At the end of the Civil War the United States was (very briefly) a world-class naval power. But in the midst of a worldwide naval revolution, the United States failed to invest in this technological change after the war ended and quickly fell behind as the country focused on westward expansion.  In the nick of time, Congress invested in the dilapidated United States Navy and began the process of creating a force to again be respected. In this episode, the United States will emerge as a world power and strip Spain of the last vestiges of empire in lopsided Spanish American War.  Please rate, subscribe, and spread the word about the podcast! Twitter and Instagram: @USNavyPodcast Email: [email protected] (and yes, I actually answer my email!)