Spanish-American War
April 25, 1898
The U.S. Congress officially declares war against Spain. It decreed that a de facto state of war had existed since April 21. Cuba had been fighting for independence from Spain. The war would end in December with the signing of the Treaty of Paris of 1898 in which Spain renounced all claims to Cuba, gave Guam and Puerto Rico to the U.S., and transferred sovereignty over the Philippines to the U.S. for $20 million.