Women in the Spanish-American War

The Spanish-American War began and ended in 1898, having lasted only eight months, from April to December. The war was fought between the United States and Spain over the Spanish colonies of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. Having known what it was like to have to fight to gain freedom from colonization, the United States supported the colonies in an attempt to help them gain their own freedom. The fighting began when the USS Main sank in Havana Harbor. The war ended with the United States acquiring these three locations, which led to a slew of other conflicts that began in the wake of the acquisition. This also began the time of United States expansionism abroad.

Women in the Spanish-American War worked as nurses in Cuba and the Philippines. These women were contract nurses, which meant that they were not officially part of the military but instead were employed by the military. The dedication showed by the contract nurses during the Spanish-American War is a major factor in the establishment of the Army Nurse Corps.