Final answer:
The Spanish-American War took place in 1898, leading to Cuban independence and signaling the rise of the United States as an imperial power. The U.S had pre-war interests in the Caribbean and Pacific, and early leaders depicted Cuba as longing for liberation from Spanish rule. The war ended with the U.S. acquiring several terrritories, including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Spanish-American War
The Spanish-American War was a conflict between Spain and the United States that occurred in 1898, which resulted in Cuban independence. Prior to the war, the United States had significant interests in the Caribbean and the Pacific for strategic and economic reasons. The early U.S leaders often described Cuba as an oppressed neighbor yearning for freedom from Spanish rule. American intervention grew as Spain's repression of Cuban independence seekers intensified, necessitating the U.S.'s engagement which was catalyzed by the explosion of USS Maine in Havana harbor.
The war marked a turn in U.S. foreign policy and global positioning as the United States emerged as an empire with increased global influence. At the conclusion of the war, through the Treaty of Paris, Spain conceded to Cuban independence and handed over Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the U.S., marking a substantial expansion of U.S. power and territorial acquisitions.
Cuba became independent in 1902, but remained significantly under U.S. influence for many decades, particularly through the imposition of the 'Platt Amendment' that allowed U.S. intervention in Cuban affairs. In contrast to Cuba's condition post-war, Puerto Rico and Guam became U.S. territories, with Puerto Rico holding a unique status as a U.S. commonwealth, while the Philippines achieved independence later on.