The Rough Riders
The United States needed to get soldiers to help fight in the war. One group of volunteers included cowboys, ranchers, and outdoorsmen. They earned the nickname the "Rough Riders" and were led by Theodore Roosevelt.
The War Ends
After the Battle of San Juan Hill, the U.S. forces moved on to the city of Santiago. Soldiers on the ground began a siege of the city while the U.S. navy destroyed the Spanish warships off the coast in the Battle of Santiago. Surrounded, the Spanish army in Santiago surrendered on July 17.
Results
With the Spanish forces defeated, the two sides agreed to stop fighting on August 12, 1898. The formal peace treaty, the Treaty of Paris, was signed on December 19, 1898. As part of the treaty, Cuba gained its independence and Spain gave up control of the Philippine Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico to the U.S. for $20 million.