Key Figures

Jose Marti- Jose Marti was the moral leader against the struggle of the fight against Spain. He established the Cuban Revolutionary Party on January 5, 1892 in the United States. Marti Returned to Cuba on May 19, 1895 for the first week of the armed struggle and was killed.

Emilio Aguinaldo- Aguinaldo was born on March 22, 1869 in the Philippines. The Philippines was under Spain's control that inspired Aguinaldo to take action in liberating the Philippines. He then caused a Philippine American War when the U.S. refused to give the Philippines their independence.

George Dewey- Dewey was born on December 26, 1837 in Monpelier, Vermont. He was assigned to the U.S. Asiatic Squadron in 1897. On April 30, 1898, Dewey's squadron defeated a Spanish fleet in Manilas Bay of the Philippines.

William McKinley- McKinley was born on January 29, 1843 in Niles, Ohio. He won the Republican presidential nomination in 1896. When rebellions broke out in Cuba, McKinley issued a war with Spain in 1898.

Theodore Roosevelt- Roosevelt was born on October 27, 1858 in New York. He was the Assistant Secretary of the Navy until he resigned in 1898. He organized a group of men called the Rough Riders to help secure San Juan Hill.

William R. Shafter- Shafter was born on October 16, 1835. In 1898, Shafter led the Rough Riders and the Fifth Corps to proceed towards Santiago de Cuba. When his troops arrived at San Juan Hill, there were formidable Spanish forces guarding San Juan Hill.

William T. Sampson- Sampson was born on February 9, 1840 in Palmyra, NY. He was a U.S. Navy Admiral who led his troops to Cuba and made a blockade. The blockade had high resistance against a Spanish Naval fleet led by Admiral Pascual Cervera.

Pascual Cervera- He was born on February 18, 1839 in Medina Sidonia, Spain. He led his Spanish squadron to proceed towards Cuba to guard it from the U.S. in 1898. His fleet was defeated when they were confronted by a U.S. blockade led by William Sampson.

Henry Glass- Glass was born on January 7, 1844 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Glass was commander of the USS Charleston that was heading towards the Philippines. Glass was ordered to possess Guam and when he arrived, Guam had no opposing Spanish forces.