Final answer:
The USS Maine was sent to Havana, Cuba, to protect American citizens in 1898. Its explosion in Havana harbor led to the U.S. declaring war on Spain, which resulted in Cuba's independence but with the Platt Amendment allowing U.S. intervention in Cuban affairs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The battleship sent by the United States to Cuba to protect American citizens during the rebellion against the Spanish government was the USS Maine. In early 1898, President William McKinley ordered the battleship to Havana amidst escalating tensions and instability on the island. Despite Spain's warm reception of USS Maine, the situation worsened when the ship mysteriously exploded in the harbor, killing scores of American sailors. This event significantly influenced public opinion and led to the United States declaring war on Spain, thus initiating the Spanish-American War. Through this conflict, the United States contributed to the end of Spanish rule in Cuba and the eventual independence of the island, although it came with conditions such as the Platt Amendment, which allowed the U.S. to intervene in Cuban affairs.