The Maine Blown Up

Creator
The New York Times

Context
Headlines from the February 16, 1898, edition, covering the wreck of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor, Cuba.

Audience
New Yorkers and the American public

Purpose
To report the sinking of the USS Maine

Historical Significance
This newspaper story reports the explosion. The headline does not point blame at the Spanish, it simply describes the explosion and states that a Spanish cruising fleet is assisting in the relief effort. The story corroborates what many of the letters from sailors said—that there is no "explanation of the cause of the disaster."

The New York Times, THE MAINE BLOWN UP (1898). Courtesy the New York Times.