00:00 The Spanish-American War was a brief conflict fought between the United States and Spain in 1898, with the impact of the war still being felt today.

02:05 The United States had become the dominant trading partner for many former Spanish colonies, including Cuba, and there was a growing desire among some Americans for the US to militarily flex their muscles and gain overseas colonies of their own, leading to the focal point of the conflict being centered around Cuba.

03:54 The Spanish created concentration camps in Cuba, leading to reports of brutality that were sensationalized by newspapers, contributing to the public opinion in favor of the Cuban independence movement and against Spain.

05:45 The investigation into the explosion of the USS Maine didn't matter to the newspapers, as reports of Spanish plots to destroy the ship were published as facts, leading to a rise in public demand for war and ultimately resulting in Spain declaring war on the United States.

07:46 On May 1st, Admiral George Dewey attacked the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay in the Philippines, resulting in a lopsided victory for the US and the beginning of the Philippine-American War, while in Guam, the Spanish surrendered without a fight, and in Cuba, American soldiers landed in Guantanamo Bay with the goal of capturing Santiago and forcing the Spanish fleet into open water.

09:43 The Americans landed in Cuba, engaged in battles outside of Santiago, and ultimately defeated the Spanish fleet, resulting in the loss of territories for Spain and the gain of territories for the US.

11:40 The Spanish-American War marked an inflection point in the histories of both the United States and Spain, leading to the independence of Cuba and the Philippines, as well as the acquisition of Guam and Puerto Rico as US territories.