In 1898, Cuba was fighting for independance from Spain. As you have probalby guessed Spain was controlling Cuba.The u.s got involed(our nosey selfs)for their own interest (Cuba was rich in natural resources such as sugar and is only 90 miles from Florida). President McKinley decided to send help.....so he send USS MAINE. on February 15 the USS MAINE exploded killing 260 us service man! Leaving people confused and wanting answers....did they have any....NOPE! but the newspapers sure did.....

The newspapers needed business, and people wanted answers....give the people what they want right? WRONG! You see back then people got all their gossip and news from the newspapers, they didn't have TV shows and news broadcast like we have today.You can only imagine how the newspaper influenced people back then.When the USS MAINE exploded newspapers made stories up when there was no real story to tell.An headline in the popular "New York Journal" wrote "WARSHIP USS MAINE SPLIT IN TWO BY ENEMIES INFERNAL MACHINE". The american people went wild!!! They wanted Spain to clear out of the northern hemisphere but Spain would not leave Cuba.They wanted war, Congress wanted war, Theodore Roosevelt wanted war!!!One problem............the president didn't want war..............

Now before your like "What the hell declare war already!" You need to know why he didn't

want war! President McKinley had fought in the Civil War. He knew about all the death

and hardships that came with war. He wanted no part in the war. But of course

when your whole country goes against you and you still needed the republicans on

your side what can you do???? So finally president Mckinley gave in ...war was declared

on Spain.Not everyone in America felt the same about the US should take when it

came to foreign situations while all arguments are controversial the two sides peolpe took are Imperialists

and anti-imperialists.Anti-Imperialists believed that Imperialism violates the liberty of the nation's and America's people

.Anti-Imperialists say" if we believe in liberty as an American principle, why do we not stand by it?Why are we going to throw

it away to enter upon a policy of control and regulation?".Meaning that if liberty and justice is our main

rule why are we not obeying it? The major arguments of Imperialists were that since america is the

biggest, richest, and most advanced country.