A notable difference between the spanish-american war and all of the earlier wars that the U.S. has fought was the location. It's because the United States planned to launch an attack to the Spaniards in the Philippines in 1898 - a place that's completely separate from the Americas during that time. The earlier wars happened in neighboring locations of the country, and within the country. The Spanish-American War was made possible due to the country's intervention in the Cuban War for Independence.
