<P> President McKinley signed a joint Congressional resolution demanding Spanish withdrawal and authorizing the President to use military force to help Cuba gain independence on April 20 , 1898. . In response , Spain severed diplomatic relations with the United States on April 21 . On the same day , the U.S. Navy began a blockade of Cuba . On April 23 , Spain stated that it would declare war if the US forces invaded its territory . On April 25 , the U.S. Congress declared that a state of war between the U.S. and Spain had de facto existed since April 21 , the day the blockade of Cuba had begun . The United States sent an ultimatum to Spain demanding that it surrender control of Cuba , but due to Spain not replying soon enough , the United States had assumed Spain had ignored the ultimatum and continued to occupy Cuba . </P>
<P> President McKinley signed a joint Congressional resolution demanding Spanish withdrawal and authorizing the President to use military force to help Cuba gain independence on April 20 , 1898. . In response , Spain severed diplomatic relations with the United States on April 21 . On the same day , the U.S. Navy began a blockade of Cuba . On April 23 , Spain stated that it would declare war if the US forces invaded its territory . On April 25 , the U.S. Congress declared that a state of war between the U.S. and Spain had de facto existed since April 21 , the day the blockade of Cuba had begun . The United States sent an ultimatum to Spain demanding that it surrender control of Cuba , but due to Spain not replying soon enough , the United States had assumed Spain had ignored the ultimatum and continued to occupy Cuba . </P>
who was president when congress declared war on spain
who was president when congress declared war on spain
President McKinley
President McKinley