America fought spain in the spanish-american war because of?

The U.S. believed that the Spanish had sunk one of their ships, the U.S.S. Maine, off of the coast of Havana, Cuba (one of Spain's territories at the time). After being investigated, no conclusion was drawn as to what or who caused the explosion. However, yellow journalism, written by the infamous William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, said that Spain was the one who sank the ship. This event caused the beginning of the Spanish-American war. The aftermath was Spain's defeat and the gain of territories such as Cuba and the Philippines.

Some people also believe that the US sunk its own ship due to the nature of the explosion in order to start a war with Spain.

Back in 1898 the Spanish and the Americans fought in this war over Cuba's independence. Spain (ruled over Cuba) did not want them to gain their independence, and America wanted Cuba to have their "independence" but then America would just (not rule over them) show them what democracy was... then Cuba wanted nothing to do with democracy and wanted Anarchy.. which is never good, thus leading to its communist ties now.