Spanish American War Memorial
North Attleborough, Bristol County, Massachusetts
Marker Inscription
Spanish-American War 1898 'Remember The Maine'
The Story
In the winter of 1898 the battleship USS Maine exploded and sank in Havana harbor, killing more than 260 American sailors. "Remember the Maine!" became the rallying cry that helped push the United States into war with Spain that spring — a short, decisive conflict that ended with American forces victorious and Spain surrendering its remaining colonial holdings. Towns across the country, North Attleborough among them, later raised memorials to the local men who answered the call to serve in that first overseas war of the new American century.
Why it matters
The Spanish-American War marked the moment the United States stepped onto the world stage as an imperial power, acquiring overseas territories and signaling a new era of American engagement far beyond its continental borders. Memorials like this one preserve the memory of ordinary communities caught up in that national turning point.
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Related events
- · Spanish-American War
- · Sinking of the USS Maine
Themes & tags
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