What sinking incident is commonly associated with the lead-up to the Spanish-American War?

The sinking incident that is commonly linked to the lead-up to the Spanish-American War is indeed the explosion of the USS Maine. This event occurred on February 15, 1898, when the battleship sank in Havana Harbor, resulting in the deaths of 266 American sailors. The explosion was widely publicized and fueled public outrage against Spain, which was blamed for the incident, despite the lack of evidence regarding the cause. This outcry, exemplified by the rallying cry "Remember the Maine," helped galvanize support for American intervention in Cuba and contributed significantly to the onset of the Spanish-American War in April 1898.

The other choices do not pertain to the Spanish-American War in the same historical context. The USS Arizona was sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, which was part of World War II, while the USS Constitution was captured during the War of 1812. Therefore, the association of the USS Maine’s explosion with the Spanish-American War solidifies it as the correct answer.