Final answer:
The USS Maine exploded in Havana Harbor on February 15, 1898, leading to the Spanish-American War, with early speculation blaming a Spanish mine but later evidence suggesting an internal accident.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ship that exploded in Cuba, setting the stage for the Spanish-American War, was the USS Maine. This event occurred on February 15, 1898, when the USS Maine mysteriously exploded in Havana Harbor, resulting in the deaths of over 250 American sailors. Initially, the American press fueled by yellow journalism claimed the explosion was caused by a Spanish mine, prompting the rallying cry, "Remember the Maine, to Hell with Spain!" Despite this claim, subsequent investigations have suggested that the explosion was likely accidental, involving the internal combustion of the ship's stored fuel or munitions. The explosion of the USS Maine and the ensuing media frenzy contributed heavily to the United States declaring war on Spain, thus beginning the Spanish-American War.