(Spanish-American War: Causes, Battles & Timeline | HISTORY) Before the declaration of war, the removal of Spanish rule in Cuba was demanded by the American Congress. As the Spanish government did not cooperate, the war was officially declared on April 25th, 1898, and lasted until December 10th, 1898. Battle of Manila Bay- 1898, Definition & Map | HISTORY ->On May 1st, the first battle of the Spanish-American War occurred in the Philippines and it took the lives of approximately 10 U.S. soldiers. The Spanish-American war impacted the economy in Spain, Cuba, the U.S., and Asia. Additionally, it affected issues on morality concerning the Church on colonization and human rights. The Spanish-American War had multiple underlying causes and factors that contributed to the declaration and start of the war. Some of these factors were the sinking of the USS Maine and the United States wanting to expand for economic gain. Another factor was the increase in public opinion due to yellow journalism and the press. The last main cause of this war was the Cuban struggle for independence from Spain and the Spanish