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U.S. Intervention in the Spanish-American War Student’s Name Institution Course Professor Date Introduction In the 1800s, European nations used their economic, political, and military power to gain imperialism over many countries. Having declared Cuba as its sphere of influence, Spain had gained significant access to America. The U.S. also decided it wanted to become an imperialist power in the late 1800s. This paper discusses the reasons for U.S. intervention in the Spanish-American war, the rationale for territory expansion in the Caribbean and the Pacific, and the significance of these expansions. Reasons for U.S. Intervention in the Spanish-American War The United States' support for Cuban demands for independence against the ruling of Spain was one of the significant causes of U.S. intervention in the Spanish-American War. Throughout the latter half of the 19th century, Cuba was involved in a war for independence (United States Navy, 2023). There were Cuban rebels who countered the Spanish colonialists. The cruelty of the Spanish rulers to locals and the high volume of atrocities reported in the U.S. press was a trigger for action. Sensationalist journalism also played an instrumental role in molding mass opinion. In their reports, journalists stressed the plight of the Cuban people. They characterized the cause as a moral requirement for intervention by the U.S. This humanitarian advocacy struck a note with the American public and politicians, forcing the government to intervene on the side of the Cuban independence movement. Another decisive factor that called for the American intervention was the mysterious explosion of the U.S.S. Maine at Havana Harbor on February 15, 1898. It was sent to Cuba to protect American interests because of the alarming tension between Spanish authority and the Cuban revolutionists. The tragic, unexpected explosion killed 266 sailors and called for speculations pointing at the Spaniards (United States Navy, 2023). The immediate result of the event was the media's seizing and running of the story to incite mass outrage, with the slogan "Remember Maine! " being the rallying cry (United States Navy, 2023). The incident thus highlighted a concept different from the prevailing perception that Spain posed some direct threat to the lives and interests of the American people, further justifying a military response by the United States and, hence, the declaration of war against Spain in April 1898. Rationale for Territory Expansion in the Caribbean and Pacific The desire of the United States to attain certain strategic military and e...