April – August 1898
The Spanish–American War
A short summer war that made America a country with friends all around the world.
The Story
In 1898, the people of the island of Cuba were trying to be free from Spain.
An American ship called the USS Maine sank in Havana's harbor, and Americans wanted to help Cuba.
The war lasted only about 4 months — one of the shortest wars in American history.
A young leader named Theodore Roosevelt led a group of cowboy soldiers called the Rough Riders.
By the end of summer, Cuba was free and America had new friends in Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines.
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