CLEP US History II

Answer: A - The Spanish-American War in 1898 was the first major military campaign in which the United States became engaged after the Civil War. The conflict began with the Cuban War of Independence (from Spain). Though reports detailing Spain’s harsh treatment of the Cubans upset some Americans, the United States did not enter the war until their battleship Maine sank in Havana harbor. “Remember the Maine!” became a battle cry during the war, which included the victory at San Juan Hill led by Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders. The war ended in the same year with the 1898 Treaty of Paris. The treaty effectively ended the Spanish Empire and allowed the United States to purchase Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines for colonial rule.