The Spanish-American War was fueled by “yellow journalism.”

In the late 19th century, the American press found itself in the grip of a phenomenon known as “yellow journalism” — a sensationalized form of reporting that prioritized eye-catching headlines ahead of the cold, hard facts. These unverified claims sometimes had serious consequences, most notably in the case of the Spanish-American War. On February 15, 1898, the USS Maine battleship exploded and sank in Havana Harbor in Cuba (a country controlled by Spain at the time). Within days, major newspapers including William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal and Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World published accusations that Spain was responsible for the sinking, despite a lack of evidence. But the exaggerated headlines still swayed public opinion, fueling a desire to go to war. Tensions escalated to the point that on April 20, the U.S. Congress issued an ultimatum for Spain to withdraw from Cuba, which Spain declined to do, opting to sever diplomatic ties with the U.S. instead. Spain declared war on the U.S. on April 23, with Congress following suit two days later.