The Spanish-American War: A Video Lesson

February 15, 2023 marks the 125th anniversary of the explosion of the USS Maine, a U.S. Navy ship, off the coast of Havana, Cuba. The explosion, which killed over 250 people, was the spark that ignited the Spanish-American War.

To this day, experts are uncertain of what or who caused the explosion, but a naval investigation in 1976 concluded the explosion was most likely an accident.

Explore the significance of the Spanish-American war with your students in this video lesson put together by the expert social studies teachers behind Edpuzzle Originals.

A Spanish-American War Video Lesson for Grades 6-12

Some of the key topics your students will gain an understanding of after interacting with this video lesson include:

• The historical context of the Cuban War of Independence
• How the stories and cartoons published in newspapers owned by Joseph Pulitzer and Willian Randolph Hearst influenced public opinion in support of military intervention
• How the explosion of the USS Maine set events in motion that led to the U.S. declaring war on Spain in April 1898
• The U.S. regiments that served in the conflict including the Rough Riders and the Buffalo Soldiers
• The U.S. military presence in Cuba until 1901 with the Platt Amendment
• How additional negotiations between the U.S. and Spain led to the U.S. assuming control of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines

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This video lesson emphasizes the wide variety of perspectives (from the U.S., Spain, and Cuba) on the events of the Spanish-American War. Let us know how you’re planning on incorporating this video lesson into your class by sharing your plans with our Edpuzzle teaching community on Twitter!