Question

1 multiple choice 1 point
what happened to the uss maine on february 15, 1898?
○ it was attacked by spanish soldiers
○ it exploded in havana harbor and sank
○ it collided with another ship
○ it was damaged during a storm

2 multiple choice 1 point
why did william randolph hearst blame spain for the explosion of the uss maine?
○ he had clear scientific evidence
○ the u.s. government told him spain was guilty
○ he did not know the cause but used sensational stories to sell newspapers
○ spanish leaders admitted responsibility

Explanation:

For question 1: The USS Maine suffered an explosion in Havana Harbor on February 15, 1898, leading it to sink; the exact cause was debated at the time but the event itself is a confirmed historical fact.
For question 2: William Randolph Hearst was a prominent yellow journalist. He used sensationalized, unconfirmed claims blaming Spain for the USS Maine explosion to drive newspaper sales, with no clear evidence of Spanish responsibility at the time.

Answer:

1. It exploded in Havana Harbor and sank
2. He did not know the cause but used sensational stories to sell newspapers