WHAT HAPPENED IN 1898.
Look what happened the 1898.

New York, New York annexes land from surrounding counties, creating the City of Greater New York. The four initial boroughs, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and The Bronx, are joined on January 25 by Staten Island to create the modern city of five boroughs. (1. January 1898)

Itō Hirobumi begins his third term as Prime Minister of Japan. (12. January 1898)

Émile Zola's J'accuse exposes the Dreyfus affair. (13. January 1898)

Dreyfus affair: Émile Zola is brought to trial for libel for publishing J'Accuse. (7. February 1898)

The battleship USS Maine explodes and sinks in Havana harbor in Cuba, killing 274. This event leads the United States to declare war on Spain. (15. February 1898)

Émile Zola is imprisoned in France after writing "J'accuse", a letter accusing the French government of antisemitism and wrongfully imprisoning Captain Alfred Dreyfus. (23. February 1898)

George I of Greece survives an assassination attempt. (27. February 1898)

Spanish–American War: The United States Navy begins a blockade of Cuban ports. When the U.S. Congress issued a declaration of war on April 25, it declared that a state of war had existed from this date. (21. April 1898)

Spanish-American War: The USS Nashville captures a Spanish merchant ship. (22. April 1898)

Spanish–American War: The United States declares war on Spain. (25. April 1898)

Spanish-American War: The Battle of Manila Bay – the United States Navy destroys the Spanish Pacific fleet in the first battle of the war. (1. May 1898)

The first games of the Italian football league system are played. (8. May 1898)

Spanish–American War: U.S. Marines land on the island of Cuba. (10. June 1898)

Spanish-American War: U.S. war ships set sail for Cuba. (11. June 1898)

The Hundred Days' Reform is started by Guangxu Emperor with a plan to change social, political and educational institutions in China, but is suspended by Empress Dowager Cixi after 104 days. The failed reform though led to the abolition of Imperial Examination in 1905. (11. June 1898)

Philippine Declaration of Independence: General Emilio Aguinaldo declares the Philippines' independence from Spain. (12. June 1898)

Yukon Territory is formed, with Dawson chosen as its capital. (13. June 1898)

The United States Navy Hospital Corps is established. (17. June 1898)

The United States captures Guam from Spain. (21. June 1898)

Spanish–American War: United States Marines land in Cuba. (22. June 1898)