The Rough Riders

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The Rough Riders

Towards the end of the nineteenth century, William McKinley defeated

Grover Cleveland for the presidency and there was a huge push for the

United States of America to expand beyond its continental boarders.

(Lorant, p. 281) With an enthusiasm for a new urge for international

Manifest Destiny, the American people wanted to match Europe^s imperial

power by making America^s weight felt around the world. (Boger p.714)

The extent of expansionism was felt in the Pacific Ocean with the

occupation of the Hawaiian Islands and Guam, but the most famous

example of Americas enthusiasm for international assertiveness came in

the Caribbean with the war for Cuban independence against Spain. (Boger

p.714) The Spanish-American war was a war that made the United States

emerge as a world power and has sense been thought of as the most

popular war in American history. (Lorant, p. 281) As John Hay had

said, ^It has been a splendid little war, begun with the highest

matters, carried on with mag! nificent intelligence and spirit,

favored by the fortune which loves the brave.^ (Lorant, p. 297) Words

that truly captured the feelings of all Americans at the time. In the

American people^s eyes, the war was not won by political jargon or a

decisive Naval campaign, but by a rugged Lieutenant Colonel and his

band of outlaws, cowboys, and Harvard polo-players, more commonly known

as the Rough Riders. (Lorant, p. 295) Although the war was not won by

Roosevelt^s Rough Rider charge up San Juan Hill, the battle gave the

war its romantic essence, which still fills history books today.

Roosevelt^s Rough Riders were a key part in the fight for Cuban

Independence by brave yet unconventional means that made them one of

the most popular fighting forces in American history.

Soon after McKinley^s presidential victory in 1896, he appointed

Theodore Roosevelt to the office of Assistant Secretary of the Navy

under John D. Long. (Lorant, p. 281) The main problems of the time

were the occupation of Cuba by Spain and the fact that relations with

Spain were steadily worsening. American sympathy was with the Cubans

who were rebelling against the corrupt and evil Spanish overlords.

(Lorant, p. 281) Americans attitude towards the Cuban people was

mainly on humanitarian motives, but other reasons came into play to

push the United States into a fight. The first reason was being

economic. (Lorant, p. 281) The trade with Cuba, which had been one

hundred million dollars in 1893, was badly disrupted by the

insurrection. (Lorant, p. 281) Another reason was geo-political.

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