On February 15, 1898, the U.S. Navy ship USS Maine exploded and sank in Havana Harbor in Cuba, killing 266 sailors. The cause of the explosion has been debated ever since, with some arguing that it was caused by an external mine or torpedo and others claiming that it was an internal accident caused by a faulty coal bunker or defective electrical wiring.
At the time, The United States was at odds with Spain over a variety of issues, including Cuba's struggle for independence from Spain. The explosion of the Maine increased tensions between the two countries and led directly to the Spanish–American War in 1898.
The Spanish–American War was a brief conflict that lasted just four months and resulted in the U. S. victory. As a result of the war, the United States gained control of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, and Cuba, and Spain was forced to relinquish its last remaining colonies in the Americas.