Naturally Spain was not a fan of United States actions. Spain declared war on the United States on April 24, 1898. United States responded by declaring war the next day. On May 1, 1898, United States forces destroyed an anchored Spanish fleet in a leisurely morning in the Philippians engagement that cost only seven American seamen wounded. It was safe to say Manila itself was occupied by U.S. troops by August. There was an elusive Spanish Caribbean fleet located in Santiago harbor in Cuba by U.S. reconnaissance. A U.S. landed on the east coast of Santiago and slowly advanced to attack this fleet. The Spanish fleet tried to retreat westward was under heavy fire and ultimately surrender to the U.S. virtually ending the war. By the Treaty of Paris (signed Dec. 10, 1898), Spain renounced all claim to Cuba, ceded Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States, and transferred sovereignty over the Philippines to the United States for $20,000,000.
Hawaii was annexed on July 7 during the Spanish American war. Though there was some tension about whether or not to annex Hawaii, it was ultimately seen as the right move for America. The United States wanted their land