Final answer:
The phrase 'remember the Maine' was used to garner American support for the Spanish-American War after the USS Maine exploded, initially blamed on Spain by sensationalist journalism.
Step-by-step explanation:
People were encouraged to "remember the Maine" as a rallying cry after the USS Maine exploded in Havana Harbor on February 15, 1898, during a period of Cuban struggle for independence from Spain. The sentiment was fueled by the outcry from yellow journalists who sensationalized the incident, claiming it was a Spanish attack, to garner public support for the Spanish-American War. Investigations much later suggested the explosion resulted from an internal accident involving the ship's ammunition stores near the boilers, not by Spanish sabotage.