Step 1 : Introduction to the question "The sinking of what ship led to the Spanish-American War in 1898?"
...The sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor on February 15, 1898, was a pivotal event that led to the outbreak of the Spanish-American War. The battleship had been sent to Cuba to protect American interests during a period of unrest as Cubans fought for independence from Spain. When the Maine exploded, killing over 260 crew members, many in the U.S. blamed Spain—despite the cause of the explosion remaining unclear. The incident gave rise to the rallying cry "Remember the Maine, to hell with Spain!", pressuring the United States to declare war.