The Spanish-American War was a conflict fought between Spain and the United States in 1898. The war began as a result of tensions between the two countries, which had been growing for some time. In particular, the United States was angered by Spain’s treatment of its colony, Cuba, which was embroiled in a long and bloody revolt against Spanish rule. The United States was also looking to expand its influence on the global stage.
The United States declared war on Spain on April 25, 1898, and the conflict quickly spread to the Philippines, where Spanish forces were also fighting a local insurgency. In a matter of months, the United States had decisively defeated Spain, and the Treaty of Paris was signed in December 10, 1898, officially ending the war.
The Spanish-American War had far-reaching consequences for the United States and the countries involved. For the United States, the war marked the beginning of its emergence as a global power. It emerged from the conflict with a number of new territories, including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. This provoked a heated debate between those who were in favor of more intervention and an increased global presence and those opposed to what they saw as imperialism, hypocritically doing the same that Spain had done. For Spain, the war marked the end of the remantents its empire and a reevaluation of its national psyche, as it was forced to cede these territories to the United States.
References:
https://www.britannica.com/event/Treaty-of-Paris-1898
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/treaty-of-paris-ends-spanish-american-war
