1978: NOAA announces gender-neutral hurricane naming system
Federal News Network presents a daily update of important moments in the history of the U.S. government.
In 1895, Cuba attempted to overthrow Spanish colonial rule. The rebels received financial assistance from private US interests and used America as a base of operations. The Spanish military responded and approximately 100,000 Cuban civilians died between 1895 and 1898. President William McKinley originally tried to avoid an armed conflict with Spain, but popular sentiment bolstered by hawkish American media pushed for a war to give Cubans their independence. On Feb. 17, 1898, the battleship USS Maine, moored in Havana’s harbor, sank after two explosions and 252 men on board were killed. Observers immediately blamed Spain and McKinley bowed to calls for war on April 20, 1898. However the cause of the explosion was later revealed to be spontaneous ignition of faulty ammunition on board.
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