Question

question 10 of 20

the united states and spain declared war on each other shortly after:

a. a u.s. newspaper reported on spanish atrocities in cuba.
b. the uss maine was attacked in havana harbor.
c. the u.s. military invaded guam and the philippines.
d. cuba declared its independence from spain.

Explanation:

Identify the immediate catalyst for the war

The question asks for the event that occurred shortly before the United States and Spain declared war on each other in 1898.

Evaluate the historical timeline

• Option A: Newspaper reports on Spanish atrocities (yellow journalism) had been ongoing for years and built public tension, but did not trigger an immediate declaration of war.
• Option B: The explosion of the battleship USS Maine in Havana Harbor occurred on February 15, 1898. This event galvanized American public opinion ("Remember the Maine, to Hell with Spain!") and directly led to the outbreak of the Spanish-American War in April 1898.
• Option C: The invasions of Guam and the Philippines were military actions that took place after war was declared, not before.
• Option D: Cuban revolutionaries had declared independence and fought Spain long before the U.S. entered the conflict.

Select the correct option

The destruction of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor (historically attributed to an attack or explosion at the time) was the immediate catalyst for the declaration of war.

Answer:

• (A) a U.S. newspaper reported on Spanish atrocities in Cuba.
• (B) the USS Maine was attacked in Havana Harbor. (Correct answer)
• (C) the U.S. military invaded Guam and the Philippines.
• (D) Cuba declared its independence from Spain.