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Quiz about The SpanishAmerican War Birth of an Empire
Quiz about The SpanishAmerican War Birth of an Empire

The Spanish-American War: Birth of an Empire Quiz


It was the war that launched America into standing as a major world power, yet today the conflict is largely overlooked. How much do you know about the Spanish-American War?

A multiple-choice quiz by JimHadar. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
JimHadar
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
332,911
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
693
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. The rallying cry "Remember the Maine" was used to stir up support for the Spanish-American War across the U.S.A. What exactly was the Maine referring to? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Approximately how long did the Spanish-American War last? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Which of these new territories did the United States NOT receive as a result of the Spanish-American war? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Who was President of the United States during the Spanish-American War? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. One of the U.S. Navy's greatest heroes commanded forces that defeated the Spanish in the Philippines at the start of the Spanish-American War. He's famous for saying "Gridley, you may fire when ready." Who was this famous sailor? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. The U.S. Army was very small at the start of the Spanish-American War, prompting the formation of many volunteer units. One of those was a cavalry division commanded by an ex-Confederate Army officer from the American Civil War. Who was this remarkable soldier who served two different armies in two wars decades apart? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. True or false: American forces suffered more deaths from disease than from battle action during the Spanish-American War.


Question 8 of 10
8. Newspaper owners William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer did much to stir up war fever in America over the sinking of the USS Maine. Their sensational stories blamed Spain without proper evidence. What were these types of newspaper stories called?

Answer: (Two Words Think color.)
Question 9 of 10
9. Sugar was Cuba's main export in the 1890s and mostly controlled by U.S. companies. What percentage of the Cuban sugar business did Americans control?
Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. The official end of hostilities against Spain did not bring peace and tranquility to one of the newly acquired American territories. In which territory did armed warfare by natives continue against the U.S. for several more years? Hint





Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The rallying cry "Remember the Maine" was used to stir up support for the Spanish-American War across the U.S.A. What exactly was the Maine referring to?

Answer: A U.S. battleship that blew up in the harbor of Havana, Cuba.

The battleship USS Maine was destroyed by an explosion on the night of February 15, 1898 while at anchor in Havana harbor, resulting in the deaths of 266 Americans. The ship had been sent there to protect American lives and property during civil unrest in Cuba. It was unclear at the time whether the explosion was accidental or the work of a Spanish mine.
2. Approximately how long did the Spanish-American War last?

Answer: Sixteen weeks

Ten weeks is the generally accepted length, from April 23rd to August 12th, 1898. However two more months of difficult negotiations elapsed before a peace treaty was signed in December, 1898. U.S. Ambassador John Hay, in writing to his friend and future President Theodore Roosevelt, is quoted as calling it "a splendid little war."
3. Which of these new territories did the United States NOT receive as a result of the Spanish-American war?

Answer: The Virgin Islands

The U.S. Virgin Islands -- St. Croix, St. John, and St. Thomas along with a multitude of smaller islets -- were purchased from Denmark for $25 million dollars in March, 1917. The Philippines were captured after the crushing defeat of the Spanish fleet at the Battle of Manila. Guam, another Spanish territory in the Pacific, was taken by U.S. forces with little resistance during the Spanish-American War as well.
4. Who was President of the United States during the Spanish-American War?

Answer: William McKinley

At first fending off public and Congressional pressure to go to war, McKinley finally gave into the so-called war fever that swept the nation following the loss of the USS Maine. Grover Cleveland was McKinley's predecessor in the White House. Woodrow Wilson would later inhabit 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as a wartime President during World War I.

Theodore Roosevelt was elected Vice-President in 1900 and became President after McKinley's assassination in 1901.
5. One of the U.S. Navy's greatest heroes commanded forces that defeated the Spanish in the Philippines at the start of the Spanish-American War. He's famous for saying "Gridley, you may fire when ready." Who was this famous sailor?

Answer: George Dewey

George Dewey was a U.S. naval officer in both the American Civil War and the Spanish-American War. At the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1st, 1898 he caught the Spanish fleet by surprise and destroyed them in a six hour battle with very few American casualties. Standing on the bridge of his flagship, the USS Olympia, Commodore Dewey uttered those famous words "Gridley you may fire when ready" to the ship's captain to start the battle.
6. The U.S. Army was very small at the start of the Spanish-American War, prompting the formation of many volunteer units. One of those was a cavalry division commanded by an ex-Confederate Army officer from the American Civil War. Who was this remarkable soldier who served two different armies in two wars decades apart?

Answer: Joseph Wheeler

"Fighting Joe" Wheeler was a dashing young Confederate cavalryman in the American Civil War. Following the war Joseph Wheeler was elected to the U.S. Congress. Upon outbreak of the conflict with Spain, and while still a sitting Congressman, Wheeler volunteered for Army service. Appointed a Major General, Wheeler commanded the cavalry division that included Teddy Roosevelt's' Rough Riders. Actor Gary Busey turns in a wonderful cameo appearance as Wheeler in the 1997 movie "Rough Riders".
7. True or false: American forces suffered more deaths from disease than from battle action during the Spanish-American War.

Answer: True

Disease played no favorites with either side in the conflict, being the biggest killer of both U.S. and Spanish forces. While the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy suffered only 361 total combat deaths, 2,565 Americans died from disease and the oppressive Cuban heat. The Spanish fared even worse: 3,560 died in combat, while over 13,000 died due to disease.
8. Newspaper owners William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer did much to stir up war fever in America over the sinking of the USS Maine. Their sensational stories blamed Spain without proper evidence. What were these types of newspaper stories called?

Answer: Yellow journalism

The phrase yellow journalism, or sometimes yellow press, was applied to newspaper and magazine stories that often deliberately played fast and loose with the facts of a particular event. The more scandalous the stories and headlines, the more newspapers Hearst and Pulitzer would sell. Ironically the Pulitzer Prize -- one of the highest honors for quality work in print media, literature and music -- is named for Joseph Pulitzer.
9. Sugar was Cuba's main export in the 1890s and mostly controlled by U.S. companies. What percentage of the Cuban sugar business did Americans control?

Answer: Ninety percent

Nearly all of Cuba's sugar growing and processing was controlled by American corporations. The so-called "sugar kings" had contributed large amounts of money to President McKinley's 1896 election, and lobbied him hard to do something about the civil unrest in Cuba. McKinley sent the USS Maine partly to watch over their sugar businesses.

The Maine blew up, which led to the Spanish-American War.
10. The official end of hostilities against Spain did not bring peace and tranquility to one of the newly acquired American territories. In which territory did armed warfare by natives continue against the U.S. for several more years?

Answer: The Philippines

Feeling they had only exchanged one colonial master for another, Filipino guerrillas intensified their attacks on American forces. The Philippine-American War cost the lives of at least 200,000 Filipinos and over 4,000 Americans before its conclusion in 1902. Ironically, some forty years later they would fight side-by-side with U.S. forces against the Japanese in World War II.
Source: Author JimHadar

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Exit10 before going online.
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