The Spanish-American War took place in 1898. The United States and Spain entered the conflict in April, and major fighting ended with an armistice on August 12 of that year.
The war grew out of the Cuban War of Independence and escalating American opposition to Spanish colonial rule in Cuba. The destruction of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor in February 1898 further inflamed public opinion, although the exact cause of the explosion remains debated. Congress recognized Cuban independence and authorized the use of military force against Spain.
American forces won rapid victories. Commodore George Dewey destroyed the Spanish Pacific Squadron at Manila Bay on May 1, while U.S. troops and Cuban allies defeated Spanish forces in Cuba. The Treaty of Paris, signed in December 1898, transferred Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States and ended Spain’s control of Cuba. Because the war lasted only part of the year, 1897, 1899, and 1900 are common but incorrect alternatives.