SUGGESTIONS INTENDED TO HELP THE PUPIL
The Leading Facts. 1. William McKinley was born in Ohio. 2. He went to college at Meadville, Pennsylvania, and afterwards taught school. 3. Enlisted as a private in 1861 and won praise and promotion for bravery in fighting for the Union. 4. After the war he studied law and opened an office in Canton, Ohio. 5. Was a good speaker and was sent to Congress at Washington for seven terms. 6. Twice governor of Ohio, he was elected president of the United States in 1896. 7. The Cubans had revolted many times against Spanish oppression and now rose again. 8. The Americans sympathized with the suffering Cubans; Congress voted fifty thousand dollars for relief work. 9. The United States battleship Maine blown up in Havana Harbor. 10. Spain declared war against the United States. 11. Admiral George Dewey destroyed the Spanish fleet at Manila in the Philippine Islands. 12. American forces, among them the Rough Riders, attacked the Spanish in Cuba. 13. American fleet destroyed the Spanish fleet at Santiago. 14. Peace proposals came from Spain and the treaty of peace was signed in December, 1898. 15. The United States bought the Philippines from Spain, the Hawaiian Islands were annexed, and Cuba became a republic. 16. Guam and Porto Rico also became American possessions. 17. Conditions in former Spanish possessions greatly improved. 18. McKinley was assassinated by an anarchist while he was the guest of the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo, in September, 1901 and died soon after.
Study Questions. 1. Describe McKinley's boyhood surroundings and what he liked to do. 2. What made him fall ill? 3. How did he answer Lincoln's call for troops? 4. What effect did army life have on his health? 5. What did he do after the war? 6. To what public office was he elected? 7. Why did the Cubans revolt against Spain? 8. How did the Spaniards attempt to crush the revolt? 9. What did the Americans do to relieve the suffering of the Cubans? 10. What did they want to do? 11. How did the sinking of the Maine affect Americans? 12. What did the United States demand of Spain? 13. Describe Dewey's action at Manila. 14. What state led in the number of volunteers? 15. What were the "Rough Riders"? 16. What happened at Santiago? 17. What finally brought peace proposals from Spain? 18. Why had the war been fought? 19. What did the Americans do in the Philippines? 20. What other islands came into American possession? 21. What happened in Cuba? 22. When and in what city was President McKinley assassinated?
Suggested Readings. Stratemeyer, American Boy's Life of William McKinley; Morris, The War with Spain, 150-169, 180-214, 267-285; Barrett, Admiral George Dewey, 55-152, 230-251; Ross, Heroes of Our War with Spain.