The paper is from February 17, 1989 and the headlines are as follows: 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.” Question Using the image of the front page and the knowledge you attained from the lesson, 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. (4 points)

Question

The paper is from February 17, 1989 and the headlines are as follows: 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.” Question Using the image of the front page and the knowledge you attained from the lesson, 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. (4 points)

Answer 1

The headlines that could be described as yellow journalism are:

1. "Destruction of the War Ship Maine was the Work of an Enemy"
2. "50,000 Reward! For the Detection of the Perpetrator of the Maine Outrage!"
3. "Assistant Secretary Roosevelt Convinced the Explosion was not an Accident"
4. "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."

These headlines and their stories might have played a major role in U.S. involvement in the Spanish-American War by sensationalizing the incident and creating a strong anti-Spanish sentiment among the American public. The headlines imply that the destruction of the USS Maine was an intentional act carried out by an enemy, without providing any concrete evidence or investigation results. The use of phrases like "outrage" and "criminals" stirs up anger and emotions among readers, leading them to demand justice and revenge. Additionally, the offer of a significant reward creates a sense of urgency and incentive for people to support military action against Spain. As a result, these sensationalized headlines may have influenced public opinion and played a significant role in pushing the United States towards war with Spain.