The paper is from February 17, 1989 and the headlines are as follows:

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 in 4 easy worded sentences.

Answer 1

The headlines offering a $50,000 reward for the perpetrators of the Maine explosion and claiming it was the work of an enemy are examples of yellow journalism. These sensationalized headlines and stories may have influenced public opinion by creating anger and a thirst for revenge, ultimately pushing the U.S. towards war with Spain. The exaggerated and inflammatory reporting fueled anti-Spanish sentiment and helped shape a narrative that justified U.S. intervention in Cuba.