Remember the Maine - Beyond the Slogan
Remember the Maine - Beyond the Slogan The intent of this article is to provide some context on the origins of the Spanish American War, the circumstances that placed the USS Maine in Havana Harbor in February of 1898 and provide a little color to the prelude to war often overlooked. Spain and Cuba: In 1898, rioting in the capitol of the Spanish Cuba threatened U.S. commercial and diplomatic interests, and led to the United States dispatching the USS Maine, Armored Cruiser No. 1, to Habana (Havana) harbor; in the sub-tropical heat, Maine sat at anchor, below the guns of the Moro Castle, showing the flag of the United States to Spaniards and Cubans ashore. USS Maine The U.S. had significant interests in Cuba. [1] In the 1830s and 1840s, the southern U.S. and Cuba were linked by the transportation and trade in slaves, and southern plantation owners sought the comfort of expanding their plantation economy offshore. U.S....