of the United States's role as a world power. She also points out that the despite winning their independence from Spain, the people of Cuba were not much better off after the war. This book provides a more than adequate introduction to this topic, although there are certainly more details students will be able to find from other sources. For example, the book does not mention Hearst and Pulitizer, the editors behind the two New York newspapers arguing for the war, and you will learn the names of more Spanish admirals than you will American generals. But overall this is another excellent book in the Cornerstones of Freedom series, the first place teachers should send young readers to look for additional information on subjects that are only briefly touched upon in American history textbooks. Final Note: If your class is looking at the Spanish-American War in any detail, check out the video "The Splendid Little War," which uses archival footage and photographs from the war to tell its story.

Rating:
Summary: The events and context of the U.S.'s first overseas war
Review: For most Americans the Spanish-American War boils down to the battleship Maine exploding in Havana harbor and Teddy Roosevelt leading the Rough Riders up San Juan Hill. In this "Cornerstones of Freedom" volume Mary Collins not only provides more details about the war, but she does an excellent job of explaining the context for the war. The first third of the book is devoted to the history of Cuba and the conditions that led to a series of revolts against Spain in the last half of the 19th-century. Collins covers how the yellow press turned the destruction of the Maine, which was probably an accident, into the spark that ignited the war. The battles of Manila Bay in the Philipines and Santiago de Cuba effectively win the war for the Americans, despite the fact the army was woefully organized or supplied.

Collins argues that "The Spanish-American War" marked the beginning of the United States's role as a world power. She also points out that the despite winning their independence from Spain, the people of Cuba were not much better off after the war. This book provides a more than adequate introduction to this topic, although there are certainly more details students will be able to find from other sources. For example, the book does not mention Hearst and Pulitizer, the editors behind the two New York newspapers arguing for the war, and you will learn the names of more Spanish admirals than you will American generals. But overall this is another excellent book in the Cornerstones of Freedom series, the first place teachers should send young readers to look for additional information on subjects that are only briefly touched upon in American history textbooks. Final Note: If your class is looking at the Spanish-American War in any detail, check out the video "The Splendid Little War," which uses archival footage and photographs from the war to tell its story.