- The sinking of the USS Maine in Havana harbor, leading to the deaths of 260 American sailors.
- Cuba being a former Spanish colony fighting for its independence for several years under the leadership of José Martí.
- America having economic interests in Cuba, such as the plantations owned by American citizens and the potential market for American goods.
- The rise of yellow journalism and the influence of the sensationalist newspapers of William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, which fueled public support for war.