What caused the United States to declare war on Spain in 1898?the destruction of the USS Mainethe brutality used by Spanish soldiers against the people of Cubathe election of pro-Cuban president William McKinley

The destruction of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor in February 1898 intensified public pressure for war with Spain. Although the cause of the explosion was not established at the time, many Americans blamed Spain, and the incident helped lead Congress to declare war. Spanish soldiers’ brutality in Cuba contributed to tensions, but the Maine’s destruction was the immediate trigger among these choices.

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