15 Feb 1898: USS Maine explodes,The USS Maine battleship exploded in Havana Harbor, leading to the Spanish-American War.
21 Apr 1898: Spanish-American War begins,The United States declared war on Spain.
13 Aug 1898: Spanish-American War ends,The Treaty of Paris was signed, ending the war and ceding territories like Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States.