Hi, can someone please explain what it is I am to do. Here is the question. (I am extremely confused. thanks for your time!)

-thanks-

identify the headlines that could be
described as yellow journalism and explain how these headlines and their stories might have played a major role in U.S. involvement in the Spanish-American War.

There is a poster here is what it says: "Inside the masthead of the paper is the headline “$50,000 Reward. Who Destroyed the Maine?
$50,000 Reward.” Under the newspaper masthead, the main headline, “Destruction of the War Ship Maine was the Work of an Enemy,” stretches across the entire paper. Under the main headline, printed on both sides of the paper, is the identical sub-headline “50,000 Reward! For the Detection of the Perpetrator of the Maine Outrage!” Under each of these sub-headlines is an article but the print is so small, the reader cannot make it out. In the middle, under the masthead, and between the two identical sub-headings it the additional subheading, “Assistant Secretary Roosevelt Convinced the Explosion was not as Accident.” This is followed with the information “The Journal offers $50,000 Reward for the Conviction of Criminals Who Sent 258 American Sailors to Their Death. Naval Officers Unanimous that the Ship was Destroyed on Purpose.” -Thanks again- ☺ (ps. to make my name of ♥ hold down alt and 3 at the same time)

Here's what you're supposed to do.

Explain how these headlines and their stories might have played a major role in U.S. involvement in the Spanish-American War.

The headlines don't give any proof of an enemy destroying the Maine. Yet this fake news and the promise of an award riled up enough people to support the Spanish-American War.

Okay, thank you so much!

You're very welcome.

To answer the question about identifying headlines that could be described as yellow journalism and how they played a role in the Spanish-American War, we need to understand the concept of yellow journalism and analyze the given poster.

Yellow journalism refers to a style of reporting that emphasizes sensationalism, exaggeration, and often includes misleading or false information. It aims to attract attention and provoke strong emotional responses from readers. Now let's analyze the poster provided:

The headline "Destruction of the War Ship Maine was the Work of an Enemy," along with the identical sub-headline "50,000 Reward! For the Detection of the Perpetrator of the Maine Outrage!" are examples of sensationalist headlines that could be associated with yellow journalism. They create a sense of urgency, fear, and anger by suggesting that the sinking of the USS Maine was deliberately caused by an enemy.

Additionally, the headline "Assistant Secretary Roosevelt Convinced the Explosion was not an Accident" further adds to the sensationalism. By mentioning the involvement of Assistant Secretary Roosevelt, it implies that the government has evidence supporting the claim that the sinking was intentional.

The inclusion of a $50,000 reward repeatedly emphasizes the monetary incentive for finding the culprits, adding to the sensational and attention-grabbing nature of the headline.

These headlines and their accompanying stories may have played a major role in U.S. involvement in the Spanish-American War by fueling anti-Spanish sentiments among the American public. The sinking of the USS Maine was a pivotal event that pushed public opinion towards war. The sensationalist headlines suggesting intentional sabotage by an enemy likely stoked public anger and demands for retaliation against Spain.

In reality, there is still debate about the exact cause of the explosion that sank the USS Maine, and it may not have been a deliberate act by an enemy. However, the sensationalist headlines and stories published by yellow journalism outlets at the time fueled public outrage and played a significant role in shaping public opinion and ultimately contributed to the U.S. decision to declare war on Spain.